WATCH LIVE: Palm Beach Currumbin v Keebra Park in Langer Trophy, Reserves and Walters Cup

It was a big day on the Gold Coast school rugby league calendar, with PBC taking on Keebra Park in the Langer Trophy, Walters Cup and Reserves. WATCH THE REPLAYS HERE >>>

It was a big day on the Gold Coast school rugby league calendar, with PBC taking on Keebra Park in the Langer Trophy, Walters Cup and Reserves.

LANGER TROPHY

KEEBRA Park have stormed back from the brink with 24 unanswered points to deal arch rivals Palm Beach Currumbin their first Langer Trophy defeat in two years, 30-22.

Keebra were marooned inside their half for the first 20 minutes of the match, where Palm Beach built a 12-0 lead and showed every sign of preparing to blow Keebra out of the water.

A dominant performance from middle forwards Herman Tofaeono, Arama Hau, Immanuel Kalekale and hooker Blake Mozer flipped that script in a fashion the all-conquering Reds had only ever handed out themselves.

Winger Elijah Lui reeled in a Connor Te Kani cut-out in the 23rd minute to score in Keebra’s first attacking set, their only sign of life in the first half as they entered the sheds behind 18-6.

It was a different side that returned in the second half as Keebra’s middle forwards found their foothold in the match.

Winger Levi Jones spun over in the right corner two minutes into the half before prop Immanuel Kalekale tossed aside multiple defenders to set up edgeman Del Wigmore to equalise 18-all.

Another charge, from lock forward Hau, set the defence onto the back foot for PJ Poutasi to crash over in the 44th before a one-on-one strip from centre Nella Lotaki was rewarded with a try to that man the following phase to lead 30-18.

Shell-shocked Palm Beach were desperate to get back into the match but fumbled their chance when hooker Oskar Bryant knocked on untouched on a clean break.

Winger Hunter Ploegsma eventually found a consolation score but the failure of Tom Weaver to convert maintained an unassailable lead for Keebra Park.

WALTERS CUP

KEEBRA Park wrecking ball centre Dorian Lotaki piled on two tries and four-from-five goals to sink Palm Beach Currumbin 28-8 in the Walters Cup.

It was a dominant performance from the stocky centre, who showed off his pace in a runaway try midway through the first half, and his power in a rampaging effort against the grain in the second half.

The playmaking ability of Keebra’s halves were also on display with halfback Lennox Teika nailing a 40/20 kick that led fullback Jake Mendham to score two plays later.

Five-eighth Jesse Soric held up a ball perfectly to give interchange forward Ryan Hutchison a hole to score through in the second half.

For Palm Beach, centres Ray Puru and Tyson Ploegsma stood up to be counted, Ploegsma especially with a scything run to score in final play.

Keebra second rower Jett Bryce opened the scoring for the match with a contortionist’s effort to squeeze by the defence in the 12th minute.

PBC cut into a 16-0 halftime deficit early with a score to Tyrese Bowman, coming down with a crossfield kick for his side’s first points.

LANGER RESERVE

YEAR 11 Palm Beach Currumbin fullback Jett Forbes played his first game as a member of the Cronulla Sharks on Wednesday afternoon but could not inspire a Langer Trophy reserve win against rivals Keebra Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Forbes will head to Sydney after graduating from PBC after signing a professional contract with the Sharks this week.

He scored a try to celebrate, hitting the corner of the defence at full speed to burst over from close range early in the second half.

Keebra Park led 20-14 with four minutes to play but any hope of a PBC comeback was snuffed out when Keebra five-eighth Karauria Stokes slipped out of a tackle to dot down between the posts.

PBC halfback Bailey McConnell showed wiry strength that belied his size to impress in the loss while his opposite, Jaxen Yow, produced arguably the moment of the match with a soaring cut-out pass to find winger Munga Baruani for a try in the left corner.

PREVIEW

KEEBRA Park will slump to its longest losing streak to arch rivals Palm Beach Currumbin since the 1980s unless the school can find a way to halt the rejuvenated running game of Titans half Tom Weaver.

Keebra has not beaten Palm Beach Currumbin since David Fifita and Tanah Boyd led the school to victory in 2017.

Team standouts Herman Tofaeono, Blake Mozer, Seth Nikotemo and Levi Jones were Year 8 students sitting in the stands for that win.

Titans stars Tanah Boyd and David Fifita and with Keebra Park's Herman Tofaeono. Picture: Tertius Pickard

On Wednesday night they will attempt to break a run of five consecutive losses to light the flame of rivalry in a new generation of Keebra Park students.

Titans contracted halfback Tom Weaver will become their public enemy No.1 after rediscovering his running game in a come-from-behind win for PBC against Coombabah before the winter break.

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The three-time back to back Langer Trophy champions found themselves behind on the scoreboard late in a match for the first time under Weaver’s stewardship.

He tucked the ball under his arm and ran riot to produce two key tries to swing the match back to his school in the final 10 minutes.

“It’s been one of my big things in my game that I’ve sort of gone away from running the ball a little bit,” the 18-year-old said.

Tom Weaver for PBC. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“My Old Man and the Titans have been, not ‘into me,’ but encouraging me and pushing me to take on the line because I used to do it when I was younger.

“(Against Coombabah) I just sort of looked up and saw my opportunity so I took it on. It built me a bit of confidence to do it again for the next one.

“It gave me a bit of confidence in myself to take on the line a bit more. I think my Old Man would be pretty happy with that.”

Palm Beach Currumbin are flying high after four undefeated rounds while a stinging loss to Marsden State High has put Keebra on the outside rail to the title.

They can flip that script at 5.30pm by invading Palm Beach Currumbin’s home ground at Pizzey Park and giving the Coast’s top rivalry the shot in the arm its storeyed history deserves.

PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN V KEEBRA PARK:

3.30pm: Langer Reserve

4.30pm: Walters Cup

5.30pm: Langer Trophy

Originally published as WATCH LIVE: Palm Beach Currumbin v Keebra Park in Langer Trophy, Reserves and Walters Cup