Walters Cup schoolboy league: Round 4 wonders named
Walters Cup special: Round 4 wonders named, including a Redcliffe son of the gun, and a terrific trio from Logan and an overheating Ipswich winger. WATCH REPLAYS here.
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Hardworking. Reliable. Brave.
These are the three words that best describe the lion-hearted Kaelan Rae, Ipswich State High’s captain in its frantic 16-12 Walters Cup win over Redcliffe SHS on Wednesday.
Rae was handed the captaincy duties in the absence of skipper Blake Tikinau, one of nine players who were unavailable for an Ipswich squad that rallied hard to squeeze home against the Eagles.
LANGER TROPHY REPLAYS
Missing the likes of Queensland Schoolboys halves Blake Tikinau, Leo Hunt, fullback Joey Salafia, as well as edge forwards Kayden Lemafa and Kyanu Seiuli, Ipswich had to dig deep to deliver.
Coach Shane Harris even called upon Year 9 Hancock Cup five-eighth Rory Hagan, who owned it alongside halfback Jaiden Dombroski in a sound 60-minute performance.
His daring dummyhalf Rea, the smallest on the field, was an easy choice for captain according to coach Harris.
“Despite his stature, he (Rea) leads by example and the boys get around him.
“He was an obvious option with me with all the outs.”
Against Redcliffe in the final round before holidays, it didn’t matter who was running at him, the small No.9 put himself in front of them.
It’s that effort and bravery Harris admires most about the unheralded rake.
“He is one of the most reliable and hardest working kids in our program,” Harris praised.
“I could not say a bad word about him. If anything, for a rugby league player, he is too nice.”
PLAYERS OF THE ROUND
IPSWICH 16 DEF REDCLIFFE SHS 12
Wil Berrigan (Redcliffe SHS)
The Year 10 hooker was tremendous, sparking life into the Eagles with his scoots from the ruck base.
Berrigan’s speed is his biggest weapon and over the first 20m he was rapid, rucking forward with the ferocity of an extra prop but with the speed of an outside back.
He is not a prototypical hooker. Berrigan is tall, speedy and a fantastic running option.
Marius Aholelei (Redcliffe SHS)
The promising left centre was heavily involved in a gruelling first half between Ipswich and Redcliffe.
He is a talented outside back who ran with purpose and always threatened to wriggle out of his tackles.
He got it wrong on one occasion taking Ipswich’s Elijah Kadima out in the air but in attack, Redcliffe looked most capable of scoring when the ball swung to him on the left edge.
He scored Redcliffe’s first try, 36 minutes into the game, after some flash passing from Berrigan and fullback Huntah Poa took quick advantage of an overlap.
The tireless Aholelei came to life in the second half, with carries aplenty and left-to-right steps seriously captivating in a frantic finish where Redcliffe ran out of time.
Lennox Ngata-Faofua (Redcliffe SHS)
Excitement is building within the Redcliffe school grounds around exciting young prop Lennox Ngata-Faofua.
He was glimpsed as an underages talent in the Dolphins’ Connell Cup outfit earlier this year and against players closer to his age in school football, not noticing him is impossible.
Sporting a hard-to-miss bleach-blonde hairstyle, the barnstorming middle made life hard for Ipswich with a few jolting tackles and sheer strength in attack.
When Redcliffe needed something late in the game when down 16-8, the big man moved four defenders out of the way to make it 16-12 and give his team hope.
Dallas Carmody (Redcliffe SHS)
You get the impression Carmody would be calm in a crisis.
Calm and composed, playmaker Carmody put it on the chest of his teammates on every occasion bar one, in the final minute of the game.
His spiral passing gave the jinking Aholelei that extra second to step and Carmody kicked very well into the air.
Twice he forced errors off his kicks, with one a well-weighted cross field kick that was gobbled up and scored by Ryan White.
Ryan White (Redcliffe SHS)
White was threatening all game but only once broke free of the Ipswich shackles.
The ball playing lock was crafty with his passing and just excellent in the effort areas. The reward was a try when he chased a Carmody kick and scored to make it 10-8, in favour of Ipswich.
The influential No.13 did not play the final 10 minutes due to a sin bin but before that White worked hard in the middle to create scoring opportunities and quell Ipswich’s with tough defence.
Tyrone Mautofu (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich winger could not have been busier and it was just what the doctor ordered with nine of Ipswich’s players out of the action through injury or representative honours.
Mautofu made sure of the little things and it created a ripple effect for an undermanned outfit that battled bravely to come out on top.
He almost scored a stunner in the corner but the referee ruled a knock on. It would have garnished a tremendous performance where he ran the ball very often and while under pressure in the back of the field.
Gifted Ipswich rugby league junior Asher Batty, at fullback for the first time this season, was stellar as well.
Lebron Leota (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich right centre is a lock, or second rower.
With all the outs, he was excellent at centre.
Coach Harris’ instruction to Leota was to run hard and bully his opposite and Leota came up trumps, scoring a try and getting involved often.
Ezekiel Levi (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich prop was very important.
He sprung off the bench after a strong stint from big man Eazy Crichton and added energy and punched through the middle in a flash.
Crichton, Jack Neuendorf, Maleek Konelio and Jayden Afoa, all middles, were also top notch with their carries.
Mabel Park SHS v Wavell SHS
Mabel Park SHS forward leader Ezekiel Filipi was the difference in a gripping pitched battle won 22-12 by the Logan City side over home team Wavell.
A try 10 minutes from full-time by Mabel Park hooker Tristan Ford-Walter proved the match winner after both teams had wrestled for 20 minutes in an bid to strike a telling blow.
Wearing pink headgear, hooker Ford-Walter dived to his right to score after his prop Wiremu Edmonds had charged at the line like his life was depending on it.
Edmonds was halted, but his quick play the ball enabled his hooker that split second advantage, leading to the crucial try. At that moment Mabel led 16-6 and had their nose in front.
Mabel then added a fourth try and, leading 22-6, the game was safe despite a big effort from a Wavell SHS group who were down nine players due to representative commitments and injury.
But it must be stressed Mabel Park lock Filipi was the main man who separated the two teams.
He produced bulldozing runs to score twice in the first half.
He drove hard and low at the line, on both occasions storming onto passes offered by his hooker Tristan Ford-Walter.
The tries were even more meritorious given how competitive the Wavell pack was.
It was brute strength by Filipi, complete and utter will and desire which saw him defy willing Wavell defenders.
It was 12-6 at halftime after both teams started by trading early tries.
Firstly tall Wavell halfback Aki Tupouniua opened the scoring, slicing over in the right corner after Wavell had played hot potato football to swing possession across the line.
The teams then went too and fro, until Mabel Park lock Filipi found the chalk for his first try.
Both teams had near misses to start the second half, with both teams dropping the ball inches from scoring.
Wavell finished the match with second rower Harry Burns deservedly crossing the line.
Players of the Day
Ezekiel Filipi (Mabel SHS)
With his close to the line charges to score, and general mismatch runs generating momentum for his side, Filipi was the difference in the game. He landed on his stomach with most carries, enabling his hooker Ford-Walter to release possession quickly from the ruck.
Simon Baker (Mabel Park SHS)
The Mabel Park second row locked down his side of the field with aggressive defence, and challenged with many of his runs where his lanky frame caused grief.
Tristan Ford-Walter (Mabel Park SHS)
Behind his big men, hooker Ford-Walter was particularly effective.
He had a nice balanced game, never overplaying his hand while subtly reminding the Wavell markers that he was not a one trick pony.
Aki Tupouniua Wavell SHS)
The tall halfback was excellent behind a patched up pack. He kicked well, was brave with his carries, and put his body on the line in defence. Overall he did a fine job against the odds.
Harry Burns (Wavell SHS)
The right edge second rower started and finished strongly. He tried hard to lock down his side of the field with physical defence, and carried the ball bravely.
Special mention:
Wiremu Edmonds (Mabel Park SHS)
The prop had limited playing minutes, but he was all effort during his two stints. His second half surge helped his team wrestle the game away from Wavell.
Mountain Creek SHS 40 defeated PBC SHS 14
Cash Bennett (Mt Creek SHS)
Yes, it’s Cash Bennett again. The dynamic hooker was simply unstoppable and produced a stunning second half performance to carry Mountain Creek to a 40-14 victory over PBC.
Bennett was involved in five second half tries, with four try assists and one try. His kicking game was a class above and was a threat with every dummy-half run.
Billy Roderick (Mt Creek SHS)
And yes, it’s Billy Roderick yet again. The five-eighth backed up his heroics from a week ago with another strong performance. Last week it was his kicking game that stole the show but against PBC, it was his passing which was a joy to behold. Roderick stepped up in the first half and set up two tries to keep his side in the contest when the Reds were on top.
Jaylon Russell (PBC SHS)
One of the shining lights for the Reds, Russell’s rapid speed and change of direction caused all kinds of headaches for the Mountain Creek defence.
Xavier Takatainga (Keebra Park SHS)
It’s astonishing how much power Takatainga can pack into a regular sized body. The right centre’s package of power and speed made him a constant nightmare for defenders and he skittled off them for several eyecatching runs. Takatainga gave away a penalty by accident when he flipped a defender in a full somersault during a tackle. He made up for that lone error by running in a fine support line try, looming up inside winger Lagaaia for the final pass and dash to the line.
Sonny Hewitt (Keebra Park SHS)
Well-contained for most of the game, fullback Hewitt delivered the matchwinning moment with a perfectly executed piece of skill to break the 12-all deadlock in the final minute of the match. Hewitt spotted an opportunity brewing on the right wing and drifted wide. Receiving the ball out of block shape, Hewitt’s harbour bridge pass to Lagaaia found his quicksilver winger in space to cross for the winning try.
Elijah Gelling (Keebra Park SHS)
The blue headgeared backrower was promoted into the starting team this week and vindicated the faith of his coaches with a strong all-rounder’s game. Gelling broke the line on one carry, bouncing off multiple defenders, and also saved a try by defusing a threatening grubber on the goal line that he had no right to catch on the full. The ball stuck, in a momentum turning play that could have cost Keebra the game had Gelling’s skill not been up for the task.
Eli Su’a (Marsden SHS)
The powerful front-rower could have been cast as the rolling boulder from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark both in dimensions and ability to keep on trucking. The biggest player on the field against Keebra Park played up to his considerable size. One particular bone-rattling carry in the second half left a trail of bodies in his wake and softened the Keebra line for backrower Kilifi Fetuuaho to follow up with the knockout blow for an equally impressive carry that led to a try.
Diezel Guillonta (Marsden SHS)
A rugged No.13 with outstanding skills, Guillonta’s kicking game caused Keebra Park headaches all game. Guillonta flipped the field three times with booming kicks downfield and even created a try for centre Taane Marshall-Wallace when a bomb found paydirt and bounced back for his side. Guillonta also brought a menacing carry, bumping defenders and breaking lines. The only blemish on his game was an ill-advised grubber for himself with the game on the line. It was defused easily by Keebra Park who marched upfield and scored the matchwinner.
Taane Marshall-Wallace (Marsden SHS)
The two-try centre was unstoppable from close range. If Marsden was inside 10m all the team needed to do was swing the ball left for Marshall-Wallace to burrow under defenders and find the white line. Marshall-Wallace turned a simple spread through the hands into four points in the first half and repeated the effort when a bouncing ball found its way to Marsden hands in the second half. Better goalkicking could have made Marshall-Wallace’s double the matchwinning difference between the sides.
Originally published as Walters Cup schoolboy league: Round 4 wonders named
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