Real deal players rise with the tide as the business end of the season looms

Walters Cup round 6: The best in the business rose with the tide as the competition heated up ahead of the semi-finals. See who the the latest Players of the Day are here.

Ezekiel Filipi and Tristan Ford-Walters starred for Mabel Park SHS against Redcliffe SHS.

The cream of the crop players were glimpsed as teams ploughed on toward semi-finals.

Wavell SHS maintained its focus with a 32-10 defeat of Mountain Creek SHS 10 while Mabel Park SHS also closed in on a top four berth with a 20 point win that helps the team’s for and against tally after round 6 action.

PBC SHS’s 20-6 win over Marsden pushed the Makos out of finals contention while Keebra Park’s premiership defence ramped up with a 32-10 win over Ipswich.

Wavell’s Lenton Steven Funaki was magnificent in his team’s win, while that man Sonny Hewitt spearheaded Keebra Park’s emphatic win over Ipswich SHS.

Mabel Park’s No.13 Ezekiel Filipi and hooker Tristan Ford-Walker spearheaded their team’s 26-6 win over Redcliffe SHS.

WALTERS CUP REPLAYS

Mabel Park SHS v Redcliffe SHS

Wavell SHS v Mountain Creek SHS

Marsden SHS v PBC SHS

Keebra Park SHS v Ipswich SHS

That win by Mabel Park put the side closer to the finals as Mabel pulled away from a Redcliffe outfit which had led 6-nil after controlling the opening quarter of the game.

With three wins from six games, the Mabel Park players have put their destiny in their own hands entering round seven.

Around elite performances from Filipi and Ford Walter, Mabel Park halfback Harlem O’Brien also pulled the strings to get the show on the road for Mabel.

There was also a three try hero for Mabel Park, winger Chris Jenkins.

For Redcliffe five-eight Ryan White was immense while small forward Will Berrigan never stopped trying. Props Sione Tasi and Lennox Ngata also had a dig for Redcliffe.

Ezekiel Filipi (Mabel Park)

Playing No.13, Filipi’s energy on both sides of the ball was unmatched. He could take the metres with his own dynamic running, unload in a tackle or tip on to support. He was also powerful with his first contact in defence.

Tristan Ford-Walters (Mabel Park)

The hooker was Filipi’s partner in crime, spearheading the pace Mabel Park played at once he sniffed some momentum. His running game and speed of pass from the ruck ignited his side.

Harlem O’Brien - Aumaalii (Mabel Park)

Halfback O’Brien got better and better the more the match marched on. He controlled things with his kicking game and cleverly organised his runners around him, as well as scoring a try and setting two up for winger Chris Jenkins and Ezekiel Filipi.

Ryan White (Redcliffe SHS)

White was Redcliffe’s most creative and dangerous player. A big body in the No.6 jersey, his run and pass and kick tried to find a way around the Mabel Park defence which lifted its intensity after Redcliffe’s defiant opening.

Chris Jenkins (Mabel Park)

Every team needs a genuine finisher, and three try hero Jenkins was that man. His pace to complete movements was a reward for the hard work done inside of him by teammates.

Will Berrigan (Redcliffe SHS)

Berrigan played a good match in a side which started strongly, then struggled to gain parity with their rivals.

Tama Leef (Mabel Park)

Leef had never played wing before, but he threw himself into the fray and connected with his outside men in an accomplished performance that belied his inexperience.

Special mentions: Tyler Harry (Mabel Park), Sim Baker (Mabel Park), Wiremu Edmonds (Mabel Park), Sione Tasia (Redcliffe SHS), Lennox Ngata (Redcliffe SHS).

Wavell SHS 32 defeated Mountain Creek SHS 10

Lenton Funaki (Wavell SHS)

Funaki was at his bulldozing best against Mountain Creek and it was essential.

Mountain Creek led 6-0 and then 10-6 but the ferocity and strength of middle forward prodigy Funaki was too much to contain.

With tackle busts a regular, Funaki imprinted himself on the match and made a difference words could not describe.

Cruz Molo (Wavell SHS)

Molo was a class above and he still had another 20 per cent, if not more, to give.

Scary, right?

The athletic No.13 was an offloading whiz who was a nightmare to handle.

He hit hard and often in defence too.

Aki Tupouniua (Wavell SHS)

Wavell’s Langer Trophy hopes will not be slowing down in years to come. If anything, the school looks primed to get back to the top.

Year 10 halfback Maihi Pene is a boy wonder and on Wednesday, his five-eighth Tupouniua took charge and defended in a way you rarely see a No.6 defend.

He nailed two sideline conversions, scored the decisive try that gave Wavell a 12-10 lead and was a monster in defence.

His short kicking game was superb as well and it created Wavell’s first try when prop Maka Cleave was the beneficiary.

It was only right to see the tenacious playmaker finish the game with a sideline conversion to make it 32-10.

Isaac Salei (Wavell SHS)

Salei took a little while to warm into the game but when his engine was purring there was no stopping him.

He scored two tries in the second half and almost grabbed a third. The freight-train left centre is one of the last people you’d want coming your way at full pelt.

Kaiden Jennings, left, and Billy Roderick played big roles for their side.

Hats off to Mountain Creek for shutting him down, for as long as they could.

Kaiden Jennings (Mountain Creek SHS)

Jennings had zip and plenty of it.

His runs out of the Mountain Creek half were gold, especially given how much pressure Wavell put them under.

Jennings broke tackles often and had the speed to turn a 10m run into a 20m burst.

Cash Bennett (Mountain Creek SHS)

You get the feeling Bennett could never have a bad game.

Even if he does make a mistake, the instrumental hooker returns serve with some defiant defence and daring runs from the ruck base.

A bit of a star this season for Mountain Creek, Bennett built on his fine form with an influential showing that featured a great try on the short side and some excellent defence against bigger players.

Harvey Morris and Kaiden Earl (Mountain Creek SHS)

On the topic of excellent defence, lock Morris and interchange forward Earl led on that front.

With Tai Henare also tireless, Morris and Earl put their bodies on the line and restricted Wavell to just one try across the first half.

Earl’s black headgear got plenty of use as he rushed up in the line and met the big, imposing Wavell forward pack.

Morris was especially important in the early stages of the game. He forced a knock on with a tackle around the ball, earnt a penalty with a quick play of the ball and on the stroke of half pulled off a huge front-on tackle to prevent big-bodied Wavell winger Riley Poulton from scoring.

Keebra Park SHS 32 defeated Ipswich SHS 10

Sonny Hewitt (Keebra Park SHS)

The best fullback in the competition continued to add to his impressive portfolio with another match swaying performance. He is at the peak of his powers at the moment.

Austin Desmond (Keebra Park SHS)

The big prop was a force to be reckoned with. Defensively, he was as strong as an ox while his strength, leg drive and post contact metres wore down the middle of the Ipswich defence.

Deshawn Compton (Keebra Park SHS)

Yet another Keebra Park student who has been surrounded by a winning culture, hooker Compton gave his team quality first use of the ball with his option taking from the ruck.

Joey Salafia (Ipswich SHS)

Fullback Salafia was his team’s best with his carries and high involvement which gave Ipswich its best chance to challenge Keebra Park. Ipswich hooker Kaelan Rea was also his team’s best forward.

Palm Beach Currumbin SHS 20 defeated Marsden SHS 6

SJ Pulepule (Marsden SHS)

The backrower was a constant physical menace, battering any Palm Beach Currumbin runner who strayed across his path. His best was a trysaving tackle to jar the ball loose from a Palm Beach runner on the goalline.

PBC SHS best coming soon

Originally published as Real deal players rise with the tide as the business end of the season looms