Langer Trophy, Walters Cup live stream: Keebra Park tackle defending champions Ipswich

He might have had some big shoes to fill, but they looked the perfect fit on Keebra lock Taylor Withington as he helped power the side to a huge win over Ipswich. Watch the REPLAYS.

Jett Bryce comes into the Langer Trophy in spectacular form.

Taylor Withington had arguably Keebra Park’s biggest shoes to fill, but the lock proved the difference as his side powered to a 34-18 Langer Trophy triumph over Ipswich State High School.

Stepping into the number 13 jumper previously worn by skipper Wailer Whaiapu - who succumbed to a dislocated shoulder on the eve of the competition - Withington crossed for two barnstorming tries in the first half to set up the win.

His first proved particularly impressive, cutting through the defence off a linebreak and showing classy footwork to cross against the defending champions.

Utility back Dorian Lotaki scored a double in the perfect start for coach Peter Norman’s young men.

REPLAYS

Langer Trophy Round 1 - Keebra Park SHS v Ipswich SHS

Walters Cup Round 1 - Keebra Park SHS v Stretton College

PREVIEW: Bryce set to spearhead Keebra revival

“You could bottle it and sell it for a million bucks.”

It’s the passion Jett Bryce brings to the field that made Keebra Park coach Peter Norman heap such praise on his vice-captain, as the gun backrower prepares to take his form from a breakout South Coast campaign into a Langer Trophy title assault.

Bryce played a star role in the region’s Queensland Schoolboys Rugby League Championships triumph in Townsville last weekend, and was chosen for the state’s national titles outfit alongside teammate Presley Folau.

The teenage edge forward is set to captain his school in the Langer Trophy opener against defending national champion Ipswich State High School - in the injury absence of Wailer Whaiapu.

LANGER RESERVES PLAYERS TO WATCH

You can catch the big clash - and the preceding Walters Cup showdown - LIVE on KommunityTV from 3.30pm on Tuesday.

LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GAME? Check the full Queensland schoolboys schedule below and follow the links to our live streams

Norman was at a loss to figure out how Bryce was not recognised as the QSRLC player of the carnival, such was the dominance he showed - particularly when Whaiapu went down early in South Coast’s second game.

He said it was the youngster’s fearless approach in punching above his weight that made him such a contender; a trait clearly identified upon signing with the Brisbane Broncos.

Jett Bryce comes into the Langer Trophy in spectacular form.

“Jett should’ve got player of the carnival, he was by far and away the best player,” Norman said.

“He’ll come off the back fence and run through people, but when he looks like he’s getting beat he gets through and finds his front.

“He’s just all effort and energy, you look at him and there’s not much, but he plays like he’s 10 foot tall and 200kg. He runs into blokes he was no right to.

“He’s passionate and I love it, you bottle it and sell it for a million bucks.”

Keebra will be forced to battle for much of the campaign without Whaiapu, the team and high school skipper who has succumbed to his third major injury this year.

The powerful lock, who made his debut in the Langer Trophy as a Year 10 student, fractured his jaw while playing for the Future Titans against the Newcastle Knights in January, before suffering the same fate in his comeback game for the Burleigh Bears.

Wailer Whaiapu will be missing.

Having got through the first hit out of South Coast’s recent championship victory, Whaiapu was felled by a dislocated shoulder in the second tackle of the following contest.

Norman said they would await the results of Thursday’s scans to confirm the extent of the damage, but was hopeful his key man would be fit to return by term three.

“I’m shattered for him, he’s had a tough trot this year. He’s the best kid and has worked so hard to get his body back right and was looking so good,” he said.

“I hope he can get back, he’s so important to our team. He’s currently contracted to the Titans, I’m not sure when that finishes, but they were really happy with his performance against the Knights.

“He’s one of those kids who’s a great human being as well, so if he does get bad news I’m hopeful he has somewhere to go because we haven’t seen nearly his potential yet.”

Norman is relishing the chance for his outfit to take on Ipswich straight out of the gates, with much of his team firing from last weekend’s championships.

Amazing scenes as Ipswich win the 2022 Langer Trophy title.

Despite the reigning champions being depleted up front from their 2022 forward pack, he said it would be with ‘respectful confidence” that they enter Tuesday’s clash at Southport.

“I love it. The state carnival is usually a decent read for us, and both the South Coast A and B managed to get over the top of Metro West,” Norman said.

“Although we really respect them and they have a great team, I think maybe after state carnival it might’ve taken a bit away from them.

“Rather than being intimidated, they’re respectfully confident and it’s going to be a tough battle.”