Va’a brothers ready to lay the platform for Western Mustangs

Xavier and De La Salle Va’a are ready roll ahead of a new season of QRL statewide competition action for the Western Mustangs.

Western Mustangs brothers De La Salle and Xavier Va’a. Photo: The Courier Mail

RUGBY LEAGUE: When the Western Mustangs run out for their first round of QRL statewide fixtures this weekend, the platform will be laid down by the Va’a brothers.

Xavier and De La Salle will take their places in the Mal Meninga Cup and Cyril Connell Challenge respectively.

For Xavier, taking the reins as captain is an honour that he is grateful for, as he looks to lead by example.

“I’m really excited and eager (for the season),” Xavier said.

“As a front rower I try and lead from the front with my contact and especially running the ball.

“I like to lead from the front and let my actions do the talking.

“We’ve got a promising team. It’s been a long pre-season but we’ve all been working hard.

“Everyone’s improved. We’ve all improved in our strength and speed, especially in our fitness. Training’s been hard, but we’re just eager to get out there.”

De La Salle has progressed through the ranks of the Mustangs over the course of the last few years.

He’s now chomping at the bit to feature in the return of the Cyril Connell Challenge.

“I’m very excited,” De La Salle said.

“Like Xavier, we’ve had a long pre-season and we’ve trained pretty hard so we’re keen to get out on the paddock.”

Representative honours are nothing new to the brothers, and De La Salle said he has a number of goals in mind for the upcoming season.

One of those involves the chance to play alongside his brother for St Mary’s College for the upcoming Langer Cup season.

“There’s a Queensland Country U17s team, so hopefully if I play good enough in my age group I can picked to play up in that team,” he said.

“I’d like to push for opens in school footy as well.

“I’m in the younger end, but hopefully I can play well enough to get picked.”

There’s a great sense of pride in the Va’a household, and Xavier said that is a big encouragement as the pair continue to chase their dreams.

“Mum and dad are pretty proud of us,” he said.

“But we’re still at the start of our careers.

“Hopefully we can keep working to go onto bigger and better things.

“It’s awesome that we get to play with each other in the Langer Cup and to see each other play in the Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga.

“There’s still a lot of hard work to go, but at the moment we’re on track.”

It’s why De La Salle looks to Xavier as not only a brother, but an idol to help him on his journey.

“He always goes through everything first, comes back and tells me what I need to do and work on so I can be prepared for it,” he said.

The Mustangs will commence their season at Bundaberg on Saturday against the Wide Bay Bulls.

The U19s women commence their season next week, while the U21s men take on Ipswich in a trial on Saturday.

ROUND ONE TEAMS

U16s: 1. Matthew Williams, 2. Connor Lacey, 3. Bailey Nash, 4. Harry Eyers, 5. Luke Cesari, 6. Lyhkan King-Togia, 7. Brock Sankey, 8. De La Salle Va’a, 9. Braith Clark, 10. Jai Purser, 11. Jacob Morgan, 12. Bailey Rathmell, 13. Billy Duff, 14. Brayden Crawford, 15. Harrison Schwenke, 16. Lane Eastwell, 17. Jiale Litidamu, 18. Joseph Gillett, 19. Demetrius Christodoulou

U18s: 1. Riley Wockner, 2. Joshua Truscott, 3. Joseph Currie, 4. William Johnston, 5. Jaycob Mudge, 6. Will Brady, 7. Matthew Wilson, 8. Xavier Va’a, 9. Ryan Gill, 10. Kelly Shadlow, 11. Oliver Chaffey, 12. Tyson Stevens, 13. Morgan Byrne, 14. Declan Ryan, 15. Noah Shepley, 16. Clancy McPherson, 17. Darcy Carswell, 18. Domenic Whittingham, 19. Lachlan Fanning, 20. Isaac Jones

Originally published as Va’a brothers ready to lay the platform for Western Mustangs