Giants of the Langer Cup: Palm Beach Currumbin SHS to take on Langer Cup's biggest pack.
Palm Beach Currumbin will have to take down the biggest forward pack in the Langer Cup if they are to progress beyond the semi-finals today. Ipswich boast five of the top 10 biggest players in the Cup. Discover who the teenage giants are here.
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Palm Beach Currumbin will have to take down the biggest forward pack in the Langer Cup if they are to progress beyond the semi-finals today. Ipswich boast five of the top 10 biggest players in the Cup. Discover who the teenage giants are here.
Keebra Park have two props on the list, including one giant who would be the largest player in the NRL.
Ipswich State High’s monster forward pack has seen five forwards crack the top 10.
Isaac Matalavea-Booth, Keebra Park SHS – 201cm, 125kg
The Keebra Park front-rower would be the largest player in the NRL if signed tomorrow. The NRL’s tallest player, Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona, is one centimetre shorter than 18-year-old Matalavea-Booth and 10 kilograms lighter. Cowboys prop Wiremu Greig is the NRL’s heaviest player at 124kg, eclipsed again by Matalavea-Booth.
Marcus Waters, St Mary’s College – 177cm, 123kg
St Mary’s resident cannonball has been adept at keeping the St Mary’s forward pack rolling when leader Xavier Va’a takes his spell. He’s the same weight as Parramatta Eels prop Junior Paulo - the second heaviest player in the NRL - but 11 centimetres shorter.
Xavier Va’a, St Mary’s College – 185cm, 116kg
Va’a shapes as a promising heavyweight boxing prospect and that pugilist’s mindset carries through to his impact play in the St Mary’s front row. He’s three centimetres taller than Queensland Origin prop Josh Papalii and two kilograms heavier.
Lance Fualema, Marsden SHS – 190cm, 115kg
Previously signed with the Parramatta Eels, the former Junior Queensland representative prop is a free agent for NRL clubs on the hunt for an imposing front rower. Fualema is three centimetres shorter than NSW Origin prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard and the same weight.
Shane Tolova’a, Ipswich SHS – 175cm, 114kg
The Ipswich interchange prop might not be the heaviest or tallest player in the Langer Cup but he’s almost certainly the strongest. His three-rep max numbers in the gym are astounding. Tolova’a bench-presses 160kg, back-squats 220kg and deadlifts 230kg.
Ilai Tuia, Ipswich SHS – 190cm, 110kg
The former New Zealand under-16s international sits in a four-way Ipsiwch State High school tie for fourth-largest player in the Langer Cup. The Wellington prop moved to Ipswich with former NZ teammate and Roosters centre Evander Tere-Rongotaua, who is the competition’s heaviest back at 101kg.
Waylon Fiaii, Ipswich SHS – 188cm, 110kg
Fiaii is the heaviest edge player in the competition at 110kg, which would translate into the top-10 in the position at the NRL. Tevita Pangai Jr, Coen Hess and Luciano Leilua are only slightly heavier.
Fred Fangupo, Ipswich SHS – 185cm, 110kg
Ilai Tuia’s front row partner is a key cog in an intimidating Ipswich State forward line-up. With four of the school’s five starters hovering around the 110 kilogram mark, defenders have no reprieve from a long day of tackling.
Elijuwhon Suavai, Ipswich SHS – 182cm, 110kg
Suavai represented the Northern Pride in the Mal Meninga under-18s Cup last year before making the move to join Ipswich’s High Performance program from Cairns. He played as a centre in junior football before transitioning to the forwards.
Herman Tofoaeno, Keebra Park SHS – 183cm, 108kg
One of the toughest players in the competition to tackle. Tofoaeno’s acceleration and footwork force defenders onto the back foot where his 108 kilogram mass is even harder to stop.