StoreLocal Hospital Cup: Round 1 team of the week named
Club rugby’s Hospital Cup: The round 1 team of the week features an emerging midfielder from GPS, a Fijian powerhouse signed by the Reds and a crowd pleaser from Easts. See who starred here ahead of round 2.
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Reigning premiers Brothers will march into action on Saturday as round 2 of the StoreLocal Hospital Cup takes centre stage.
The opening round saw last year’s runners up, Wests, stave off Bond University 15-14 on a rain-soaked Sylvan Road deck.
At Bottomley Park, Easts had a winning start over Norths when their sensational forward pack spearheaded the side to a 37-10 victory.
A plucky GPS outfit dealt with University 33-10, at University, with second-year outside centre Joe Doljanin the pick of the backs.
A product of St Mary’s College in Toowoomba, Doljanin had been gathering ominous momentum in Colts 1 over the past three seasons and was one of the best on the park in the opening round.
At Souths, the Magpies won 37-22 to set up an exciting bout this Saturday at GPS when they face the Gallopers.
Bond University will have the week off while the Brethren look to get their premiership defence off to a flyer against the Dragons.
Ahead of round 2, check out the first team of the week which features a blend of new and old faces.
ROUND 1 TALKING POINTS
SOUTHS’ BRILLIANT BLEND OF LAURIE’S PRODUCTS
The emergence of lock Jake Kurbatoff continued at breakneck speed in round 1 when he put in a big shift against the Dragons.
The 2023 Queensland Rugby Under-20s Player of the Year, Kurbatoff was a sure thing in the lineout and spearheaded the rolling maul which saw his old St Laurence’s schoolmate, hooker Harry Holt, score in the third minute.
SMITH’S SUPERB TOUCH
Former Blues Academy ace Byron Smith had a handful of positive touches in Wests’ frantic one-point win over Bond University last weekend.
A product of Nudgee College’s rugby program, Smith put to work his deft left boot in the slippery conditions and twice connection with his wingers through cross field kicks.
The crafty flyhalf and fullback Will Nason, the two youngest on the field for Wests, looked at home in first grade.
Late in the first half, Nason flew across the field in pursuit of a runaway Bond player to apply pressure on last link Jordan Lenac five metres from the try line.
JOE’S SHOW AT UNI
Outside back specimen Joe Doljanin had his hands in everything in GPS’ opening round victory over the students.
A former Reds Under-19s player (2023), Doljanin was arguably the finest midfielder in last year’s Colts 1 competition and regularly featured in first grade – both off the bench and at times as a starter.
GPS lost Shaun Anderson (Shute Shield) and Floyd Aubrey (Hostplus Cup) over the off-season but the injection of Doljanin, who attended Johnathan Thurston’s old school of St Mary’s, seems to have filled that void nicely.
A quiet achiever, Doljanin goes about his business and lets his actions do the talking.
They said plenty at the weekend.
WINNING RETURN
Round 1 also saw 21-year-old outside back Jarrod Homan make his long awaited return to rugby after nearly two years out of the action.
A Colts 1 premiership winner at the club (2022), Homan had his last two seasons ripped away from him after first sustaining a syndesmosis injury (ankle) and then a fibula and tibula injury to keep him out for a total of two years.His Tigers aimed up to give him a comprehensive winning start to his first season in first grade.
STORELOCAL HOSPITAL CUP TEAM OF THE WEEK
15 MELI DREU (Easts)
Back in his best position at fullback but almost unrecognisable with a normal hair colour.
The Ipswich Grammar product scored the Tigers first try and nabbed a second to open the second half.
Dreu provided a smart boot on a wet day when needed in a strong Tigers effort. The home side were boringly good when the conditions demanded it.
14 GEORGE CLARK (GPS)
Slender winger Clark, who is a surprise gain from Sydney University in the Shute Shield, had a high-class first outing for the boys in green.
The conditions weren’t ideal but you saw against the Red Heavies that he will have jet shoes when in the clear on a dry day.
13 JOE DOLJANIN (GPS)
A new face in the centres. A good one at that.
The silent assassin had key involvements in the wet at St Lucia in his team’s impressive 23-point win.
His magic moment came when he ripped the ball off a UQ player to get the Ryley Bierton try rolling.
On full-time, the outside centre passed to winger Clark and backed up inside for the final try. That was the icing on the cake for a player who has so much to give this season for GPS.
12 TYLER CAMPBELL (Bond University)
There was plenty of tackling and trucking the ball up from the Kiwi inside centre on a heavy field.
Always one of Bond’s best, Campbell was again a Mr Reliable in the narrow one-point loss to Wests which the Bull Sharks could easily have won at the end.
11 JAMIE MULLAN (Norths)
It was by no means a round for wingers but Mullan showed he’s a good catch for the Eagles.
An Irishman, the sleek Mullan will be good in the clubhouse after full-time as well.
10 LACHLAN STEWART (Souths)
The tallest flyhalf in club rugby still has his distinctive mo.
He was also the smart general from No. 10 that the Magpies needed in the wet.
The Magpies jumped to a fast 29-0 start by halftime in their 37-22 win over Sunnybank at a soaked Chipsy Wood Oval and Stewart threw the last pass for two tries.
One of which was a gem.
9 JAMES MARTENS (GPS)
The tall, creative halfback may prove one of the best recruits of the season. He was close to his scheming best on Saturday.
He got the ball rolling at his new club with the first try of GPS’ season with a dart down the blindside.
The boundless scrumhalf is quicker between the ears than he is across the ground - and he is fast.
8 NUKU SWERLING (Easts)
He’s 140kg-plus of authority, strong carries and body-bending tackles from No.8.
Just the size that the Tigers pack needs and he showed it against Norths.
What a pick up.
7 ALEX SMIT (Easts)
A really competitive race for this openside flanker spot with Nick Baker (GPS), Matt Engelbrecht (Bond Uni) and Willy Rua (UQ) also playing very well for their sides.
Smit was non-stop as always with his mane of hair somehow subdued under headgear.
6 KOBE WALTERS (Bond University)
The flanker showed some classy handling touches in the wet and his workrate was high on a day when it had to be.
A new recruit from across the ditch, Walters is a former Blues Academy member and showed his class in the first outing of the season.
5 SAM HANNA (Souths)
The Souths strongman had a top notch showing from the lock and was rewarded with a try for a burrowing effort in the first half.
4 JAKE KURBATOFF (Souths)
The engine room really stood up for the Magpies. Kurbatoff, an underrated young gun from St Laurence’s, worked well with Hanna in the second row.
Queensland Rugby’s Under-20s Player of the Year award winner in 2023, Kurbatoff has really come on since leading his school to a AIC First XV premiership back in 2022.
He was too good for two seasons of Colts 1.
3 NICK BLOOMFIELD (Easts)
A fine first start in Premier Rugby for the young Reds Academy prop. He earned a scrum penalty from the first scrum he packed.
Diligent, stuck to his role and played a strong hour. He looks right at home.
2 PINO MAUPESE (Wests)
Maupese had a lot of positive involvements at hooker and was front and centre when the Bulldogs made mauling progress.
1 TREVOR KING (Souths)
The Fijian powerhouse, who started the game late when he moved to Australia for Grade 2, had a strong game.
Always alert, the Reds squad member swept around the front of the lineout to score his try from a well-worked set play.
It’s worth noting GPS prop Sean Youngman made 18 tackles to show he’s strong cattle from New Zealand.
Originally published as StoreLocal Hospital Cup: Round 1 team of the week named
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