Live stream: Mabel Park v Wavell SHS, Langer Trophy, Round 4

Down 18-0 after just 12 minutes, Mabel Park produced an epic recovery to topple Wavell, but there were plenty of obstacles to overcome along the way. See the Walters Cup/Langer Trophy REPLAYS.

Against all odds, home side Mabel Park State High School overcame a mountain of obstacles to escape in a frantic finish at Langlands Park, winning 24-18 over an exciting Wavell State High outfit.

The Wavell Warriors dashed out to an 18-0 lead after just 12 minutes of play after pacy right wing Ruben Webb, high-flying left-wing Kurt Jones and crash-running No.13 Charlie Dickson barged over to score.

The visitors looked primed to go on with the job but Mabel Park, inspired by conductor Jackson Howe, answered in fine fashion.

With Natu Leota and Howe orchestrating the attack wonderfully and forwards Chaev Kolone, Elijah Keung and DJ Talaepa defending bravely.

Mabel scored four stunning tries to lead 22-18 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of play

before they were confronted with their next hurdle.

Energetic hooker Ezra Leota was yellow carded and with all the ascendancy, Wavell were closing in.

But Mabel’s dam wall defence stuck firm, denying a dangerous Wavell attack any reward for the craftiness of Zac Herdgen and Timahna Tandy, the positioning of winger Jones and threatening ballrunning of Year 11s Sangstar Figota and Jared Horne.

Mabel then secured the victory with a penalty goal on the cusp of fulltime from general kicking ace Howe, who capped off a stunning kicking display with a successful attempt from in front.

RABBITOHS SIGNING COUP

The Rabbitohs swooped to sign North Queensland big man Jason Hallie last year and have got their hands on another promising prop, Mabel Park sensation Elijah Keung.

Keung was massive again for Mabel on Wednesday, as he has been in three games this season and the South Sydney club are spot on recruiting this middle forward powerhouse.

Keung, who finished year 12 at St James College last year, could be anything.

DUMMY HALF LIVEWIRE

Who remembers Gabriel Satrick from the champion Ipswich SHS side in 2022?

He was an electric hooker and Mabel Park SHS have one just like him this year, livewire Ezra Leota.

Fearless with great off the mark acceleration, Leota took on the Wavell defences with at least half a dozen carries from the ruck.

That was in the first half alone.

With defenders back peddling, the slippery rake advanced Mabel up the field with his smart scoots, after his big men Ronnic Starkey, Dj Talaepa and others had defended so bravely on their tryline.

Ezra’s elusive running game was to the fore of Mabel’s first half resurgence after finding themselves trailing 18-0 after 12 minutes.

HYPE IS REAL

Highly touted Wavell SHS Year 11 student Sangstar Figota was simply sensational.

The Roosters signed fullback played Harold Matthews Under-17s earlier this season and has hit the ground running as one of the babies of Wavell’s First XIII this season.

In an emphatic 60-minute showing, Figota made countless half-breaks and at times seemed impossible to bring to ground.

The tall, athletic No.1 has that x-factor and moves very well laterally.

There is plenty of hype around the 16-year-old ace and it is warranted.

WALTERS CUP

Athletic fullback Cortez Kirkpatrick showed plenty of zip when scoring two of Wavell State High’s three tries in their 16-6 Walters Cup triumph over Mabel Park State High on Wednesday.

On a sunny afternoon at Totally Workwear Stadium, Kirkpatrick dazzled to score the Warriors’ first four-pointer, stepping past a defender to slam the ball down, before a similar manoeuvre saw him crash over for his side’s third try, the dagger which sealed the result.

Ahead 10-6, Wavell had their noses in front with the game hanging in the balance.

Then Kirkpatrick intervened, a superb line on the left edge saw him cut through the defence after a pinpoint right to left pass by his hooker Kanon Phillips set him up.

A Norths Devils Connell Cup Under-17s representative player, Kirkpatrick earlier in the year had a strong campaign at the Devils Lair and has been a strong communicator in behind Wavell’s defensive line this season.

Mabel Park SHS v Wavell SHS - Walters Cup Round 4

Wavell SHS were in safe hands moving into the future with Year 10 playmakers Jordy Hotere and Charlie Webb showing glimpses of what they are capable of.

Five-eighth Hotere was stationed on the left edge and made an impact with his defence, while the headgear wearing Webb, his halfback, was a conductor on the right edge where he worked some magic to create his team’s second try.

Both from New Zealand, Hotere and Webb came to Wavell SHS last year, where they were both key players in the school’s Hancock Cup.

There were still mistakes in their games, but the versatility of Hotere and the passionate playmaking and organising of half Webb should excite Wavell supporters.

PREVIEW

The Mabel Park State High School juggernaut was gaining ominous pace after last year’s breakthrough season, with this year’s side charging towards the term two holidays with a third win in its sights.

Two-from-three so far this season, Mabel Park SHS will welcome Wavell SHS to Langlands Park for Wednesday’s Langer Trophy clash, which you can watch live here from 2:15pm.

See the full Langer Trophy live stream schedule for the week below. Click the links to watch games LIVE.

Last week, Ipswich SHS turned onto the home straight with vigour to turn a 12-6 halftime deficit into a 24-12 win over the Wavell Warriors.

Meanwhile down the coast at Tugun RLFC, the Mabel boys escaped a gutsy Palm Beach Currumbin side 18-16 to take the chocolates with them back up the M1.

Mabel Park prime mover Elijah Keung.

Last year Wavell SHS knocked out Mabel Park SHS in the sudden death Langer Trophy finals day at Kougari Oval, Wynnum but Mabel head coach Ben Weston admitted that defeat was well in the rear view mirror, with both Mabel and Wavell new look sides in season 2024.

It is Mabel’s new look trio of Ezra Leota (hooker) and barnstorming props Chaev Kolone and Elijah Keung which have put the Logan side on a similar path to last year where they finished second.

Ezra Leota and twin brother Natu Leota played for the Parramatta Eels’ Harold Matthews side earlier this year.

Chaev Kolone played Langer Reserves last season, with Leota the interchange hooker. Across town was Keung, a St James student who had previously attended Palm Beach Currumbin SHS and Marsden SHS.

“They (prop partners Keung and Kolone) wouldn’t have had a clue who each other were,” Mabel coach Ben Weston said of his Special K pairing.

“Chaev’s defence has been outstanding.

“Elijah’s go forward too…. He takes one carry and gets our set going.”

This year, the terrific trio has combined to be one of the most exciting, well balanced forward packs in the competition - and the Canberra Raiders along with South Sydney have taken note.

Leota and twin brother Natu, an elite utility, have been shown considerable interest from the Canberrra Raiders NRL club and will likely sign in the coming weeks.

Mabel Park prop Chaev Kolone. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Their prop Chaev Kolone is also on the Raiders books, while Elijah Keung, the discovery player of the season, is also being watched by the South Sydney selectors, having visited Rabbitohs HQ, the Heffron Centre, this month.

“Ezra has probably been our best, he’s been exceptional,” said Weston.

“We saw glimpses of it in preseaason.

“How much he has come on… we thought we had a good one. He’s proved us all right I guess.

“His work ethic and commitment he has come on leaps and bounds in last 12 months.”

Watch Keung and Kolone confront Wavell on Wednesday at 2:15pm after the Walters Cup clash at 1:00pm live here.

Originally published as Live stream: Mabel Park v Wavell SHS, Langer Trophy, Round 4