Day 3 QRSS rugby league championship players and plays of the day
VIDEO: See why the Cowboys signed another schoolboy superstar fullback after his sensational try at the QRSS rugby league championships. The day three players of the day named here.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Cowboys schoolboy-signing Kolby Walters scored a scintillating 75m solo try to gain top billing on the day three highlights reel at the Queensland Representative School Sport 14-15 and 16-18 years state championships.
Playing for Met East against the Darling Downs (14-15 years), fullback Walters scorched the earth with his dazzling kick return, beating the first line of defence and then the cover defence to zoom over under the posts.
A North Queensland boy who boards at Anglican Church Grammar School, Walters is the latest in a series of fullback signings by the Cowboys who were looking toward life after incumbent NRL No.1 Scott Drinkwater.
2023 Queensland schoolboy select Mutua Brown and 2024 Australian schoolboy Mason Barber were teenage fullbacks already in the Cowboys’ system.
Now the club has another — speed merchant Walters.
60 LESSER KNOWN PLAYERS TO WATCH AT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Met East v Darling Downs, 14-15 years
Scores: Met East 46 (K Walters, I Te Pairi, H Wallace, D Ioane, A Joyce, C Taylor, T Tai, L Parfitt tries; W Wallace 7 convs) defeated Darling Downs nil.
Players of the Match
Tyson Barnard ((Marsden SHS)
Second rower Tyson Barnard played strongly in a pack which dominated proceedings, and also defended stoutly when the Darling Downs boys tried to come through the fringe of the ruck.
Lachlan Weston (St Mary’s College)
It wasn’t a day for halfbacks but Weston did well rallying his troops. A brave little bloke, he never stopped trying, bringing his forwards ahead and probing for gaps.
Special mention: Harrison Wallace (Iona College), a wildcard selection after strong trial performances, kicked seven conversions. His ball handling was also a highlight in support of his halfback Billy Gough.
South Coast v Met West, 14-15 years
The foundation of South Coast’s 14-4 victory was laid in the first half by tenacious defence which blunted and frustrated Met West.
South Coast’s forward confronted Met West’s power game, both through the ruck and on the edge, while the South Coast wingers and centres also held the fort on the fringe of the field.
South Coast stayed in the first half tug-of-war, hung tough, and eventually capitalised on field position to chisel out a win.
Finally the South Coast wall broke minutes from the end when Met West centre Rory Hagan (Ipswich SHS) scored after halves Kirk, Hunt and fullback Blake Tikinau had finally out flanked their rivals. But South Coast were safe, leading 12-4.
KELLY AND SEIULI IN BATTLE ROYAL
PBC SHS’s Jonah Kelly (South Coast) and Ipswich SHS’s Kyanu Seiuli (Met West) staged a battle royal on the left edge of the field.
Kelly, his head fortified by strapping, was up and in the face of the giant second rower Seiuli who was one of his team’s prime movers.
Kelly looked every bit a Langer Trophy player of the field, with his energetic, forceful defence never wavering.
KOBE’S IMPACT
In a game of inches, Souths Coast’s hooker Kobe Te Kiri was a point of difference. The Christian College, Pimpama student sparked his team around the ruck, and it was his dummy half launch at the line which broke a nil-all deadlock.
He also threw a right side long pass to his five-eight Leison Malu which helped open up the field for Blake Millar’s try.
MALU’S PASS OF THE DAY
Leison Malu’s left to right pass to put his winger Blake Millar over to score was a pearler.
In two passt South Coast covered half the width of the field, with hooker Te Kiri and Malu showing their school combination to great space on the very edge of the field for winger Millar.
On the left side of the field starting hooker Max Imrie (PBC SHS) and halfback Cooper Buchanan (PBC SHS) then showed off their passing skills with two long balls which enabled second rower Alexander Ruiz to put MJ Otunuku over.
Players of the Match
Kayden Lemafa (Ipswich SHS)
Jaxon Worthing (Palm Beach Currumbin SHS)
Scores: South Coast 12 (K Te Kiri, B Millar, MJ Otunuku tries; L Malu goal) defeated Met West 4 (R Hagan try)
Wide Bay 24 defeated Peninsula 10, 14-15 years
The big Wide Bay forwards paved the way for their team’s win over a gutsy Northern.
The pack created a platform for their team’s 14-nil halftime advantage.
Around Wide Bay’s forward performance, a glorious backs ball play saw possession swing from Patterson Braithwaite (Kingaroy SHS) to five-eight Kobey Walsh (Shalom Catholic College), onto centre Lachlan Rae (Shalom Catholic College) who fed Riley Lay (Gympie SHS) to score.
Later in the match halves Walsh and Braithwaite against show crisp service to open up a channel for Wide Bay’s Brayden Martens (Shalom Catholic College) who put Trent Sellin (Goomeri SS over).
PLAY OF THE DAY
A superb grubber kick try by Wide Bay’s five-eight Kobey Walsh (Shalom Catholic College) was one of the highlights of the match.
It was a beautifully weighted kick, caressed 18m across the surface before he won the race to the dead ball line to score.
SECOND HALF
Wide Bay scored first in the second half when lanky second rower Kaleb Mauloni (Shalom Catholic College) reached out to score after his side had rolled up the field.
But Peninsula fought back, with a lovely pass from halfback Ashley Summers (St Augustine’s College) catching a running fullback Zaeden Kitching-Ely (Trinity Bay SHS) who hit the hole perfectly.
Scores: Wide Bay 24 (R Lay, K Walsh, F Cooper K Mauloni, T Sellin tries; L Rea 2 conv beat Peninsula 10 (Zaeden Kitching-Ely, Manti Eteru tries; Jailen Cross conv)
Northern 16 defeated Capricornia 10, 14-15 years
Intercept try by Capricornia’s Benji Calicetto set up a thrilling finish, but Northern deservedly won 16-10 today.
Calicetto ran 70m to score, eluding two late cover defenders to bring his side close - but it was not close enough.
Hugh McKinlay (CAP, The Cathedral College)
The best player on the field, prop McKinlay started like a freight train passing through downtown Rockhampton, and finished the match just as strongly. He scored Capricornia’s first try with a bulldozing effort, was physical with his carries and post contact metres, yet still had the energy for decoy efforts around the ruck.
Travel Ngatuakana (Northern, Kirwan SHS)
The official man of the match, his positional play and high involvement helped give his side an edge. His sideline conversion of Fanning’s try was also an important moment in a closely fought affair.
Ellisala Dau (Northern, Kirwan SHS)
Dau was an energiser from dummy half, particularly in the last 10 minutes of the match when Northern needed a lift. He also forced an error when Capricornia were in a try scoring position, and he worked beautifully in tag team with fellow hooker Issac Seawright (Kirwan).
Special mentions: Moroni Kaulave (Kirwan SHS) was a defensive ironman on the edge for Northern, while halfback Jack Goodhew (Kirwan SHS) was clever with his hands and organisation. He created the try scoring chance centre Jeffrey Tugai (Kirwan SHS).
Tackle of the day: Capricornia second rower Cooper Lee Johnston (St Brendan’s College) stormed across in cover defence to stop Northern right winger Jett Batimala (Kirwan SHS) who seemed certain to score.
Tries: Northern 16 (J Tugai, P Fanning, K Mataa tries; T Ngatuakana 2 conv) defeated CAP 10 (Hugh McKinlay, Benji Calicetto tries).
South West 40 defeated Northern 2, 14-15 years
Carter Llewellyn (South West, Chinchilla SHS)
Man of the match and half Llewellyn was outstanding running the right side of the field. He organised his runners after expertly receiving dummy half ball from his hooker.
Footnote: An unnamed player also had an absolute blinder, but for privacy reasons remained unnamed. His ball work and creation was outstanding.
Karson Williamson (North West, Longreach SHS)
Downie was magnificent and deservedly received man of the match for his team. He was like a missile in defence, and ran with gusto. Obviously extremely fit, he would not have been out of place in any side.
Bryn Cross (South West, St George SHS)
Ruiz was a handful on the left edge, marching forward with every carry. A big body, his post contact metres were enormous while he was also able to unload in traffic.
Play of the Day: Karson Williamson tackling on anywhere he went near was a highlight. The Longreach student had a crack, that’s for sure.
Special mentions: Toby Werner (South West, Wallumbilla SS), Noel Sam (North West, Good Shepherd Catholic College), Archie Cumming (South West, Moranbah SHS), Jackson Waters (South West, Chinchilla SHS).
Met North 34 defeated Sunshine Coast 6
Maihi Pene weaved his magic to ice the cake in Met North’s victory over Sunshine Coast.
Met North won running away, 34-6, with five-eight Pene producing a special piece of play to close out the match.
After his hooker Angus McLaughlin had gapped the opposition, Pene’s side stepping foray bamboozled his opponents, as he scored 35m to score under the posts.
Pene’s quick hands, supported by a golden pass by fullback Tane Crampton led to centre Manamo’ui Toia (St Joseph’s) scoring a try soon after.
But it was Pene’s performance to score which ensured there was no return for the Coast.
TRY OF THE GAME
Sunshine Coast winger Zac Zeremes (St John’s College) lit up day three of the championship with several left sideline runs - the third of which led to a withering counter attacking try scored by centre Sonny Tandang (Caloundra SHS).
Zeremes sparked the movement from inside his 22m, getting to within 30m of scoring before fielding a looming Tandang back on his inside.
It was thrilling football by the low to the ground winger Zeremes.
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A BATTERING RAM
For all the finesse of the halves and hooker, and speed and power of the backs, there is nothing like a battering ram of two on a rugby league field.
Lenton Steven Funaki (Wavell SHS) was one such player, and so was Lennox Lakatani (Wavell SHS) who broke down the barn door just after halftime to give Met North a striking advantage, 18-6.
Originally published as Day 3 QRSS rugby league championship players and plays of the day
‘Beautiful inside and out’: Racing fraternity shocked by tragic death
A beloved horse racing identity who was a key player in the success of Black Caviar has died following a tragic incident in Gympie.
Referees threatened with violence in shocking spike of abuse
Referees have been called f****** r*****s and b****s and threatened with physical violence in a dark opening to the rugby league season at a community level. It’s forced one organisation to warn clubs bans are looming if the shocking behaviour continues.
60 lesser known league players to watch at the QRSS championships
Here’s 60 lesser known players you simply need to know more about ahead of the 2025 Queensland school sport 14-15 years and 16-18 years boys rugby league championships. FULL SQUADS
‘Time to step up’: Rising defender eager to complete Diamonds checklist
After coming as close as possible to a Diamonds debut in 2024, Sunshine Coast Lightning defender Ash Ervin has reflected on her start to Super Netball season and what’s required to represent Australia.
Top dawg: Zikarsky towers above NBA Draft classmates
Australian teenage basketball talent Rocco Zikarsky is already turning heads at the 2025 NBA Draft combine, taking the crown on two key performance measures.
Sunshine Coast Stingrays head coaches reveal 2025 squads, key players and more
Sunshine Coast Stingrays open head coaches Ryan Frisby and Darren Tahu have revealed just how tough this year’s selection process has been, what excites them the most about their side’s 2025 chances and key players to keep an eye on. See the full squad breakdowns.