Langer Reserves rugby league’s top performers from round 5
Here’s 25 of the best Langer Reserves players following a bumper round 5 of action. These players highlight the depth of the elite Brisbane Broncos-sponsored schoolboy league competition.
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It is little wonder the Langer Trophy is so strong when you have blokes like those featured in this story running around in the reserves.
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First XIII players could be seen left, right and centre playing in round 5 Langer reserves last week, and we can’t want to see them - and others - go around again on Wednesday in round 6 when Keebra Park host Mabel Park, Marsden welcome Ipswich, Wavell host PBC SHS and Caloundra take on Redcliffe in a northern derby.
BEST LANGER RESERVES FROM ROUND 5
WAVELL SHS v CALOUNDRA SHS
Loti Fatunelu (Wavell SHS)
Fatunelu announced himself with a bang in his first game of the season with a great work ethic, push on the footy and defensive efforts.
Jordan Segovia (Caloundra SHS)
Slotted in at fullback for the Seahawks, Segovia was strong from the get go despite coming up against a damaging Wavell attack. Segovia held his own in defence but also showed great energy and flair in and around the footy.
Lisi Fa’aoso (Wavell SHS)
The number six was quality all game for Wavell with great execution and ball delivery to his outside edge. He showed great creativity with the ball and pinned the opposition back with his strong kicking game.
Will Witlock (Wavell SHS)
Also his first game for the season after an injury lay-off, the star right winger showed a clean pair of heels in the second half by weaving through five defenders before running 80m to score. He was a danger with the ball in hand and positioned himself well on kick returns.
Sonny Kendall-Torri (Caloundra SHS)
Kendall-Torri started really strongly for Caloundra making plenty of tackles against a big, mobile Wavell forward pack. He looked strong with the ball and led from the front for his side.
MABEL PARK SHS v REDCLIFFE SHS
Jack O’Hagan (Redcliffe SHS)
The speedy outside back challenged Mabel Park with his involvements and pace and the fact he is in the reserves highlights the mounting player depth at Redcliffe SHS.
Tipene Cooley (Mabel Park SHS)
Strong on the edge in both attack and defence, Cooley also opened up scoring lines with damaging, well angled runs. He seemed to bend the line with every carry.
Zayden Hayburn (Redcliffe SHS)
Hayburn showed the benefits of his Langer Trophy experience by being a leading light for Redcliffe’s reserves. He obviously gained a lot from mixing with and playing against the competition’s best.
Riley Baker (Mabel Park SHS)
Mabel had Cooley on one side and Baker on the other. He was solid in defence and had a great presence in attack, running good lines.
Max Kirkman (Redcliffe SHS)
Playing lock or hooker, Kirkman did both roles splendidly for the Redcliffe side against a big Mabel outfit.
Boston Cochrane (Mabel Park SHS)
Powerful in the middle, Cochrane carried the ball strongly and found his front every time he was taken to ground which was such a help to his dummy half and teammates. He was damaging in the middle third of the field.
MARSDEN SHS v PBC SHS
Cooper Lewis (Marsden SHS)
Lewis turned a quick play the ball into an easy 10m gain with his smart dummy half spurts, while also giving grand service from the ground. His goal kicking was a bonus in a close game.
Josiah Fa’Aoso (PBC SHS)
The dynamic prop had a big finish to the match, with his closing 15 minute effort carrying his side to the brink of victory. He was also good in the first half, but at his best in the second half.
Sean Daugherty (Marsden SHS)
The big bloke loaded up and let fly in the middle of the ruck where his leg speed was a point of difference.
Caleb Margetts (Marsden SHS)
Margetts kicking game found turf and in a close game, that was extra important, while he was enthusiastic chasing kicks.
Dylan Watkins (PBC SHS)
Watkins was good all game, but he also had a tremendous late burst that gave PBC SHS a chance.
One of his involvements provided PBC SHS with the field position in which to push a deep, wide left raid that ended in a try that cut the margin to 24-22.
Devin Bates-Wellington (PBC SHS)
Bates-Wellington helped break the deadlock with a busting edge run that created a try for his halfback Riley Loughland after prop Bobby Smith had delivered with a momentum turning run in the ruck. He was consistent across the game.
Special mention: Taj Lateo (PBC SHS)
Lateo, returning the reserves after a good brace of games in the Langer prior to the end of term 2 break, directed his team well, lunged to score a close range individual try and backed up to score his second try which dragged his side to 12-all by halftime.
It was a brilliant run from nothing by winger Kaea Cribb which created the chance for Lateo to score his second try, but Lateo still had to make the effort to push up on the inside just in case he was needed - and he was needed. He also chased kicks hard and his strong shoulder tackle eight minutes from full-time gave PBC SHS a chance to draw the game.
Winger Cribb (PBC SHS) also deserves a special mention.
Marsden’s Levi Bannan gains a special mention for his left side organisation, with his probing passing eventually finding a deadlock breaking try for second rower Teurangi Walker.
IPSWICH v KEEBRA PARK
Justus Lowndes (Keebra Park SHS)
In a tight one against Ipswich SHS, at Ipswich SHS, the steady hand and calming influence of Keebra’s halfback Lowndes was key in steering the side to the right place on the field.
Lownes’ kicking game was great, on one occasion forcing a knock on with a towering bomb and other times forcing kick restarts.
He was also creative, setting up a try early before a masterful cut out pass three minutes from time to put his teammate over in the left corner nailed the coffin in at 22-16.
He was elite.
Unique Waerehu (Ipswich SHS)
The performance of the Ipswich SHS halves was positive at the North Ipswich Reserve with halfback Ethan Court and five-eighth Unique Waerehu both having a great showing.
Both boys had a low-mistake rate and it was the crafty Waerehu who set up Ipswich’s first two tries with two superb flat passes.
Pale Feaunati (Keebra Park SHS)
Keebra’s middle forward enforcer produced the output of two players, Feaunati leading the charge for his side through the middle third of the field.
A Broncos Academy player, Feaunati had all things go through him before Keebra’s backline division could spread their wings.
He took more hit-ups than anyone on the field and worked overtime to get Keebra onto the front foot with his quick play the balls and low body height.
Sione Feketi (Ipswich SHS)
Ipswich’s rangy left wing got himself involved plenty in a windy Thursday afternoon battle against a fast-starting Keebra outfit.
Feketi, a high-flying winger out of xx, was busy on the defensive end and used his height and athleticism in attack to leap above the pack to pluck the ball out of the air.
He even gave Ipswich one chance at drawing level at 22-all when catching Ipswich’s kick restart but the home side could not convert possession into a try before the clock dwindled down.
Originally published as Langer Reserves rugby league’s top performers from round 5
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