Up next! 50 top performers from Palm Beach Currumbin and Ipswich State High’s school league bonanza on Tuesday
School rugby league special: 50 top performers named here from Palm Beach Currumbin and Ipswich State High’s Year 7-12 matches played at the North Ipswich Reserve on Tuesday. See who starred.
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One of the most important players in Tuesday’s seven-game rugby league bonanza between Ipswich State High and Palm Beach Currumbin may have just been hiding in plain sight.
He is an unsung hero, as important as any in the Reds’ pursuit of a Langer Trophy three-peat of premierships.
Marlie Barry, 17, has come through the ranks at Palm Beach Currumbin playing As football and in somewhat of a star-studded Langer Cup outfit, he looks more than happy playing his role to perfection while sometimes not getting the recognition his performances deserve.
Flying under the radar, Barry has been brilliant in the Reds’ last two wins against quality opposition in Wavell and Ipswich.
In the 24-4 success against the Wavell Warriors, he made 11 tackles and he did not miss one.
On all nine carries he made, his play the ball was so quick that on every occasion the markers weren’t set yet.
He is the “100 per cent” kid that PBC coach Tim Maccan said was the glue player that is “so important” to the success of his team this year.
The unheralded edge forward played the entire first half of Tuesday’s 26-6 trumping of Ipswich. He also had a stint in the middle to allow fast-footed Year 11 student Cohen Aitken to add bench impact on the edge.
After a false start against Mabel Park in round 1, the “huge engine” of big Barry has been a blessing for Maccan’s group of young men.
Earlier this decade, Barry was the man of the match in PBC’s Year 8 grand final win.
It is clear not much has changed.
Before Barry and the visitors dealt with Ipswich in the Opens game, there were five stunning matches from Year 7-11.
Read on to see who set the North Ipswich Reserve turf alight across the day, including in the NRL Schoolgirls Cup match won 16-10 by Ipswich.
BEST OF THE DAY
YEAR 7 BRISBANE BRONCOS OLD BOYS
Zane Clifford (PBC SHS)
The little ripper started the day with a bang when he scored the first try off his own deft grubber kick.
Just two minutes into the match he threatened to score when he almost regathered his own grubber.
But not to worry — Clifford marched in only a minute later to land the first points.
Clifford was simply superb, with his short and long kicking game, brave defence and passing across both sides of his body top notch.
The emerging leader moved with his family from Penrith last year and has been a welcomed addition and great young leader in his short time as a Red.
Chase Leifels (PBC SHS)
Here’s one for the little black book.
The blonde-haired Reds fullback has twinkle toes and attacking prowess.
He is sure to be a player of the future with his natural ability and light footwork a great foundation for the young outside back.
He is like a jack-in-the-box and once he learns when to go for the big play, he could be a real strike weapon for the Reds in years to come.
River Laidlaw (PBC SHS)
Laidlaw had limited touches but showed his class when he did get involved.
The gutsy Laidlaw was a jinking customer off his right edge and had his hand in a terrific Casey Best try when he held up the pass and put his left wing over.
He and centre Sage Dangerfield, the brother of Langer Trophy trump Cruz, were just damaging with both contributing heavily to PBC’s impressive left edge performance that had success.
Daniel Itutu and George Moala (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich middle forwards took no prisoners with their clobbering defence and tough runs.
Prop George Moala was like a young veteran with his suffocating nature when opposition players tried playing the ball.
He was a young enforcer out there.
His buddy Daniel Itutu came off the bench and added so much with his energetic and determined line speed and aggressive defence.
Salvation Tuiafutea (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich SHS lock was arguably his team’s top player and his fine performance started in style when he created the first try with a miraculous offload after making a break.
The big bopper made post-contact metres every time he ran and had subtle ball skills which he used well to link with his backs.
Keelan Conlon (Ipswich SHS)
The little right winger did everything right in a faultless and smart performance.
He did plenty of scrappy work, reeling in high kicks, staying in field despite big bodies trying to wrestle him out and being busy off the ball.
Small but brave, Conlon made smart decisions like going to ground when he roped in an attacking kick on the sideline when other players may have tried their hand and been swarmed into touch.
YEAR 8 RENOUF SHIELD
Kingston-Jonny Fale and Phoenix Alesana (Ipswich SHS)
The mighty middles muscled up to hold out PBC for 24 minutes until a crack in Ipswich’s armour was finally exposed when a try was let in on the stroke of half time.
With good technique and a thirst for contact, the pair put PBC on their backs with crunching defence that on one occasion forced a dropped ball.
Importantly, their rushing defence allowed teammates to get set in the defensive line in a first stanza where the Reds enjoyed the glut of possession.
Tallis Naleba (Ipswich SHS)
His older brother Jaylen has fit right in as a Year 11 student in the Langer Trophy playing out of dummyhalf.
A few hours before Jaylen was battling it out with the reigning premiers under lights, his little brother Tallis was a ball of tenacity in a gritty Ipswich win.
The young hooker scored a fantastic try going from the ruck base and could have had another when he was brought down just shy of the line after a smart dummyhalf dart.
He had a great turn of foot.
Beau Windus (PBC SHS)
In a very close match, right edge forward Beau Windus scored the only try by either team in the first half.
From the base of the ruck, the agile forward attacked an invisible gap on the short side and burrowed over.
Before this, Windus was willing with his carries and made up for a dropped ball with a daring run to score.
He was rock-solid.
Jett Dewsbury (PBC SHS)
The PBC five-eighth had a grand game at The Reserve.
He kicked a superb conversion to add the extras on Windus’ try and passed wonderfully across both sides of his body to contribute towards PBC’s expansive style of play.
PBC outside backs Jadon Alt and Quade Hambly got plenty of touches and looked ominous due to Dewsbury’s direction and quick presence of mind in attack.
Zane Zimmerle, Lennox Maccan and Hudson Davis (PBC SHS)
The terrific trio have rugby league in their blood and showed it in a tough loss.
Davis, the halfback, was at his crafty best and kicked well.
He is the son of former PBC SHS teacher Brad Davis, now a coach at the Titans.
Lock Zane Zimmerle, who was key on both sides of the ball, is the son of Year 9 Hancock Cup coach Aaron Zimmerle.
Little Lennox, a diminutive hooker who provided brilliant service to his halves, is the son of champion coach Tim, who like Brad and Zane, are PBC SHS old boys andformer teammates at the Tweed Seagulls.
All three of their young boys had their moments.
YEAR 9 HANCOCK CUP
Jaxon Worthing (Ipswich SHS)
The exciting two-try fullback squeezed a full game into 20 minutes before coming off as a precaution after he was hurt.
Worthing had two tries next to his name less than 15 minutes into the match. His sharp footwork, speed, size and awareness were key in the creation of those tries.
Sporting bright yellow boots, the impressive Worthing was impossible to miss with his stutter step and ability to quickly make decisions on where and when to run.
For his second try, it was a dummyhalf scoot that made it 10-nil.
Charlie Woodley (PBC SHS)
The hot-stepping PBC left wing had himself quite the game.
Approaching half time he scooped up and scored a superb cross field kick from halfback Jesse Black.
To start the second half, he undid the Ipswich defence with a left to right step which made it 22-nil. The ball had shifted from centre field all the way to his wing and his fast feet added the finishing touches.
Woodley’s defence was also of a high standard when he chased kicks or put pressure on Ipswich’s right edge with good line speed.
His centre Xane Jarvis was also a menacing presence with his imposing frame and toughness wearing down Ipswich’s defence all game.
Mahara Wikaire and Akariva Koroi (Ipswich SHS)
Under immense pressure, the Ipswich dummyhalf combination did well to give their halves great service.
The small but tenacious Wikaire started the match with vim and vigour, defending strongly against much bigger bodies.
Then Koroi came on and showed how bad he wanted it when muscling his way over two defenders to score the final try of the match.
Malachi Kirk (Ipswich SHS)
When Ipswich were down early, skipper Kirk rallied his troops in the huddle and it worked because his team scored two unanswered tries to finish the match.
The crafty No. 7 just looked like he had time on the left side of the ruck with his stylish intrusions and pinpoint spiral passing giving his outside backs that extra half second to help manovre past Reds defenders.
Brayden Rapata (PBC SHS)
The sizeable edge forward had the footy smarts, positioning and urgency to ensure his size and strength translated into points for PBC.
Rapata ran rampant in the early stages to lay a platform for his team’s success and he stayed attentive, timing his runs back towards the ruck well and picking when to offload wisely.
He was unrelenting with his leg drive and while Ipswich defended him well, there was no stopping Rapata from making plenty of post-contact metres across the duration of the match.
Barnstorming prop Riley Taylor and classy five-eighth Rico Ford also did their core roles well to contribute to PBC’s dominance.
LANGER RESERVE GRADE
Fletcher Ebbsworth-Briggs (Ipswich SHS)
Ebbsworth-Briggs seemingly does all the right things whenever he plays on the North Ipswich Reserve turf.
Last year the outside back was always a good option for Ipswich in the Walters Cup and nothing has changed except his increased acceleration and finesse.
The pacy winger scored both of Ipswich’s tries to set up a slender 8-6 lead entering the second half.
He had the speed and safe hands to score after a right-to-left shift saw Clement Karuati and Tyreek Carlo touch the ball before it found him.
Then, for his second, Ira Yeatman was the last link before Ebssworth-Briggs cut back inside and stretched out to land an emphatic four-pointer which regained Ipswich’s lead.
Leijin Mikasa (PBC SHS)
Mikasa was an unsung hero in a PBC outfit that played well enough to win.
He was tireless throwing his body in front of everything that moved. It set a high standard defensively in the first half.
Ethan Alcorn (PBC SHS)
The headgear-wearing PBC No. 6 was just a class act.
He was a composed, calm-headed playmaker who didn’t over complicate things or look for a hail Mary play when PBC were attempting to come from behind in the second half.
The Northern Rivers Titans Andrew Johns Cup halves staple directed his troops wonderfully and involved his forwards Nelson Makaafi, Max Wood and Noah Reti well with his switch plays back towards the ruck.
He had a steady, sure hand when precious time was dwindling.
Nelson Makaafi (PBC SHS)
The dynamic big man made life hard for Ipswich with his powerful leg drive, late footwork at the line and uncanny ability to get away an offload.
He is the type of barnstorming teen who could transform into a rugby No. 8 in the blink of an eye and cause destruction in Queensland Premier Rugby’s Under-20s Colts 1 competition.
But Makaafi is an elite rugby league edge forward. He showed that before a yellow card, for talking back at the referee, prevented him from finishing the game.
You could only imagine how potent Makaafi would be in the 15-a-side game spearing off the back of a scrum.
Indeed he has been one of the most damaging forwards in Langer Reserves through three rounds.
Sean Pearson (PBC SHS)
Pearson had the moves like jagger and countless times he threatened to break open the match — only for an Ipswich player to grab hold of his leg and prevent that.
The elusive Pearson loomed large and when he handled the ball, creeping forward in anticipation was a by-product because it seemed the fast-footed fullback was bound to create something.
Ned Tanner (PBC SHS)
The PBC right centre did not have much wriggle room in attack but in defence he was worth his weight in gold.
On one occasion he jammed Ipswich’s biggest player, young giant Jed Leafa, to force a dropped ball. Not to be outdone, Leafa did score a bit later but it was a great tackle nonetheless.
Tanner read the Ipswich attack well all game, another rib-crunching tackle on a flying Ebbsworth-Briggs emphasising his great defensive reads, tackling technique and execution.
When Ipswich led 18-12 nearing full time, Tanner contested a cross field kick which landed in the hands of his winger Zai Hunnybun, who was off to the races.
The referee ruled a Tanner knock on however had it been ruled otherwise, PBC could have equalised the scores and it would’ve been largely because of the tireless Tanner.
Ira Yeatman (Ipswich SHS)
The Yarrabah youngster continued to enhance his reputation from fullback with another influential game creating extra possessions for his side.
Yeatman’s mixed bag of tricks featured a twirling torpedo, a pressurising short kicking game and brave defence.
Yeatman also threatened when he ran the ball because the quick, smaller and hard to bring down 17-year-old has a slippery running style and elite acceleration.
His pesky performance was the backbone behind Ipswich’s hard-fought win.
YEAR 10 WALTERS CUP
Parker Kemister (PBC SHS)
The PBC right centre was as busy as a bee from start to finish.
Kemister’s magic moment came when he reeled in a Dallas Russel cross field kick to score.
The Tweed junior was a wholehearted performer with his involvement on both sides of the ball.
Dallas Russel (PBC SHS)
The theme of the day was playmakers turning up and Russel continued that trend with a sound 70-minute showing. Great attacking kicks were a big feature.
With his five-eighth Preston Towell also quality, Russel engineered a comprehensive display after some early errors from both sides.
Russel asked plenty of questions with his cross field kicks. His best one came early in the second half when right centre Kemister leapt into the air and came down with the ball and scored.
It was a beauty which was trumped only by his own deft grubber which Jada Rahiri was quick to reward nearing full time.
Jada Rahiri (PBC SHS)
If a medal for player of the match was awarded it would be in Rahiri’s room right now because the dynamite dummyhalf delivered in spades.
As the lights came on at The Reserve, Rahiri let rip with an inspired performance.
His passing was sharp but it was his scheming running game that his teammates loved most.
In the first half Rahiri ran wild and almost created a try but it wasn’t to be. To nail the coffin shut at 16-4 late in the match, Rahiri dived onto a Russel grubber to put the finishing touches on a titanic performance.
You just had to be there to see what was a dazzling display from the rapid No. 14 from the Burleigh Bears.
London Proctor-Sargent (PBC SHS)
Reds coach Geoff Eggert is somewhere smiling ear to ear reminiscing on Proctor-Sargent’s knock on Tuesday.
Eggert earmarked the young giant as a player of the future before the season commenced and he is already seeing it true following his brilliant stint against Ipswich.
The Reds won 16-4 and Proctor-Sargent looked at his confident, damaging best with his carries through the middle third and quick play the balls giving Jada Rahiri prime real estate to pounce.
Jack Neuendorf (Ipswich SHS)
Neuendorf’s no-frills forward play through the middle was outstanding on a day where Ipswich were its own enemies.
The 15-year-old prop was like a freight train when he took the ball forward, challenging multiple defenders with his fierce attack and leg drive.
When approaching defenders, he put the accelerators on not the handbreak and set Ipswich a front-foot foundation.
Kyanu Seiuli (Ipswich SHS)
The athletic edge forward made a few errors which is out of character and yet he was still one of the most influential for his side.
A revelation across the competition early this season, Seiuli continued to defend like a man possessed.
He was aggressive carrying the ball but it was off the ball where he attacked PBC.
LANGER TROPHY
Nio Verhoeven (PBC SHS)
The Christchurch product has been a difference-maker since he returned to the line-up in winning fashion during round 2.
A Broncos signing from Bede’s College across the ditch, Verhoeven has made every post a winner in 2025 as part of Burleigh’s premiership-winning Mal Meninga Cup outfit.
Now two games into his Langer Trophy debut season, he is starting to really leave his mark.
He left no greater mark on Tuesday than when he blitzed 60m down field to score a freakish 55th minute try.
Devin Bates-Wellington (PBC SHS)
Another Kiwi-born bulldozer who is now honing his craft in the Sunshine State, Bates-Wellington produced his finest performance yet in the top grade on Tuesday.
The athletic big man played a few games last season and in the first two rounds was finding his feet. Against Ipswich, he moved one step closer to his destructive best with an effective showing at right centre.
He was hard to handle.
Jai Bilish, Billy Mulheran, Torino Jackson and Josiah Fa’aoso (PBC SHS)
The Reds have conceded just 10 points over the last 120 minutes of Langer Trophy football.
Look no further than this awesome foursome as to why.
Inspirational captain and hooker Bilish, nimble No. 13 Mulheran and prop powerhouses Jackson and Fa’aoso formed the bedrock of PBC’s defence on Tuesday with a Tomu Cook try (25th) the only blemish in a brilliant display.
Jackson and Fa’aoso defended stoicly in the middle and Bilish and Mulheran the same with Bilish’s choice of pass creating multiple tries when Ipswich defended its goal line.
Taj Lateo (PBC SHS)
The towering playmaker put Ipswich’s back three players Tom Parker, Mel Nonu and Ceasar Yeatman under considerable pressure with his twirling bombs.
Catching them was no easy task.
Lateo’s booming right boot caused bit of trouble all game with the cross field and attacking kicks almost always attainable for his teammates who rushed through in pursuit.
He kicked three-from-five off the tee with a superb sideline conversion emphasising the value of his right foot.
TJ Sauaso (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich five-eight continued to gather experience and it will serve him very well because already in a short time the Year 11 student has risen to the Langer Trophy challenge.
On a night riddled with errors, Sauaso’s steady hand in a faultless effort was a bright spot.
Late in the game when his side needed to conjure something, Sauaso — a Mr Natural — got his teammates involved and helped keep Ipswich alive by kicking well and defended with a chip on his shoulder.
Neyon Taito-Makea (Ipswich SHS)
The performance of winger-turned-forward Taito-Makea was another highlight for the hosts.
A homegrown talent, Taito-Makea was destructive every time he carried the ball and was full of energy.
In the first two matches of the season, the big-bodied second rower — who grew up playing on the wing or as an outside back — played the full 60 minutes.
He was tireless alongside young centre Tomu Cook who tried hard despite being well contained.
NRL SCHOOLGIRLS CUP
Geraldine Lomas (Ipswich SHS)
The Ipswich fullback relished more ball and a little extra room to rove when on the counter-attack because her twinkle toes tricked PBC defenders often.
A breath of fresh air in the Ipswich SHS program after moving from Bremer SHS, the Met West No. 1 kicked two of three conversions and was at her evasive best with ball in hand.
Whenever she got involved, there was a roar from the grandstands yelling ‘go Gerry’.
Her jinking feet and agility was a crowd favourite.
Jannali Wyles-Entermann and Emily Jackwitz (Ipswich SHS)
If Ipswich are to challenge for this year’s premiership then they’ll need more of the same from young wingers Wyles-Entermann and Jackwitz, who were just terrific on Tuesday night.
The willing wingers were heavily involved early in Ipswich’s sets which set a platform for props Summer Hoet, Charity Faalaogo, Easter Taualai and Emalini Waqairatu to let rip through the middle third.
The speedy Wyles-Entermann was particularly hard to grasp for the PBC defenders.
Emalini Waqairatu (Ipswich SHS)
The unrelenting Ipswich middle had been warming into a game like the one she produced on Tuesday.
Good without being great through the first two rounds, Waqairatu showed her class and determination with a blockbusting display.
She scored a try (27th) with sheer strength and demanded multiple defenders every other time she ran which gave halves Amber Collins and Monica Tuala-Leaunoa more time to mount the attack.
Indeed Waqairatu is one of the very best in the business on her day.
Tuesday was that day and yet she had more to give.
Milla Rogers and Mikalah Teale (PBC SHS)
Revelations during the 2025 club rugby league season at Tweed, Rogers and Teale stopped force with force to try keep Ipswich’s powerful forwards at bay.
The tenacity of them both to make a hit, get up and do it time and time again was a big reason why the Reds at one stage led 10-6 and were hot on Ipswich’s heels, down 12-10, with under 10 minutes to play.
Mackenzie and Saskia Croyston (PBC SHS)
In the first three rounds of competition, the Croyston sisters have given the Reds their best.
It has shown in its slender 16-10 loss against the reigning premiers, a win over St James and a gallant effort against Mabel Park where they lost 28-14.
Their combined effort, skill and execution was best seen in the 17th minute of Tuesday’s game when dummyhalf Saskia put No. 13 Croyston on route to the tryline with a tricky switch play one off the ruck.
Around that moment of brilliance, the pair were exhaustive.
Cienna Dumas (PBC SHS)
Jersey No. 12 for PBC would have recorded close to the most metres because edge forward Dumas was everywhere.
She ran trying lines, chased kicks and was always rushing up in defence whether on the edge or as a middle.
Coach Geoff Eggert could not have summed up Dumas’ dogged defensive display any better than when he said the words “absolute workhorse”.
Isabella Brown (PBC SHS)
The Reds fullback is clearly growing in confidence because she has made an improvement every game so farthis season.
Against Ipswich, Brown made plenty of metres in yardage and in defence announced herself when it mattered.
On multiple occasions Ipswich attacked the line to no avail and more than once Brown was there helping a teammate make a telling tackle.
Originally published as Up next! 50 top performers from Palm Beach Currumbin and Ipswich State High’s school league bonanza on Tuesday
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