Langer Trophy’s unsigned gems NRL scouts need to know about
Meet the Langer Trophy’s unsigned aces who NRL talent scouts need to know about ahead of the elite schoolboy rugby league competition’s round two.
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NRL clubs have drag netted the elite Langer Trophy competition, but some hidden gems of schoolboy rugby league remain primed to be picked up.
Players like recent Queensland schoolboy selections Taj Lateo (PBC SHS) and Mel Nonu (Ipswich SHS), along with Keebra Park SHS captain Cooper Murphy were just some of the young guns who remain unsigned entering round 2 of the competition.
On Wednesday, this publication and all News digital mastheads will exclusively live stream the second round of matches, along with Walters Cup and NRL Schoolgirls Cup action on Kommunity TV.
Who were some of the finest unsigned players from the Langer Trophy? We name 15 terrific players.
UNSIGNED GEMS
TAJ LATEO (PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN SHS)
A local junior from the Currumbin Eagles club which is just down the road from the Reds’ base, halfback Lateo has the most impressive job resume of any unsigned player in the league.
A Walters Cup and Langer Trophy premiership winner, the towering Lateo was recently named in a hotly contested Queensland schoolboys side.
He is a halve or fullback, but has even filled in at hooker for his club Tweed Seagulls.
A Banora Primary School product, Lateo plays club or school finals every year and is a winner, someone who knows how to get the job done.
“He has the flexibility to play any position and play that position well,’’ said the PBC SHS coach Tim Maccan. “He also has a very big kick on him.
“But overall he is just a very clean player with everything he does. There is no fuss about him and very rarely does he make a mistake.
“He does not always go for the big plays. He is happy to go for the five dollar play that will get a decent result.’’
KAEA CRIBB AND GAD TATA (PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN SHS)
Blistering outside backs from New Zealand, both Cribb and Tata represented the South Coast at the recent Queensland Representative School Sport championships in Gladstone.
Fullback Cribb and Tata were put to the test last Wednesday at Langlands Park and while they were contained very well by Mabel, both showed plenty of speed and skill with limited opportunities.
The quick, slippery Tata, a Bay of Plenty product, tasted Langer Trophy last season when he came off the bench against Redcliffe SHS.
Tata is a physical outside back who loves contact, having developed in the 2022 Central Harbour United side and then in the 2023 Coastline District competition before relocating to the Gold Coast.
Cribb is a Waikato lad, having played juniors for Te Iti Rearea. He is a genuine speedster who can run the 100m in just over 11 seconds.
Watch this space.
MAZ BURNS (MABEL PARK SHS)
Burns is one of the new faces gracing this year’s competition and it didn’t take long last Wednesday for the Auckland ace to introduce himself.
Freakishly fast and fearless, Burns moved across the Tasman for greater exposure and in no time he has stepped up to the plate.
A Met East 16-18 Years select, the pacy winger switched rugby stronghold Kelston Boys High for Mabel Park where he is sure to be more than just a winger who finishes tries.
In a squeaky clean 70-minute round 1 showing, Year 11 student Burns was safe as houses under the high ball, hungry for work and one of the fastest on the field.
DAVID FILO (MABEL PARK SHS)
In the absence of Tawa Simpkins, who is currently making his way back from an injury, Mabel Park SHS newcomer David Filo has done a splendid job gelling with new teammates.
Originally a Wavell SHS student, the tall, long-striding fullback or centre is still in hot form following a stellar club season with the Souths Logan Magpies Cyril Connell Cup team.
In Mabel Park’s 26-nil win over Palm Beach Currumbin in round 1, Filo was faultless. The thing that stood out most was his loud and clear chat, communication and direction.
He was constantly pointing his troops into position and helping his halves set the table for a five-try feast.
TOM PARKER (IPSWICH SHS)
Keep an eye on the No.1 jersey for Ipswich.
A fantastic footballer, Parker is also a great halfback but played fullback with distinction last year to help Ipswich to an 8-0 record before being edged out by Marsden in the semi final.
A smart customer, Parker just knows how to break down a game and inject himself.
He was excellent in 2024, making this publication’s Connell Cup Team of the Season.
The Inala local remains an exciting prospect with skill, speed and a sprinkle of x-factor.
DALLAS DAVIDSON (WAVELL SHS)
A wrecking ball middle forward for Wavell’s Year 10 team in 2024, Davidson shone in round one and is looking as fit as a fiddle, taller, stronger and fitter than ever after an enormous off season.
A Norths Devils Cyril Connell Cup forward, Davidson is tough and daring off the back fence.
Keep an eye on his partner in crime Tys Perren, another Year 11 prop.
“He has been a real success story of our program,’’ said Wavell coach Paul Stanley.
“He is someone who does the simple things well.’’
SIAI PAPANI (WAVELL SHS)
A second rower, Papani played for the Redcliffe Dolphins during a demanding Connell Cup season when the side battled against the odds after most of the local talent was relocated to Norths under the direction of the Dolphins academy.
“He has been training the house down and was really good in a trial match against St Brendan’s,’’ said Wavell coach Paul Stanley.
“He is not a flashy player but he does the little things right in his game.’’
TAUFA TAULANI (REDCLIFFE SHS)
Prop forward Taufa Taulani plays so well that at times he gets confused with boom Dolphins academy member Jairus Suliasi.
The slightly underrated Taulani really came of age for Redcliffe SHS when the side did battle without forward leaders like Cody Starr and Nate Berrigan last year.
Taulani is a strong, mobile middle who is difficult to contain due to his footwork and post contact drive.
You can’t get any more Redcliffe than Taulani, who first played with the Redcliffe Dolphins aged six.
GRADY PAYNE (REDCLIFFE SHS)
Quality halves don’t fall from the tree, and this bloke is a quality player.
He was one of the finds of the season last year after arriving at Redcliffe SHS all the way from Logan City.
There was a touch of Zane Harrison (PBC SHS champion) about Payne’s uncomplicated, high percentage halfback play last season, and it will be fascinating to see him progress this season behind a strengthened Redcliffe SHS pack.
Importantly his grounding for this season was playing Meninga Cup footy at the Tigers where he could unlock defences with his short passing or put opponents on the back foot with his astute kicking game.
COOPER MURPHY (KEEBRA PARK SHS)
A Burleigh Bears Meninga Cup premiership winner, Murphy has the honour this season of captaining Keebra Park SHS - a school steeped in tradition.
“He is just calm and composed,’’ praised Keebra Park SHS coach Peter Norman.
“For his side, a lot of the boys try and run at him, but he is just a really solid defender through the middle.
“He is also calm and composed and gives good service as a hooker.’’
TAVAKA TAU’A’ALO (KEEBRA PARK SHS)
Big front rower Tau’a’alo was key for Keebra Park last season and is back again, older and wiser, for his final school season.
A interchange forward for the premiership winning Mal Meninga Cup Burleigh Bears, Tau’a’alo outdid himself at the state carnival in Gladstone.
A talented forward who is well respected wherever he goes, Tau’a’alo laid a nice platform for Keebra in its 36-6 opening-round victory over Redcliffe SHS last Wednesday in Southport.
ANTONIO OKUSITINO (MARSDEN SHS)
A physical, passionate outside back, Okusitino is another high-class teen not yet signed by an NRL club.
But that could all change by the end of his second Langer Trophy campaign for the Marsden Makos.
A relentless centre who earlier this year played in the Dragons’ SG Ball Cup outfit, Okusitino has made every post a winner in 2025 with Met East representative selection another feather in his cap.
ETHAN JACKSON (MARSDEN SHS)
A young high achiever, Jackson will play in the middle for Marsden this season and he knows his role back to front.
Tweed’s Cyril Connell Cup Player of the Year in 2024, prop-forward Jackson joined Okusitino in the Met East 16-18 Years side this year and did a fine job in Marsden’s 54-10 welcoming gift to newcomers Stretton in last week’s opening round of matches.
BAILEY VANG (STRETTON SC)
A polished schoolboy dummyhalf, Vang has been a leader within the Stretton rugby league program for years and if not for Vang, it would be Caloundra SHS in the competition.
He is a key cog in the Stretton outfit, with his crisp service, scheming running game and shrewd Judgement of when to kick long just a few features of his game.
A former Ipswich Jets junior representative player, Vang is small but big in heart, passion and desire.
His work rate and involvement will go a long way in a campaign where Stretton are without one of just two props they have in the squad. Mongomery Betham (ACL)
KAYZON KEY (STRETTON SC)
Key has been key for the Stretton Storm for years. He was a huge aerial threat back in 2023 when the side edged out Ipswich SHS to make the Walters Cup and he remains one of the best in the air this competition has.
Against Caloundra SHS in the qualifying final, Key leapt into the air and tapped the ball back to a teammate when Stretton trailed with just two minutes left.
It created the match winning try.
The towering outside back is also renowned for anticipating attacking moves because often he is streaking away down the field having plucked an errant pass out of the air.
Originally published as Langer Trophy’s unsigned gems NRL scouts need to know about
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