Club rugby Colts 1: Best 20 from Saturday’s clashes

Club rugby Colts 1: Which players did the heavy lifting in round 6 action? The Super 20 revealed here.

Who were the top players from round six of the Colts 1 club rugby season?

The Sunnybank Dragons claimed their first scalp of the season with a thrilling 22-21 victory over Easts at the ‘Bank on Saturday as round six of the season unfolded across Queensland.

Emerging flanker Oscar Lane crossed twice in the Dragon’s home victory, joining prolific tryscorer Daniel Malum on the scoresheet.
Brothers also scraped home, 22-19, over Bond University at Crosby Park, while Souths won 19-12 over University after a resurgent second half performance got them home.

At Yoku Road, there was no stopping Campbell King and the Phil Mooney-coached Bulldogs against GPS, with Wests winning 30-24.

ROUND 6 WONDERS
Joe Doljanin (GPS)

Joe Doljanin.

Wow, this kid can play.
Despite his team losing, he looks ready for the Hospital Cup, but Colts 1 coach Kris Kuridrani would be more than happy to have him in his team.
Again the outside centre impressed, with his fend, gutsy defence and turn of speed.
He has untapped potential.

Spencer Alcock (GPS)

Spencer Alcock. Colts 1 club rugby action between Easts and GPS. Saturday April 6, 2024.

GPS came up against a more enthusiastic side, but a shining light was mistake free fly half Alcock who had a handful of good spurts with ball in hand, attacking the Wests defence.
He could not get his radar working with his goal kicking, but his passing, along with halfback James Prole, was excellent.

Campbell King (Wests)

Campbell King.

King was instrumental, not for the first time this season.
While he has speed and is damaging with the ball in hand, it is kicking game which wins games for the Bulldogs.
He sank GPS with two clinical penalty goals late in the game and was accurate with his attacking kicks early in the game.
He set up a spectacular try by Ben Mooney with a deft cross field kick.
The kick was good, but Mooney’s work to regather and plant the ball down was even better.

James Martens (Wests)

James Martens.

After starting the season in first grade, Martens dropped back to enjoy his first game against blokes closer to his age.
It took him less than five minutes to show why he is so highly thought of at the Kennel, with Martens scooting from the breakdown and scoring after bursting away 40m down field.

Alex Watkins and Charlie Cooke (Wests)

Alex Watkins

Breakaways Watkins and Cooke were all class, but seriously every Wests forward was good enough to get a run here.
The athletic back row pair were tireless and took matters into their own hands when Wests were down a man not once but twice throughout the contest.
Front-rowers Jack Spencer, Finlay King and Regin Pratt also had a day out at scrum time.

Oscar Lane (Sunnybank)

Dragons breakaway Lane was inspirational on defence, making tackles, getting up and jackling to create counter-attacking opportunities for the home side.

He was one and a half players on defence, while explosive outside back Daniel Malum was picking off passes and running the distance.

Cyrus Suniala (Sunybank)

Suniala’s farewell tour was a good one after a top notch stint with the Dragons Colts 1 side as a Year 12 student at Brisbane State High.

The impressive tighthead was a beast at scrum time, as he will be in blue and red this winter.

Vice Latu (Brothers)

Each year St Peters Lutheran College churn out elite rugby talent.

This year it is Wallace Charlie, last year it was No.8 Latu, before him it was Kadin Pritchard (Brothers, Brumbies) and names like Keynan Tauakipulu and the Twist brothers Tiko and Jirra before them.

Latu is the latest to hit clubland and make a difference. On Saturday, it was hard not to notice his work on and off the ball.

Isaac McAuliffe (University)

Isaac McAuliffe. Colts 1 club rugby action between UQ and GPS. Saturday, April 20, 2024.

What do you know, young McAuliffe was influential again with his general play kicking.
The Gregory Terrace old boy has a booming kick and used it today, with Chace Oates, to give Souths a run for their money.
The Red Heavies had the Magpies measure in the first half, leading 7-5 at oranges, but ended up losing after a strong second half by Souths.

Tom Robinson (University)

Tom Robinson. Colts 1 club rugby action between UQ and GPS. Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Exciting backrower Robinson continued to improve in club land with another strong showing at No.8.
Versatile, Robinson could play lock, flanker or No.8 and on Saturday he carried the ball with authority.

Daniel Christodoulou (University)

Daniel Christodoulou. Colts 1 club rugby action between UQ and GPS. Saturday, April 20, 2024.

He scrummed the house down.
That was enough to have his name here but he was damaging with the ball in hand too.
For a prop, his line breaking ability is a point of difference.

Cadell Rees (Souths)

Quietly having an outstanding season, representative blindside flanker Rees rose to the challenge and helped the Magpies surge home.
He was enormous and had to be coach Cian O’Connors best on ground.

Will Nason (Souths)

Will Nason. Picture: Tom Primmer/QRU.

With Xavier Rubens and Maddox Maclean out, Nason’s presence became even more important.
He delivered the goods, with a calm and collected showing out of fly half steering the Magpies to victory.

Harry Newnham (Souths)

Nason’s Toowoomba Grammar school mate Newnham, one of the best discovery players of last year’s GPS rugby season, was blistering in the outside back department.
After starting the year in Colts 2, he has demanded a starting spot and the Souths coaches have no choice but to reward him for his fine form.

Cooper Hoare (Souths)

One week it’s Slater Galloway, the next it is Hoare and so and so forth.
The Souths front eight is just excellent and Hoare was close to his best on Saturday.
He threw it straight and scrummed hard. What more can you ask from your hooker?

Ieuan Cornelius (Bond University)

Exciting Coast winger Cornelius again pushed his case for more first grade time with a two try showing at Crosby Park.
He is a finisher.

Harry Bell (Bond University)

One of the club’s most exciting forward prospects, big man Bell was at his powerful, destructive best for the Bullsharks.
In a close one with Brothers, he did all he could across the park.

Byron Murphy (Easts)

Byron Murphy and Tom Twaddell. Colts 1 club rugby action between Easts and GPS. Saturday April 6, 2024.

While the Tigers injury ward continued to grow, Murphy continued to flourish.
With forward leaders Joe Liddy, Nick Bloomfield and Jakeb Horne out, St Laurence’s old boy Murphy manned up and put in a shift.
He was arguably Easts’ best player on a day where that controversial tackle rule contributed to his side not getting momentum.

Saturday April 27, 2024 Colts Rugby Union: Norths V Bond Uni at Shaw Rd Nundah. Pic by Stephen Archer

Noah Rauluni (Easts)

With players out injured, sick or with the Australian Under-20s, the Tigers defence was something to behold and leading the way was mobile breakaway Rauluni.
Coming into the fold after a Meninga Cup campaign with the Norths Devils, Rauluni offered plenty as an undermanned Easts outfit grinded it out against a deserving ‘Bank team who claimed their first scalp of the season.

Originally published as Club rugby Colts 1: Best 20 from Saturday’s clashes