Players from Burleigh and Tweed ready to represent Queensland in under-18 State of Origin

The next wave of Gold Coast talent will get their taste of the State of Origin pressure cooker at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

THE next wave of Gold Coast talent will get their taste of the State of Origin pressure cooker at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

Almost half of the Queensland under-18 squad is made up of players from Coast clubs: Xavier Coates, Juwan Compain, Brendan Piakura, Carsil Vaikai and Reece Walsh are all from Tweed; while Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Tristan Powell are Burleigh regulars.

Seagulls playmaker Toby Sexton was also named 18th man.

Of that group, second-rower Compain, winger Khan-Pereira and props Vaikai and Powell are all Titans-contracted and the NRL club is eager to watch how they handle the occasion.

Tristan Powell, Reece Walsh, Carsil Vaikai, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Brendan Piakura, Toby Sexton, Juwan Compain and Xavier Coates. Picture: Scott Davis/NRL

“We’re very proud of the four boys that have been selected that are currently contracted to us and we think they have a bright future in the game,” said Titans elite player development manager Jamie McCormack.

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“I think what clubs like ourselves enjoy about young players getting the opportunity to play at this level is just the exposure to the higher level and against quality opposition and on the big stage.

“Some players really revel in it and some players find the pressure a little bit daunting at this time in their career but we’re really looking forward to watching the boys play and in particular to see how they respond to the event.

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“Obviously that is going to help them going forward.”

The Titans Elite Development Squad was launched late last year.

McCormack said the Titans Elite Development Squad program had in part been designed to give budding stars access to proven top-level players, whose experience and wisdom can then rub off.

“Whenever we can connect the two, I think it’s beneficial for the boys to have that support and to hear it first hand from players that have achieved it,” he added.

The under-18 State of Origin will kick-off at 5.15pm.