What Maroons’ forward contender Kulikefu Finefeuiaki said to inspire the Ipswich SHS’s latest Aussie schoolboy representative

What an emerging Maroons’ Origin squad member said to inspire Ipswich SHS captain Xzavier Timoteo - the new Australian schoolboys rugby league prop signed by the Roosters.

Queensland's Xzavier Timoteo during the ASSRL Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Courtney Thomson

At Ipswich SHS’s pre-season launch of the school’s rugby league season, Dolphins ace and Ipswich SHS past captain Kulikefu Finefeuiaki took current Ipswich skipper Xzavier Timoteo aside from a chat.

They laughed and they joked, hamming it up on a celebration of the Ipswich SHS rugby league community.

But two words of advice Finefeuiaki struck a match with Timoteo, the Sydney Roosters-signed prop who was named in the Australian schoolboys side last Saturday.

One related to the importance of hitting Roosters pre-season training at the end of the year as fit as he could possibly be.

The other piece of advice related to maintaining a good diet, which struck a cord given Timoteo was once a “small, fat kid.’’

“I was. You can ask the coaches. I was very over weight in Years 7, 8 and 9,’’ said Timoteo, a lover of his mum’s lasagne and potato bake.

But with encouragement from the Ipswich SHS teacher, Timoteo transformed himself into one of the most feared forwards in his age group.

Indeed the coaches have helped make Timoteo into the player - and person - he is today.

“My coaches are more like my big brothers. They will always take time out of their day to help you,’’ he said.

Timoteo also has Finefeuiaki’s desire to run hard, or “run the bust’’ as he calls it. “I’ve learnt to do it. It (running hard) has come with confidence probably.’’

Xzavier Ttimoteo is the Ipswich SHS Langer Trophy captain who made the Aussie schoolboys. Picture, John Gass

With advice from Finefeuiaki ringing in his ears, Timoteo, the Souths Acacia Ridge Magpies junior, shone for the Queensland schoolboys recently and was one of five young Maroons to make the Aussie schoolboys side.

The other were Mountain Creek SHS middle forward Jackson Koina (Parramatta), PBC SHS Kiwi centre recruit Antonie Verhoeven (Broncos), Marsden SHS hooker ace Hayden Watson (Storm) and Keebra Park SHS’s New Zealand eligible fullback, David Bryenton (Canterbury Bulldogs, 18th man).

The Australian schoolboys squad:

1. Cameron Bamblett (Parramatta Eels)

2. Filipe Fakauaho (Sydney Roosters)

3. Toby Winter (Newcastle Knights)

4. Dayne Jennings (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

5. Antonie Verhoeven (Brisbane Broncos)

6. Callum Grantham (Cronulla Sharks)

7. Toby Batten (The Dolphins)

8. Jackson Koina (Parramatta)

9. Liam Bell (Sydney Roosters)

10. Jake White (Cronulla Sharks)

11. Pheonix Godinet (Wests Tigers)

12. Darcy Smith (Sydney Roosters)

13. Thomas Dellow (Cronulla Sharks)

Interchange

14. Hayden Watson (Melbourne Storm)

15. Roman Tuaimau (Canberra Raiders)

16. Xzavier Timoteo (Sydney Roosters)

17. Christoper Petrus (Parramatta Eels)

18. David Bryenton (Canterbury Bulldogs)

Originally published as What Maroons’ forward contender Kulikefu Finefeuiaki said to inspire the Ipswich SHS’s latest Aussie schoolboy representative