Future Queensland Reds: Meet the Gold Coast teens to tackle huge rugby union challenge
On the back of a series of star showings, the Gold Coast can lay claim to 13 youngsters paving their path towards the Queensland Reds. Meet the standout contingent here >>
Local Rugby
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They are the 4km runs to training shared with his brother that have paved the way for Agapetos Lote-Felo to take a giant leap towards his rugby goals.
But his Gold Coast Eagles coach Grant Steffek has a simple message to his young forward ahead of the biggest game of his fledgling career.
Lote-Felo, along with his club teammate Tremayne Patelesio, have been selected in the Queensland Reds Under-15s squad to take on New South Wales next month.
Those honours came on the back of star showings at the Buildcorp Emerging Reds Cup on Thursday, a carnival which featured a further five of their fellow Eagles.
In total, 13 Gold Coast rising stars were chosen between the Reds’ under-15s and under-16s squads, as well as the development Academy.
Lote-Felo stands out clearly for his size on the field, as evidenced by his barnstorming try for the Eagles in their under-16s grand final defeat at the hands of Palm Beach Currumbin.
What stands above, however, is his fitness.
Hailing from a family of sporting phenoms, Lote-Felo and his brother Hased race 4km to training each session, according to Steffek, before bringing that same competitive energy to the field.
Steffek said it was more than the natural ability the young tearaway brought that set him apart. Rather it was the way in which he had mastered the “one percenters” at such a tender age.
While he said there was enough potential in Lote-Felo to go far with the Gilbert in hand, ultimately his message was to relish the experience as though it would be his last.
“To be brutally honest it’s so early. For me I often say this to our group rep is a snapshot in time. Some kids will get picked now, and then they’ll play a year or two and never get picked again,” Steffek said.
“But the opposite happens, some kids get picked older. For them, my message is really enjoy these next couple of weeks.
“I think what I’ve noticed with him (Lote-Felo), particularly in the Eagles, is he can just focus on a role and I saw him just focus on a role at this particular tournament (Emerging Reds).
“Sometimes I think rep teams and players will look up to him and expect him to do everything. They sort of look up to him and expect him to do everything and so there’s unnecessary pressure and almost too much on his plate to do.
“I’ve noticed lots of little things have improved this year, a lot of refinement around how he carries the ball, his footwork pre-tackle (and) how he controls balls at the back of the scrum.
“If I was selecting absolutely that’s what I’m looking for.”
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Steffek confirmed the Eagles would seek to ensure an under-16s team was still available in 2023 to keep players such as Lote-Felo and Patelesio engaged at the club.
A jump to under-18s would prove too great, according to the coach, given it would mean a two to three year age jump.
But despite his age Steffek believes in Patelesio there is a true leader emerging in the yellow and blue jumper.
The Keebra Park product only began playing rugby in under-13s, coming in as a prop before blossoming into a versatile youngster capable of playing lock, flanker, number eight and even inside centre.
However Steffek said it was his willingness to bleed and battle for his teammates that would steel him well in the future.
“You can lead in two ways — you can lead with your voice, but unless you back it with actions you don’t go too far. I was watching him over the weekend and he just naturally leads people,” he said.
“The guy is so versatile and he’s had to learn a lot this year because we’ve needed him to be versatile (due to injuries).
“He incredibly used to be a bit podgy, so he was a prop when he started playing and then he moved to lock and then he played some flanker as well and number eight.
“This year he really leaned up, he really grew and leaned up. He’s a natural leader, he seems to love the communication and geeing other up with enthusiasm.”
YOUNG VETERAN SPEARHEADS REST OF FUTURE REDS
In spite of his youth, Lochlan Smith can consider himself a veteran of the Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators.
Now he has the chance to keep himself in the national spotlight.
Smith, a stalwart of more than 150 Gold Coast District Rugby Union games despite still playing in the under-16s, has been chosen alongside club teammate Blake Moana for the Reds’ under-16s squad to contest a new national tournament next month.
The pair will face sides from all the other competing states for the mantle of best in the country.
On the eve of the Gold Coast’s junior grand finals, Alleygators under-16s coach Matt White praised the leadership qualities Smith brought to the field.
And yet he said it was the youngster’s tireless work rate which often determined how successful the PBC outfit would be come kick off in a tighthead prop position young players often shied away from.
“He’s a leader by example, he’s a tireless worker on the field. His work rate is second to none in the team, he’s constantly tackling and being effective at the breakdown,” White said.
“He gets through plenty of hit ups and he’s got controlled aggression you don’t really see in a 16-year-olds.
“He’s a smart footballer who knows when to turn it on and when to keep something in the tank. You’re body shape defines you sometimes but he revels in it and loves the tough stuff.”
Joining the forward duo in the Reds ranks will be The Southport School stars Amare Milford, Billy Wellard and Tom Goldie.
The powerhouse rugby union school will also have Max Durrington feature in the under-15s side, while Jonah Rangiwai and Kingsley Uys have been selected in the Reds Academy Development Squad.
Fellow titans of the 15-man code, Kings Christian College, will have Keido Goulding take his place in the under-15s forward pack with Tavita Loughland chosen in the Academy set up.
Pimpama’s Atapana Noa will take another step in his development when he also enters the Academy’s camp as a highly touted forward prospect.
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