‘That’s very much Jaylan’: Young Gold Coast fullback’s traits rival NRL’s greatest
There is a battle ahead of Jaylan De Groot if he is to become a feature in future Gold Coast Titans squad. Yet there are abilities his coach believes he shares with rugby league's finest fullback.
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There is a battle ahead of Jaylan De Groot if he is to become a feature in future Gold Coast Titans squad.
But Tweed colts coach Aaron Zimmerle has revealed there are characteristics the young fullback has which rival that of rugby league’s greatest custodian.
De Groot cut a forlorn figure by the end of his captaincy debut, as the Seagulls went down 20-10 against the Townsville Blackhawks on Sunday.
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Many of his teammates shared in the frustration. According to Zimmerle, many were on the verge of tears.
However for De Groot it was another chapter in his development, one that follows maiden pre-season with the Titans in which he put on 8kg and debuted in a trial against the Broncos.
That extra weight was on show that night when he charged through defenders from close range to score, while an obscure try assist earned him the mantle of “shin kicker” by Fox commentor Andrew Voss.
In order to crack the NRL on the Glitter Strip, the teenage talent has a tall order of number ones to contend with — the likes of Jayden Campbell, Paul Turner and Taine Tuaupiki still far off entering their prime.
Queensland Origin star AJ Brimson has even been moved back to fullback for the Gold Coast’s clash with Penrith on Friday night, suggesting his stint at five-eighth may be short-lived.
And yet through all the challengers who could block De Groot’s quest for a first-grade birth, Zimmerle said there were natural elements of his game which could nudge him ahead in the region’s long-term pecking order.
“As a fullback I think if you use Billy Slater as the original cast for it, they have to push up in the middle, in shape out the back and ball play as well. They just don’t stop moving, and that’s very much Jaylan,” he said.
“He’s got great execution with the pass, at the highest level you have to be able to draw and pass on those three v two situations and know that you make the right decisions. He has that naturally.
“The work he’s done with the Titans he’s put on eight or more kilos, and then just with his ability to still maintain his speed and movement in a bigger body he’s a real threat now.
“That’s been the greatest gain I guess, he’s been able to put size on with no loss of speed or movement. That generally happens in the first year, but he’s such a well-balanced athlete he could probably put another 5kg on and still not dip in any way.”
Tweed were forced to do it tough against the Blackhawks, heading into the contest without start halfback Tom Weaver and gun forward Klese Haas through injury.
To make matters worse, hooker Oskar Bryant was sent off in the 32nd minute for a dangerous tackle.
Both Weaver and Haas — who are Titans contracted — will remain on the sidelines for Tweed’s clash against Wynumm-Manly on Saturday, opening the door for “two at the very least” debutants to enter the fold.
Given his side played much of Sunday’s contest with 12 men, four of which were making their maiden colts appearance, Zimmerle said there was plenty of character to work with.
However he admitted the loss of Weaver in particularly could be damaging.
“Without a doubt,” Zimmerle said when asked if Weaver’s absence was a costly loss.
“Tom himself is a leader, he’s a captain and also our on ball halfback. He touches the ball more than any other player other than the hooker. That has an effect on you, and we only had one week to cover that.
“I think what stands out in his skill area or his class is his ability to finish sets, to be able to kick with purpose.
“It’s what makes him a standout in age group football, he has such great composure and vision and he’s got the skillset to execute that.”
Breaking down the young guns inspiring Burleigh’s ‘changing of the guard’
Burleigh coach Rick Stone has tempered any expectation Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui may have on him to mirror his brother’s rise through rugby league’s ranks.
However with the young forward’s first steps in senior football now behind him, the former Newcastle Knights mentor believes he is on the trajectory to higher honours.
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As his older sibling, Gold Coast Titans and Maroons star Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, tastes his first weeks as captain of the NRL side, the younger Fa’asuamaleaui has been gaining momentum in the Queensland Cup.
The 20-year-old’s two appearances off the bench for the Bears in half-an-hour stints has yielded 85 running metres, three tackle busts and 17 tackles a game.
But despite the promising start, his pre-season training with the NRL squad and famous surname, his coach has downplayed any comparisons to his superstar brother.
“He’s a work in progress for sure, physically he has to evolve a little bit and be up for the physical battle against senior players,” Stone said.
“He has a great engine, he’s just got to work on the smaller technical side of the game offensively and defensively.
“He has all the makings of a good young forward, and there’s no doubt there might be higher honours for him. He’s obviously not on Tino’s level yet, but in the same mould.
“He’s a good young player and still evolving; he’s not the finished product but any stretch but every game he’s getting better.”
On three occasions already this year, Fa’asuamaleaui has been the victim of returning Titans squad members, dropping off the bench in rounds one, four and Anzac Day’s 34-0 triumph over the Papua New Guinea Hunters.
However with the young guy just one of many rookies making their mark, competition for spots was always going to be high in the Burleigh set up.
And with those emerging stars on the look out for a leader, halfback Guy Hamilton has seemingly stood up.
Hamilton has produced numbers not often seen in a halfback, running the ball with the same sort of output as an outside back or forward. In 2022, he has run for 125m a game, with his six try assists and seven forced drop outs equally impressive.
Against the Hunters, the 27-year-old helped himself to a try, an assist, a linebreak and 131m.
“He’s probably the most influential player as far as attack is concerned in the team and effects on the play,” Stone said.
“It’s important he catches on the (advantage) line, engages defenders and gets forward to keep them square.
“He’s going a good job, and he’s started the season strong. He’s having a really strong influence and ownership of the team.”
TAINE TUAUPIKI
Taine Tuaupiki’s ascent to the Burleigh number one jumper came on the back of two dominant campaigns in the Gold Coast A-grade competition.
To do so, however, he needed to unseat a club legend, with long-time fullback Kurtis Rowe the club’s leading tryscorer.
Yet the 22-year-old Tuaupiki impressed through a brilliant pre-season which included a stint at the Gold Coast Titans.
Now Stone said the biggest challenge for the four-game rookie would be in becoming a pivotal man to pull the side out of tough situations.
“It was through weight of numbers, effort, attitude and consistency of performances that he won the spot this year,” Stone said.
“He’s been really consistent, I think he’s got a few more levels to go and we’re really happy with him at the moment. He’s hungry to do well and I think it’s a big year for him.
“Physically he can improve a bit, he can get stronger and faster and physically up for the contest.
“I suppose it’s about him playing games to accrue experience and understand how to manage games — some of the finer points in the game Kurtis Rowe has had after 100 games and a couple of premierships.
“Taine will slowly put that in his memory bank and deal with those situations better.”
Against PNG Tuaupiki opened the scoring, going on to finish with 153m, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist and five tackle busts.
TRISTAN POWELL
After not being brought back into the Titans fold in 2022, Tristan Powell turned out a “massive off-season” for Stone’s Bears.
Stone said the 21-year-old has been knocking on the door of Queensland Cup selection for some time, and the numbers he has produced in his debut campaign have proven why.
Since making his debut off the bench in round one, Powell has moved into the starting pack and run for 148m a game while making 22 tackles. Almost 40 per cent of the metres he has gained have been post-contact.
His rise could not have been timed better for the club, with veteran props Jeff Lynch (injury), Jack Stockwell and Luke Page (retirements) all out of the equation.
Stone said Powell had easily been one of his side’s best players this season, and he would not remain in the NRL wilderness for much longer.
“I know if Tristan continues to play the way he does if it’s not the Titans someone else will be knocking on the door to make some expressions of interest in how he’s going,” Stone said.
“Tristan has had a massive off-season. He was contracted with the Titans for a number of years and jumped into our squad full time.
“He hasn’t looked back, he had a massive off-season and he’s strong, fast and gritty – he’s definitely been one of our best.
“I think good things will happen for Tristan.”
TONY FRANCIS
Stone did not need any prompting to bring up Tony Francis’ name when the chance arose.
The Titans contracted outside back has, like his aforementioned Bears teammates, taken his first senior rugby league steps this season and impressed on the Burleigh flank.
Aside from his side’s loss to Tweed before the Easter break, Francis had scored and made a linebreak in each game he had played.
With four tries, five linebreaks and 15 tackle busts across his opening three appearances, Francis has cemented a place on the wing for the foreseeable future.
Stone said a host of retirements, injuries and player losses over the off-season paved the way for the next generation to stand up.
“We’ve had a bit of changing of the guard, a few boys retire and leave the club,” Stone said.
“We’ve had to find and ask a lot of these young boys to step up; Tony Francis (for instance) on the wing has had a massive start for us.
“Those younger boys are getting their shot and taking it with both hands.”
Gold Coast rookie’s astounding numbers, but biggest test awaits
— April 23
Jojo Fifita has barely scratched the surface of his rugby league education, but already he faces an enormous test against one of the Queensland Cup’s finest wingers.
Having been parachuted into the Gold Coast Titans squad as a schoolboys rugby union star, the 19-year-old was hindered by a shoulder injury throughout his 2021 campaign.
However the athletic flyer is at last free of those setbacks, and he has taken to the Tweed Seagulls flank with a vengeance in his first four games of senior rugby league.
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Averaging 116 running metres a game to go with four tries and five linebreaks, Fifita has showcased the natural ability that pegged him as a future Titan before even picking up the Steeden.
But despite the hype around the youngster, and his continued presence in the NRL side’s extended game day bench, Tweed coach Ben Woolf has tempered expectations.
He said for the all the flare he brought to the field, and the demands his surname brought as a cousin of Titans’ million-dollar man David Fifita, there were still areas for him to grow.
“He’s really improved but he’s still very green. When the comp started he had only played a handful of league games in his life because of his shoulder injury,” Woolf said.
“He’s improving, he’s learning how to get tougher yardage carries and he’s willing.
“He’s very athletic, I don’t know exact numbers but he runs under 11 seconds over 100m, and for his size and physique to run that speed is very impressive.
“He’s a really good kid and has the ability to learn quick. (But) I think he needs a good year of Queensland Cup under his belt before he looks above.”
Fifita will now be put to the biggest challenge of his career thus far against the Blackhawks when he faces off against Kalifa Faifai Loa.
The Townsville veteran, and former Seagull and Titan, has undergone something of a renaissance since the ill-fated 2020 campaign that ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the competition returned, the 32-year-old has run for more than 100m a game in every appearance he has made.
With 62 tries from 97 QCup clashes, to go with his pair of Test caps for New Zealand, Faifai Loa has defied his age to be arguably the Blackhawks most threatening prospect.
For Woolf, the match up against the 75-NRL game strike weapon was just the task Fifita needed to truly see how far he had come.
“I was actually working for the Titans then when Kalifa was there, I knew him well,” Woolf said. “I think it will be (Fifita’s greatest challenge) and I think Kalifa will challenge him on a few things out there.
“It’s going to be a tricky one.”
Tweed will be without the services of hooker Brent Woolf, who dislocated his shoulder in the club’s last outing against Burleigh. He is set to be sidelined for four weeks, with former Canterbury Bulldog Craig Garvey to assume the number nine jumper.
Gen next: Breaking down the teen Coast playmakers on NRL path
Oskar Bryant’s rise from talented prospect to NRL competitor could just be one strong season away, surrounded by teammates he has played alongside since he was six.
However Tweed Colts coach Aaron Zimmerle has tempered expectations on the young hooker, as he seeks to turn the dynamic dummy-half into a physical force as well.
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The Palm Beach Currumbin graduate, and younger brother of Brisbane Heat batsman Max Bryant, was a standout for his school in the Langer Trophy and earnt himself a training opportunity with the Gold Coast Titans.
Given the perceived lack of depth in the number nine jumper at the NRL club, with Erin Clark the only out-and-out hooker in the squad, the 18-year-old could find himself on a fast-track to first-grade if he continues to shine for the Seagulls.
Halfback Tanah Boyd and utility Will Smith are the only other full-time Titans who have covered at rake in the top level.
But Zimmerle said for all the talents Bryant brought to the field, there were still facets of his game that needed refining before declaring him an obvious NRL inclusion.
“His skillset and ability to deliver width with his passing, he gives us 20m off the ruck, and on top of that he’s dynamic,” he said.
“The modern hooker has to be a threat and he’s one of the most dangerous hookers in the competition. But I think we need to be cautious with it (his expectations).
“His biggest challenge is the physicality, we need to help bulletproof him for the 80 minutes in the middle. Whether that’s tackle selection or ways to be less of a target for the opposition. “But when it comes to football he’s a God given talent.”
Bryant forms a spine flushed with PBC champions he has forged a long and successful collaboration with — halfback Tom Weaver, five-eighth Jack Field and fullback Jaylan De Groot.
Bryant is even cousins with Field, while his brother Parker plays through the forwards despite the fact he “ball plays like a half”.
Wild weather postponed their first game of the Hasting Deerings Colts competition, and Titans training commitments limited their time with the Seagulls squad.
Yet despite that, the attack orchestrated by the one, six, seven and nine clicked instantaneously in the 40-16 victory against Burleigh last weekend.
Zimmerle said much of his coaching would come down to ensuring the players around the unified playmakers had their roles ironed out perfectly, to enable the quartets natural ability to shine.
“The big one for us is at 21s, my coaching as such is going to be about preparing them for the next level — (Queensland) Cup or beyond,” he said.
“We’ve got to be brave enough to trust we can play football, even if errors come from that.
“At the end of the day with the coaching side of things when you’re blessed with a quality spine, you coach the other role players. If you’re runners are not available to you and they don’t execute shape you don’t give the half or hooker options.
“The coaching goes more into the other players to allow that spine to flourish … (but) they are an immensely talented team.”
Originally published as ‘That’s very much Jaylan’: Young Gold Coast fullback’s traits rival NRL’s greatest
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