Meninga Cup Team of the Week following round 10 action

Meet the 16 Happy Hookers from all clubs who made Meninga Cup Team of the Week selection difficult. Story here, including early pictures of the rookie No.9s as juniors.

Clydesdales’ Fletch Prendergast goes into score for Murgon as an under-12 player.

The Meninga Cup competition’s overflowing supply of dummy half talents was never better emphasised than last weekend.

No less than 16 No.9s caught the eye, making it a nightmare at the selection table when it came to naming the Meninga Cup Team of the Week.

This story features the Meninga Cup hookers the competition’s observers saw in action last weekend.

MENINGA CUP RD 10 LATEST: HOW YOUR CLUB WENT, BEST PLAYERS

CONNELL CUP; HARVEY 19s GRAND FINALS – CITY v COUNTRY

Hayden Watson (Burleigh)

Bears boom boy Hayden Watson, fresh from a splendid Connell Cup campaign which saw him win under-17 representative selection, made a bold statement playing up in his age group for Burleigh last Saturday after an injury to regular No.9 Klay Tancred. Signed by the Melbourne Storm, Watson hails from Marsden SHS where he was originally a goal kicking halfback.

Hayden Watson as a child playing touch football.

But originally he was a Beaudesert league junior and a keen touch footballer who has been an Australian under-15 merit team selection. Last year he also captained his Gold Coast touch team to the state championship win.

Hayden Watson, far left, with former NRL champion Isaac Luke who is not the Marsden SHS Langer coach, Also in the image were Adaquix Luke and Javon Andrews, far right: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Jacob Tinsley (Souths Logan)

Watson, mentioned above, opposed another Marsden SHS product, Souths captain Jacob Tinsley, who is a thoroughly professional dummy half. As a youngster Watson would have watched Tinsley play two seasons of Langer Trophy at Marsden SHS. Tinsley should be nicknamed Mr Consistency after his season because he has always been among his team’s top three or four players this campaign.

Jordan Kake clears the ball for the Devils this season. Picture courtesy of the Norths Devils.

Jordan Kake (Norths)

Being a Logan boy Jacob Tinsley, highlighted above, would also know Norths captain Jordan Kake as well. Kake comes from Beenleigh Bulls country and Mabel Park SHS and played Langer Trophy last season. That Kake was also captain of a high profile side like Norths says everything about his ability and leadership.

Mountain Creek SHS player Jai Bowden in action last week. Picture, John Gass

Jai Bowden and Tait Coghlan (Falcons)

The Sunshine Coast’s one-two punch generated by starting hooker Jai Bowden and super sub Tait Coghlan proved a match winning combination last weekend. The Melbourne Stormer-signed Bowden is elite whenever he plays. Only last Wednesday we watched him star as a schoolboy for Mountain Creek SGS in its Langer Trophy qualifying win over St Mary’s College. He is a Kawana Junior. His teammate Coghlan was a super sub at the weekend, scoring the winning try.

TEAMS OF THE SEASON

CONNELL CUP TEAM OF THE SEASON

HARVEY 19s TEAMS OF THE SEASON HERE

HARVEY 17s TEAM OF THE SEASON HERE

Braith Dowson (Pride)

Up in FNQ lively Pride No.9 Braith Dowson was his effervescent self. Originally from the Burdekin Roosters, Dowson has come through the Kirwan SHS stable, and now the Pride were seeing the full benefits of his development. They would not swap the former Emus and Western Lions player for all the Sugar Cane around the Burdekin.

Braith Dowson, when he played in the Shane Muspratt Cup.

Cohen Emmi (Tigers) and Braelan Marsh (Capras)

Cohen Emmi (Tigers) and Braelan Marsh (Capras)

On Sunday these two country kids played in yet another wet match, but their passing from the ruck was outstanding despite the rain.

Marley Helion and Cohen Emmi in 2019 with local league and regional representatives. Pic: ELISABETH CHAMPION

Unsung Cohen Emmi has been a quiet achiever for the Tigers. A Kirwan SHS first choice hooker last season, Emmi hails from Australia’s wettest region, Tully, so passing rain at Langlands Park last Saturday would have been water off a duck’s back for him. Emmi’s energy was easy to spot through the rain squalls

Brothers' Braelan Marsh as an under 11 player.Photo Allan Reinikka / The Morning Bulletin

Decorated Capras’ rake Braelan Marsh comes from Queensland State of Origin royalty – his father PJ was a series winning hooker for the Maroons – so the kid was always going to play rugby league as a hooker, wasn’t he? Coupled with his bloodline, the fact that he hails from Rockhampton makes this bloke an instantly good player. There are not too many duds from big bull country.

Xavier Kerrisk wrapped up by Magpies.

Xavier Kerrisk (Cutters)

In a losing team Mackay’s Xavier Kerrisk was a defensive drill sergeant. The 2023 Queensland Schoolboys, Cowboys-signed Kerrisk did a mountain of work against the Seagulls. Kerrisk originally came through the Wanderers’ junior system before his schoolboy career ramped up at Mercy College and finally at St Patrick’s. His hooker-half combination with Jaxon Purdue helped the pair earn Cowboys’ contract while in the Connell Cup in late 2022.

Caden Frame as a junpir for Wynnum against Central Downs on Thursday.

Caden Frame (Wynnum Manly)

Frame, a good little dummy half runner who cleverly engages the defenders, is an Alexandra Hills SHS product who has come through the ranks. He is a tough little rooster, and talented, a kid who cherishes pulling on the Wynnum colours.

Cherbourg's Fletch Prendergast as a child.

Fletch Prendergast (Clydesdales)

The Western Clydesdales have an elite hooker as well, Fletch Prendergast. A Kingaroy SHS product from the rugby league rich Murgon district, Prendergast has the smarts of a half and the ticker of a grizzly front rower.

That he is captain of the Clydesdales says everything about his training and preparation as well. He is another the club would not swap.

Mathias Santo-Hero delivers a pass last season in Brisbane.

Mathias Santo-Hero (Redcliffe)

Premiership contenders have Mathias Santo-Hero as their dummy half. He hails from Charters Towers, or as some in the north call it, “Charlie’s Trousers’’, where he lit up the schoolboy scene as a halfback for Columbia Christian College. He signed with the Dolphins last September on a two year deal.

Mathias Santo-Hero kicking off for the Charters Towers Under 13 Miners.

Note the Dolphins also blooded premiership winning Connell Cup hooker, Amare Wynyard, via the bench last weekend. He is a local junior worth keeping an eye on.

Kirwan High against Ignatius Park College’s Kyhnaan Kennedy started for the Blackhawks on Saturday. Picture: Evan Morgan

Kyhnaan Kenndy (Blackhawks)

Blackhawks have had a few hookers this season – Ethan Rains, Colby Thomson and last weekend Kyhnaan Kennedy did the job in his team’s narrow loss to the Falcons. His clean work in driving rain was outstanding.

Kyhnaan Kennedy when aged seven.

A Townsville native who has been going to Cowboys matches since he was knee high to a grasshopper, Kennedy has come through the impressive Ignatius Park school program.

Cory Pearse (Tweed)

Tweed’s Cory Pearse continued on an upward spiral. You can just see the hours of work he has put into his ruck passes both off the ground and when engaging markers out of the ruck. When the Marsden SHS product decides to run, he has strong upper body strength and surprising speed over a short distance. The Titans are watching.

Nathan Fraser (Ipswich)

On the other side of the fence to Pearse was Nathan Fraser who has been one of Ipswich’s best all season, and that was the case again at the weekend despite his team losing to the Seagulls.

Fraser has been flying under the radar, but was a defensive workhorse and has a nice pass which is not surprising given he played No.10 for Ipswich Grammar School in last season’s First XV rugby competition.

Frasers hails from sporting rich Ipswich where he was once a Queensland under-15 rugby union teammate of Canterbury signed forward David Leota and Will Pamenter who this season made our GPS First XI cricket team as a fast bowler.

Cory Pearse as a Walters Cup player.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

1. Sylas Simon (Norths)

2. Charlie Johntone (Wynnum Manly)

3. Assariah Lenoy Sam (Pride)

4. Sam Stephenson (Tweed)

5. Iziah Broome (Capras)

6. Ryder Williams (Tweed)

7. Clancy Hohn (Capras)

8. Elijah Keung (Tigers)

9. Xavier Kerrisk (Cutters)

10. Patrick Kailahi (Redcliffe)

11. Amare Milford (Burleigh)

12. Isopo Taunu’u (Wynnum)

13. Kaiden Lahrs (Pride)

14. Hayden Watson (Burleigh)

15. Beni Allen (Wynnum Manly)

16. Jai Bowden (Falcons)

17. Zac Garton (Redcliffe)

18. Jayden Solien (Souths Logan)

19. LJ Nonu (Redcliffe)

21. Cooper Clarke (Sunshine Coast)

22. Ashden Lafferty (Blackhawks)

23. Trace Beattie (Clydesdales)

Special mentions: Nathan Fraser (Ipswich), Jacob Tinsley (Souths Logan), Anthony Iorangi (Blackhawks), Tyson Ploegsma (Tweed), Rory Woodall (Cutters), Liam O’Brien (Pride), Xavier Hellyer (Tigers), Tavita Penaia Te’o (Cutters), Brady Turner (Burleigh), Cohen Emmi (Tigers), Iziah Broome (Capras), Matt Watts (Cutters), Matt Simpkins (Clydesdales), Jack Philp (Clydesdales), Braiden Driscoll (Tigers), Cory Pearse (Tweed), Braith Dowson (Pride), Tait Coghlan (Sunshine Coast), Javon Andrews (Souths Logan).

Final round matches in the home and away season.

Saturday

Bears v Bulls

Seagulls v Tigers

Devils v Clydesdales

Capras v Falcons

Magpies v Cutters

Sunday

Wynnum v Pride

Blackhawks v Dolphins

Originally published as Meninga Cup Team of the Week following round 10 action