Currumbin Eagles and Marymount College product Xavier Coates stars for Queensland under-18s

It has been one hell of a month for Xavier Coates.

IT has been one hell of a month for Xavier Coates.

The talented winger backed up winning an under-18 national championship with Tweed and scoring two tries on Intrust Super Cup debut for the Seagulls by starring with a man of the match performance in Queensland’s under-18 State of Origin triumph on Wednesday night.

The Maroons outclassed NSW in a 34-12 scoreline that reflected the home side’s dominance at Suncorp Stadium.

Stacked with seven Gold Coast club players – also including Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Reece Walsh, Juwan Compain, Tristan Powell, Brendan Piakura and Carsil Vaikai – Queensland ran riot in a promising sign for the future.

Coates was chief among the architects, running freely on numerous occasions and leaping high to rein in a Josh James kick to score.

The Currumbin Eagles and Marymount College product admitted he did not see such a rapid rise coming.

Man of the match Xavier Coates. Picture: Adam Head

“You kind of go through the motions at training and hope for the best and then when it actually happens you are blown away and you have to just keep working harder and harder to get to the next level,” Coates said.

“This group all came together really well and that showed on the field.”

Powell was part of the Queensland pack that stood tall, despite his relatively light frame.

The 18-year-old Burleigh prop switched from the Broncos to the Titans in the off-season in search of more opportunities and was stoked with jagging a dream win in Queensland colours.

“It makes this win that much better after getting beaten in the dying minutes in the 16s (State of Origin in 2017), Powell said.

“There’s no feeling like it, it’s great.”