Talented South Coogee rugby youth sets sights high

Three-time player of the year winner Liam Taliana sets his sights on the big leagues.

Liam Moen-Taliana is a great young player and a leading try scorer for the u13s in the last game being 4 players down this young man scored 5 trys within one game single handedly.

LIAM Taliana gets his hands around the ball and charges pass the opposition, crossing to the sound of a cheering crowd.

It’s not an uncommon sight for the U13s South Eastern Seagulls player.

The 13-year-old, from South Coogee, has been his club’s player of the year three times.

In a game earlier this month he scored a whopping five tries in one game, despite his team being down four players.

The Randwick Boys High School student, who started playing at the age of five, said rugby league suited him to the ground.

“It fits my body and my personality perfectly,” Liam said.

“I like playing because it’s fun and I have grown very, very fond of my team. I think of my team as a family and I just want to keep playing.”

Anthony Taliana said even though his son was short sighted, it didn’t deter him.

“The whole crowd cheers every time he takes the ball up. They’re all cheering for Liam to make ground on the opposition,” he said.

“He’s very strong, he’s a strong runner, he’s a big unit and he shows a lot of aggression on the field and basically he improves his football all the time.”

Father and son are diehard South Sydney Rabbitohs fans.

Liam said his hero was Bunnies versatile Greg Inglis.

“He’s strong, fast and a good player and I think I’m like him. I’m strong and fast as well.”

He said his first goal was to secure a stop in South Sydney’s juniors team before taking a shot at playing professional NRL.

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■ Southeast sprinting talent Jessica Thornton was awarded the 2014 Junior Sports Star of the Year at a ceremony in February