‘We are up there with Penrith’: 10 teens to watch in Future Titans battles
As the youngest crop of Titans prepare to take the field before the NRL side kick off against the Broncos, we take a look at the 10 players to watch — including the brother of a current Gold Coast gun.
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“We are up there with Penrith.”
That was the declaration of Titans elite player development manager Jamie McCormack, as his squad of under-16s prepare to face Auckland at Cbus Super Stadium.
Along with the girls under-17s squad, the Future Titans talents will play the curtain raiser clashes before the NRL unit take on the Brisbane Broncos, as the club seek to become a juggernaut in junior development.
The Penrith Panthers have cemented their status as the powerhouse of rugby league in recent years, playing in three-straight grand finals — winning two — courtesy of a harnessed nursery of local athletes.
And McCormack said that was the make up of the Gold Coast’s vision.
“We want to make sure we give our local juniors and Northern Rivers players every opportunity to become a Titan, and one day down the track hopefully our full NRL squad are all just local products,” McCormack said.
“We’re 50 per cent out of our top 30 now all local products, so we’re up there with Penrith at the moment for our junior development.
“It’s really important for us to secure our young talent here on the Gold Coast or into the Northern Rivers and give them every opportunity.
“If they do a job with us then hopefully they enjoy what we’re doing, we can upskill them and they won’t want to go anywhere else in the future.
“I’d like to think the boys respect the opportunity to wear the Titans colours and that’s what we’re trying to put inside them – every time they get the chance to wear the Titans colours it is like a grand final.
“It won’t make or break their careers if we lose to the Auckland side, but we want our brand to be very strong and every time our kids pull on the jumper they’re proud to wear it.”
While the boys will kick off from 5.35pm, the under-17 girls — coached by Veronica White — will take the field prior from 4.15pm.
“We look forward to seeing how the Academy team compete against an unknown opposition with the Auckland Development team,” White said.
“We hear they have a strong forward pack and believe that we can handle them with our ability to shift the ball”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Viliami Fifita
He has the blood of Titans running through his veins, and now it is Viliami Fifita’s chance to shine in the blue and white jumper.
The younger brother of Gold Coast speedster Jojo Fifia, and second cousin of marquee man David Fifita, the rising prop comes into the side as one of the youngest players in the squad.
However McCormack declared there was already a bright future ahead of him should he put in the work to take it.
“He moves quite well, he’s not quite as fast as Jojo but he’s a very promising young player coming through the ranks at the moment,” he said.
“It’s his athleticism for a big young player, he’s very fit because he does a lot of training with his dad and he’s quite skilful.
“He’s one of our youngest players in the squad but he carries a pretty powerful name.”
Taylan To’a
Hailing from Marsden State High School, Taylan To’a makes the trip from Logan to take part in the Future Titans clash with a point to prove.
The dynamic edge forward has already featured in the club’s under-17s side who took on the Brisbane Broncos during the pre-season, and McCormack has backed him to rise to the occasion yet again on Saturday.
“We identified him at 15 and also he’s been in our system for 18 months,” he said.
“He’s a big rangy solid backrower that has already played in our under 17s squad against the broncos and so on. He’s got a lot of potential.”
Jimmy McCombie and Kaleb Smith
Regardless of the age of a side, the halves will always be called upon to orchestrate the attack and get their team over the line.
Enter Jimmy McCombie and Kaleb Smith.
McCombie, a Byron Bay product, will don the number seven jumper having shone in the Northern Rivers Titans pathways, while Smith will assume the five-eighth responsibilities having shone from his home town of Murwillumbah.
“(McCombie) is a young player with hopefully a long future ahead of him. He’s quite skilful, he plays a little bit of rugby union on the side as well, he’s a tough defender,” McCormack said.
“(Smith) is very tough, he can quite easily play hooker for us at any given time, so we’re hoping those two boys will lay a good foundation for us.”
David Bryenton and Donte Tahuhu-Wilson
Two players from very different backgrounds will round out the Titans spine, with David Bryenton at last getting the chance to play his preferred fullback role.
The teen whiz-kid was a strong presence in the Burleigh Bears’ Cyril Connell Challenge side, scoring five tries in four matches while playing in the centres.
That form rewarded him with a train and trial opportunity with the Future Titans, and now McCormack has given him the chance to thrive in the number one jumper.
“The good thing is he couldn’t play fullback every week for Burleigh, he played in the centres, and he was still one of their better players week in week and out,” he said.
“He was probably more dangerous when he had the football in his hands, so we thought we were looking for another fullback so we’d bring him in and give him an opportunity.”
Meanwhile Kiwi productDonte Tahuhu-Wilson will jump in at hooker having barely got off the plan from New Zealand.
The teenage sensation was identified by the Titans recruitment team while visiting a camp across the ditch, and McCormack is hopeful that with further development he will return to the Glitter Strip in the coming years for the long term.
“He’ll spend a couple of days with us and then play in the trial match, and then he’ll go back to school in New Zealand but hopefully in a year or two he’ll come over more permanently,” McCormack said.
“It’s the lightning speed and the light feet (that’s impressive), and he’s just very courageous. “He’s not overly big but a very courageous young man. They (Tahuhu-Wilson and Bryenton) are just very livewire players that are very light on their feet, a lot of speed and will trouble the opposition every time they touch the ball.”
Jaida Faleono, Mercedez Taulelei-Siala, Tiresa Elika and India Seeto
White has bestowed promising products Jaida Faleono and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala with the co-captaincy duties, as the Titans’ future NRLW stars prepare for battle.
Faleono has been identified for a career on the big stage across multiple codes, having featured in high level Rugby 7s and rugby union squads in the past.
The teen wunderkind played seven games for the Tweed Seagulls’ under-19s side this year, averaging 109 running metres a game while missing tackles in only two clashes playing as either a prop or lock.
She was joined in the side by Taulelei-Siala, who featured in five contests both on the wing and at lock at average 102m and more than three tackle busts a game.
However according to White, there are several other key players for pundits to keep an eye on.
“Jaida Faleono and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala will co-captain the side, both proven leaders, providing strong motivation and encouragement to our younger players,” White said.
“With their experience they will lead the next generation of Gold Coast players to the next level.
“There is some strong talent and high skill level in the Academy, with Tiresa Elika and India Seeto who made the highly acclaimed Australian School Girls U18 Team in 2022. Many will play in the State Titles in May.
“More than half the team have been stand out players in the recent QRL major competition; Harvey Norman U19 competition with outstanding results”
UNDER-17s GIRLS TITANS VS AUCKLAND @ 4.15pm
1. Mercedez Taulelei-Siala 2. Phoenix-Raine Hippi 3. Carleigh Pio 4. Mhia Taylor5. Kaylah Moloney 21. Shalon Sauaso 7. Danielle Tutakangahau 8. Porsche John 9. India Seeto 10. Kaliyah Browning 11. Amanii Misa 12. Jaida Faleono 13. Tiresa Elika 14. Nadia Windleborn 15. Bailee Williams 16. Leilani Ahsam 17. Sky-Yvette Faimalie 18. Ariana Henderson 19. Easther Mikaele 20. Yamun-Ginda Kelly
UNDER-16s BOYS FUTURE TITANS VS AUCKLAND @ 5.35pm
1. David Bryenton 2. Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu 3. Beau Hartmann 4. Devin Bates 5. Xhai Waerea 6. Kaleb Smith 7. Jimmy McCombie 8. Dahnte Te Whui-Hopa 9. Jahkyais Mabbett 10. Nelson Makaafi 11. Taylan To’a 12. Majah Peachey 13. Luke Jones 14. Jai Bilish 15. Viliami Fifita 17. Jyah White 18. Kalani Patu 19. Gazniah To’Omaga 20. Donte Tahuhu-Wilson
Originally published as ‘We are up there with Penrith’: 10 teens to watch in Future Titans battles
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