Watch the replays of the Langer Trophy qualifying final between Redcliffe SHS and Caloundra SHS
Watch the replays of the Langer Trophy sudden death qualifying finals between Redcliffe SHS and Caloundra SHS.
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Redcliffe SHS were Langer Trophy bound after snaring a historic 28-6 win over Caloundra SHS in the sudden death qualifying fixture at Moreton Daily Stadium.
For the first time Redcliffe SHS were into the Langer Trophy, clinching position No.7 in the elite eight team schoolboy rugby league competition. The eighth and final position will be decided when Mabel Park SHS play St Mary’s College next month.
What a win it was at sun drenched Redcliffe, a victory which had fellow students roaring in approval and was redemption for a loss in the corresponding match last season.
That defeat - at the hands of Mabel Park SHS - was the only game Redcliffe lost in 2021 and was a bitter pill to swallow.
“We learnt from last year to a certain extent,’’ said Redcliffe coach Scott Murray.
“We were our own worst enemy when it mattered most and I think we really learnt from our experience and what we needed to do to get the job done.’’
In the curtain raiser, Caloundra SHS qualified for the Walters Cup (Year 10) competition with a sound win over Redcliffe SHS, while in additional good news for Caloundra, the Year 8 side also qualified for the Renouf Shield.
This time Redcliffe looked calm and composed, never panicking and professionally going about their business.
The Courier Mail apologises for the technical difficulties which meant we missed the opening five minutes of today’s Langer Trophy qualifying final. We will endeavour to have a full match replay online after the match finishes.
RELATED LINKS
LANGER QUALIFYING SERIES SPEED DEMONS
PAYNE CUP REBOOT - DOLPHINS CUP LAUNCHED
SNAP SHOT INTO THE TYPE OF JUNIOR REDCLIFFE’S PRODUCE
WHAT YOU WANTED THE DOLPHINS TO BE NAMED
THE MATCH
Running into the wind, Redcliffe laid foundations for victory by leading 16-nil at halftime.
With middle forwards Loka Toia, Gerhard Matthes and Jayden Alefaio using powerful leg drive in their ruck runs off dummy half Jack Cameron, Redcliffe had a nice platform for halfback Leroy Murray to direct traffic.
Caloundra were threatening with their shifts, but they dropped too much ball which disrupted their flow.
On the right edge Redcliffe second rower Jacob Taulani was a handful both cutting back into toward the ruck, but also using his strength on the outside.
But without that scrambling defence in the first half, it could have been a different story.
“I thought generally our defence was pretty good, especially in the first half when we were moving well and turning up for each other,’’ said Redcliffe SHS coach Scott Murray.
“It was probably the first time we have been able to put that team on the paddock. So we will get better.’’
Caloundra SHS coach Toby Poole said Redcliffe deserved their win.
“For some reason our boys turned in a sub par performance,’’ he said.
“I can’t put my finger on it but I am pleased even though they were not winning, they kept turning up and trying hard even though it was not happening.
“Completions killed us. We turned over too much ball and eventually there was too much pressure.’’
Redcliffe opened the scoring when prop Toia ran crash ball off his dummy half Jack Cameron after Taulini had created some momentum.
Calroundra were dangerous with fullback Brooklenn Mundraby-Grogan injecting himself on both sides of the field.
There were two early near misses for Caloundra, but both times the Redcliffe scrambling defence rallied.
Redcliffe props Toia and Matthes had big opening quarters, and it was their momentum which aided a right shift that finished with Redcliffe winger Blaine Linsell plunging over from close range.
Taulini then crashed over just before the break, giving Redcliffe a buffer the players would have only dreamt of when they drifted off to sleep on Tuesday night.
There was a potentially big moment just after the break when Redcliffe fullback Guy Ksachi Waerehu made a break and put Leroy Murray racing toward the line.
But as Murray was tackled, he reached out and was deemed to have lost the ball. There would have been no coming back from 22-nil.
But it was 22-nil soon after when Ksachi Waerehu deservedly crossed the line next to the posts, enabling Murray to add another conversion.
THE PREVIEW
The Langer Trophy schoolboy sudden death qualifying final will be a glimpse into the world of the Dolphins NRL junior talent pool.
Redcliffe SHS will play Caloundra SHS in the clash to be livestreamed by www.couriermail.com.au and News Corp affiliates from Dolphin Oval at 4pm.
The winner will earn position No. 7 in the eight team Langer Trophy competition which starts on June 1.
Eighth position will be decided between St Mary’s College and Mabel Park SHS on April 27 – all livestreamed by News Corp in what will be an unprecedented season of school elite schoolboy coverage spanning the Langer Trophy, Dolphins Cup and Payne Cup.
Today’s blockbuster pits Redcliffe SHS, the old school of Josh McGuire, Petero Civoniceva and Daly Cherry-Evans, against Caloundra SHS – a region which delivered the likes of Jake Friend, Ben Ross, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Chris Flannery and Casey McGuire into the NRL.
Both schools were based in heartland Dolphins country and will be a crucial future breeding ground for the Redcliffe based NRL side.
The Dolphins have missed the current generation of local juniors simply because the NRL side of the organisation has only existed six months and brilliant juniors like Karl Oloapu, Ben Te Kura (Broncos), Rob Toia (Roosters), Ben Uini (Roosters), Prestyn Laine-Sietu (Panthers) and Jayden Smith (Canterbury) had already signed elsewhere.
And from Calroundra SHS Brooklen Mundraby-Grogan (Canterbury), Tully McLellan and Chase Paterson (both Melbourne) were with rival NRL clubs.
But there are still some juniors on the market and in this match watch for Jack Cameron, Jacob Taulani, Leroy Murray, Aholoka Toia, Jayden Alefaio and Jack Philp.
Redcliffe SHS coach Scott Murray said the Dolphins had a “strong connection to our school’’.
“It presents lots of exciting opportunities for the school, players, and club,’’ Murray said.
Caloundra SHS coach Toby Poole said while the arrival of the Dolphins on the region’s doorstep was a bonus for juniors, it did not change the priorities of the Caloundra program.
“It obviously is a massive thing for the area and something the whole community is interested in,’’ Poole said.
“But for us, our focus has not changed with our squad or program. We continue to focus on developing great young men and using rugby league as a tool to ensure future success for all our students.
“Whether that be set for employment or ready for further study that is huge for us.
“Obviously we love when we are able to produce rugby league players who move straight into a Rugby League Pathway and it is something we are extremely proud of, however NRL pathways is not our only measure of success.
“ Being able to produce quality young people who are ready to positively contribute to our local community at age 17 or 18 remains a key focus for us here.’’
Murray said losing last year’s qualifying game before sweeping through the Gee Cup undefeated was a great learning experience for his squad.
“Those players that were part of that team last year would have taken a lot from that process of qualification. If you don’t play well when it matters most it hurts.
“We weren’t at our best in that final qualifying game and we lost. Experience helps.’’
The match has a bit of a local derby feel about it.
“It is usually always going to be a pretty tight and physical game when we get to play each other,’’ Poole said.
“Results are pretty even across the year levels, but in the opens last year Redcliffe got the better of us, so we will be looking to fix that result in 2022.’’
THE TEAMS
Caloundra SHS: 1. Brooklenn Mundraby-Grogan, 2. Douglas Snell, 3. Kallum Murphy, 4. Noah McMahon, 5. Franz Aguilo, 6. Jack Philp, 7. Tully McLellan, 8. Chase Paterson, 9. Jack Sommerville, 10. Lachlan Dunn, 11. Zak Zibara, 12. Jayden Smith
13. Kaedyn Philemon, 14. Jed Zerk, 15. Tyrell Hopkins, 16. Brad Higgins, 17. Kobi Williams, 18. Josh Sheppard, 19. Jackson Kite, 20. Brodie Halpin, 21. Gabe Philemon
Redcliffe SHS: 1. Guy- Visachi Waerehu, 2. Blaine Linsell, 3. Julian Mirupasi, 4. Cravin Poutai, 5. Bailin Haji, 6. Blake Kehl, 7. Leroy Murray, 8. Loka Toia, 9. Jack Cameron, 10. Gerhard Matthes, 11. Jacob Taulani, 12. John Fineanganofo, 13. Jayden Alefaio, 14. Troy Ennion, 15. Connor Streak, 16. Hayden Potts, 17. AJ Amosa, 18. Hamish Roshan, 19. Falanisi Samita- Fonokalafi, 20. Regan O’Connell, 21. Ben Crawford
LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE
Qualifying finals
Wednesday, March 23
Langer Trophy
4pm: Redcliffe SHS v Caloundra SHS
Wednesday, April 27
Langer Trophy
St Mary’s College v Mabel Park SHS
June 1: Competition starts
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