Colts 1 club rugby’s round 9 team of the week; Revelations of the season
Colts 1 club rugby latest: Who have the revelations been in 2025? The best from all nine clubs revealed here, along with the round 9 team of the week after Sunnybank’s giant-killing win over University.
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The Sunnybank Dragons breathed fire on a Sodden University of Queensland turf on Saturday to down the league leaders 14-5 in a riveting contest.
Sunnybank loosehead prop Royden Fakaosilea stole breakdown ball on the hooter before revered No. 13 hit man Junior Sitia Malupo booted the ball in to touch to call stumps on a cultivating wet-weather skirmish.
The gritty win brought up sixth-placed Sunnybank’s fourth triumph of the season, setting up a titanic clash against fourth-placed Souths this Saturday.
Both teams have visions of being in the finals later this year and Souths secured an important 14-12 over Brothers to entrench themselves in the top-four hunt.
At Bottomley Park, Easts took care of GPS 24-7 and down the coast, Bond Uni flexed considerable premiership muscle winning 55-13 over Norths.
The match between Uni and Sunnybank was a belting encounter which showed just how close this year’s competition is.
Sunnybank, spurred on by captain Mattias Agent (No. 8) and Tane Gregory (flanker), scored two of just three scored on the day and hit hard and low to stave off a University outfit spearheaded well by No. 8 Angus Kelly, prop Kingbenjamin Swirling and locks Raife McKenzie and Mitch Waldon.
It was a bruising bout which Sunnybank had to be at their best to win. Pacy fullback Kiyan Gunewardene was heavily involved tracking Isaac McAuliffe’s sound territorial kicking in the conditions.
Sunnybank centres DJ Manase and Malupo provided a gutsy one-two punch to keep Uni’s backline at bay and upfront, the work of Max Black (flanker), Emmanuel Mara (lock) and Dre Loughlin (hooker) was the stuff of champions.
Out wide, winger Jeriah Vagana went in search of work on a day where Sunnybank got a nice bench impact from flyhalf Joseph Cummins.
A handful of the Sunnybank giant killers from Saturday are featured in the round 9 team of the week below, along with the competition’s other heavy lifters.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Tom Lambo (Easts)
14. Hunter Robinson (Bond Uni)
13. Darcy Rowan (Souths)
12. DJ Manase (Sunnybank)
11. Jeriah Vagana (Sunnybank)
10. Tobias Graham (GPS, played inside centre)
9. Jimmy Jackson (Souths)
8. Mattias Agent (Sunnybank)
7. Tane Gregory (Sunnybank)
6. Caleb Godfrey (Easts)
5. Mitch Waldon (Uni)
4. Keanu Rasch (Bond Uni)
3. Kingbenjamin Swirling (Uni)
2. Liam Robinson (Brothers)
1. Oli Aleman (Norths)
COLTS 1 CLUB RUGBY’S REVELATIONS
Huw Griffiths (Souths)
St Laurence’s College old boy and Souths junior Huw Griffiths has been a gun for the mighty Magpies.
Originally pencilled in as a hooker, Griffiths quickly showed he was most useful as a flanker where he has been excellent.
A starter or at times an interchange player, Griffiths would have to be knocking on the door of a regular starting role in the flanks.
Harry Newnham (Souths)
He has always been good but after missing last season, Newnham has been a stunning return to club rugby.
Safe as houses under the high ball and just super consistent, Newnham — like most Toowoomba products — has been tough as nails.
To significant effect, Newnham has used himself as a battering ram to dent the defence and on Saturday, at fullback, the traditional centre or winger looked promising.
Ruston Taylor (Uni)
University won’t be able to look to outside back revelation Ruston Taylor in the near future because he broke his hand against Brothers and is out for six weeks.
Before that, he played without fear to help The Students get off to a white-hot start.
A fearless country bloke from Western New South Wales, Taylor ripped in and earnt the respect of his peers in a flash when he arrived at the club earlier this year.
Angus Kelly (Uni)
Kelly’s naming at No. 8 in round 1 raised eyebrows given his two-year First XV tenure at Gregory Terrace as an outside centre.
It is safe to say that positional transition was a roaring success for the dominant backrow forward who missed almost all of last season through injury.
A flanker in his early days as a junior player, Kelly has returned home to where it all started and has been the competition’s best in his position.
Max Campbell (Easts)
Like Kelly, Easts lock Max Campbell had his 2024 season stripped off him because of an injury.
Campbell, a Churchie old boy, has made up for lost time after a shoulder reconstruction to be a dependable lineout target and much, much more for the Tigers.
The ever-improving Campbell is playing even better footy now than before the injury when he was a Reds Under-18s selection as a schoolboy.
Ilan Cloete (Easts)
The biggest revelation of the season has been this rampaging midfielder from Redlands.
A top five performer in this competition, the hard-to-handle Cloete has resembled a wrecking ball with his straight line running and belting defence.
At times immovable at the breakdown, Cloete is not the finished product but his strength, athleticism and South African doggedness is doing a splendid job at Tigerland.
Harry Solofa (Wests)
It should come as no surprise to see Solofa enhancing his reputation at The Kennel.
One of the elite hookers in last year’s GPS First XV competition for Churchie, Solofa has maintained that form in club land where his strength both with and without the ball is keeping Wests (currently fifth) in tact with the top four.
Ezalle Matautia (Wests)
Also a newcomer to Wests, Matautia can play flanker and No. 8 and has shown plenty in a handful of matches so far.
A physical type who only just turned 18, Matautia has been both skilful and aggressive in the Bulldogs pack.
Dylan Roost (Norths)
In a hot-and-cold season for Norths, Roost has been grand on the wing.
Seemingly getting better with every experience, the Nudgee College hidden gem has demanded selection each week.
Quick and competitive, Roost is never out of the game for long.
Riley Canavan (GPS)
It is no mystery at Yoku Road that openside flanker Canavan is becoming one of GPS’ top forwards.
He leads the squad in tackles made this season and after a full season of Colts 2 (2024) and even starting this year in the second team, Canavan has been too good to deny.
The No. 7 jersey is now his to lose.
Reuben Downes (GPS)
A loosehead prop in Marist Ashgrove’s First XV last year, the hulking Downes has learnt plenty in his time at GPS. One thing he has learnt is to throw the ball straight into the lineout and that’s something he has done with distinction at his new position of hooker.
A big out for the Gallopers over the last fortnight, Downes will return to the fold in round 10 to find the mark in lineouts and move GPS forward — like his older brother John did the last time GPS won the competition (2021).
Keanu Rasch (Bond Uni)
The big utility forward from Kings College has ruffled feathers this season. His latest victim, Norths.
An unknown back in March, Rasch has gotten better and better each game after plying his trade in Wellington last season for the Wainuiomata Lions Rugby League Club.
Heinrich Fourie (Bond Uni)
Another South African ace gracing the Colts 1 competition this season, Fourie has been impressive in his first year at Bond.
A blindside flanker with a typically high work rate, Fourie packs a far greater punch than his row-boned stature suggests and is a noted communicator.
Joe Post (Brothers)
Plucky scrumhalf Post has been sharp to start the season for Brothers.
In a season where wins have been hard to come by, the razor sharp instincts and up-tempo game style of the Ipswich Grammar old boy has at times brought the best out of The Brethren.
Reagan Knowles (Brothers)
The Brothers loosehead has seemingly got better with every experience this season.
A fringe starter earlier this year, Knowles has demanded selection every week because he is highly-skilled with the engine and durability of a war tank.
The big-improver loves an offload.
Royden Fakaosilea (Sunnybank)
The Sunnybank looshead is only just scratching the surface of his abilities but in big games this season against Wests and Uni —both of which the Dragons won — he was immense.
Fakaosilea scored twice against Wests and in a fiery clash with Uni, he worked hard to stop opposition players in their tracks, find his feet and attack the breakdown.
He was also effective in rolling maul and pick and drive play, alongside outstanding hooker Dre Loughlin.
Junior Sitia Malupo (Sunnybank)
the menacing midfielder was grand last season but has been even better in 2025.
Now a recognised player across the competition, No. 13 Malupo is enhancing his reputation with every game.
On Saturday, the Sunnybank Junior Colts product did a wonderful job defending Uni midfielders Kye Porter and Spencer Frame, as well as the tall Uni forwards.
Originally published as Colts 1 club rugby’s round 9 team of the week; Revelations of the season
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