Langer Trophy, Walters Cup, Langer Reserves competitions: Wavell v Ipswich; Our Team of the Day list

Langer Trophy, Langer Res, Walters Cup: Who shone brightest in three colossal round five clashes between Wavell SHS and Ipswich SHS? Here we reveal our top 16 players from Wednesday.

Nick Tucker

5 min read

July 22, 2022 - 10:35AM

Local Sport

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They wear jersey numbers 14, 6 and 15; two from Ipswich State High School and one from Wavell State High School — they are Australian Schoolboys.

Meet Gabriel Satrick, Karl Oloapu and Josiah Pahulu; some of the most promising young rugby league talents in the Langer Trophy competition.

Their speed, decision making finesse and barnstorming ball-carrying was there for all to see at the North Ipswich Reserve when the unbeaten Ipswich Langer Trophy side defeated Wavell in round five action Wednesday.

But they weren’t the only stars on show, with other cracking talents glimpsed in the Walters Cup and Langer Reserve games which unfolded in the lead-up.

This week, we present an array of players from across the board.

TEAM OF THE DAY:

Fullback: Joven Gyemore (Langer Res) and Tyler Peckham-Harris (Langer Trophy)

Langer Trophy: Ipswich V Redcliffe schoolboy rugby league challenge. Ipswich player, Joven Gyemore. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Gyemore produced a “blink or you’ll miss it” performance, showcasing his speed to burst through Wavell’s defence. He scored a hat-trick and had touches in another try. The play of the day came when Gyemore leapt in the air to catch and control a bomb and run away for a try. He looked in the prime of his form.

Peckham-Harris arguably had his best performance of the season. His footwork was deadly,

placing his defenders on the back foot to give him an extra second to pounce.

He’s not the biggest kid but he plays like he’s the biggest on the ground.

Wing: Volonte Baruani (Walters Cup)

Ipswich Walters Cup wing Volonte Baruani.

Baruani was brilliant returning the ball from the back. He had countless runs giving Ipswich great field positioning. He played the ball in the middle of the paddock to give his teammates room to move.

His mistake-free game came up big to give his team the boost they needed to win their first Walters Cup game of the year.

Centre: Amos Tuialli (Langer Trophy)

Count on Dragons-contracted Amos Tuialli to bump off anyone trying to bring him down. He left a trail of Ipswich jerseys in his wake when charging aggressively into the line.

Tuialli, with his frizzy hair do and mammoth frame was the centre of the day.

Tyreece Tait (left) and Karl Oloapu (middle).

Centre: Tyreece Tait (Langer Trophy)

Tait was another Wavell standout who looked threatening with every touch of the Steeden.

With jersey number 4 on his back, the Broncos contracted young-gun set up his fellow Broncos and Queensland Schoolboy counterpart Robertson Tusi-Tofu for a try in the corner with a tricky tap-on-pass.

Norths Devils player Tyreece Tait gets a try Norths Devils v Redcliffe Dolphins in Meninga Cup Sunday March 27, 2022. Picture, John Gass

Wing: Jamal Laurie (Langer Trophy)

Laurie, a Langer Trophy newcomer who had been in flying form in the reserve competition, didn’t look out of place one bit.

He held down his wing, bagged a try, and made all the right calls when put on the spot.

A wing like Laurie highlights the depth of the Ipswich SHS.

Ipswich wing Jamal Laurie running out to play Langer Trophy.

Five-eighth: Karl Oloapu (Langer Trophy)

Oloapu’s game is silky smooth with no shortage of x-factor. If you’re lucky enough to see him in action, you’ll immediately notice how NRL-ready his play-style is.

The fundamentals have been perfected and the sneaky but safe attacking tricks have been mastered by Wavell’s Broncos signed schoolboy sensation.

His injury ridden team came close but Ipswich had too much firepower and hunger, coming away 28-16 winners.

Wavell five eighth and Australian Schoolboy Karl Oluapo.

Halfback: Isiah Mafi (Langer Res) and Tristan Afamasaga (Langer Trophy)

Something was in the water for these two halfbacks. They were both on fire.

Their true playmaking ability was on offer — Mafi putting on a clinic and Afamasaga the deciding factor in his side’s Langer Trophy triumph.

Isiah Mafi of Ipswich SHS in the action.

Mafi’s kicking game was sharp and he just knew how and when to pounce, and who to strike through.

With the scores level at 16-16 in a tight Langer Trophy tussle, Afamasaga was the light to Ipswich’s match.

Ipswich Langer Trophy halfback Jalen Afamasaga.

He sent two heart-stopping cut-out passes to put centre Anton Naiyep and wing Jamal Laurie in for tries.

Who knows how the game plays out if halfback-ace-Afamasaga doesn’t stand up.

Prop: Mafiou Cherif (Walters Cup)

A truly magnificent performance from Mafiou Cherif gave the Ipswich Walters Cup side the taste of victory for the first time in 2022.

One of the best in the Walters Cup: Mafiou Cherif. Cherif plays Prop for Ipswich SHS.

Scoring three out of his team’s four tries, Cherif couldn’t be stopped. The dominant young prop was charging full pelt into the defence all game in a unanimous man of the match effort.

But Cherif has been doing this all season. He’s been scoring tries and running riot up the middle.

It was on Wednesday where he was able to reap all the rewards of his hard work.

Hooker: Mason Phillips (Walters Cup)

Phillips was nifty from hooker, with a few scoots from the ruck catching Ipswich off guard. His service was perfect and he assessed the defence well to dictate how his team would apply pressure.

Wavell SHS Walters Cup hooker Mason Phillips (left).

Prop: Cooper Cracknell (Walters Cup)

Cracknell was up to his usual antics on Wednesday with his ability to keep the play alive and get the ball free for a few sneaky offloads.

It’s such a brilliant skill to have as one out of five times, it pays off with a four-pointer. The QLD Schoolboy never lets the ball go to ground when getting his offloads away, making sure of it and executing with precision.

Sometimes it gets Ipswich 10 more metres up the field and other times it opens up holes in the defence, allowing his teammates to capitalise.

The offload king, Cooper Cracknell. Cracknell plays in Jersey No.10 for the Ipswich SHS Walters Cup team.

Second-row: Presley Folau (Walters Cup)

Presley has a very similar build to cross-code genius Israel Folau, and on Wednesday he was just as damaging as the ex-Wallaby and Queensland Maroon.

Folau, with a try assist before halftime and a try just after, was Wavell’s best in the Walters Cup clash. Indeed he is one of Wavell’s more promising youngsters as we look to the 2023 and 2024 Langer seasons.

Norths Devils player Jai Camilleri Norths Devils v Redcliffe Dolphins in Meninga Cup Sunday March 27, 2022. Picture, John Gass. Camilleri scored the first try of the day for Wavell.

Second-row: Rene Bagon (Langer Trophy)

Bag on was the Langer Trophy trooper that hit back for Ipswich after conceding an early try at the hands of Jai Camilleri.

Bag on blitzed his way through traffic and crashed over with a cracking close range barrage. Bagons impact will be invaluable as his team approaches the back end of the competition, offering that ability to make big plays.

Langer Trophy: Ipswich V Redcliffe schoolboy rugby league challenge. Ipswich player, Rene Bagon. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Lock: Kane Self (Langer Res) and Akeli Filipo (Walters Cup)

Self was his usual self with the strongest of ball-carrying on display. With his mullet whooshing through the air as he tore up the middle, the Ipswich Jet ate up plenty of metres, giving his backs space to execute. Jacobi Shaw and Gyemore capitalised.

Filipo, a Wavell SHS Year 10 student, was everywhere around the paddock, working hard even when his team’s chances of winning became slim.

He scored a try on the siren which was a testament to his attitude and grit.