We name the star TRL players who will shape premiership race
REVEALED: The star male and female players and hidden gems who will shape the Toowoomba Rugby League premiership race. Find out who cracked the list from your club here.
Local Sport
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The 2024 Toowoomba Rugby League season went down to the wire with several minor premierships decided in the final round and plenty of jostling for finals spots.
Ahead of finals kicking off this weekend we’re running the rule over the A-grade men’s young stars who are set for breakout finals seasons, as well as the women’s and under-19 young guns and hidden gems who will shape the premiership race.
Find out who cracked the list from your club here.
A-grade
Brock Diment (Valleys)
A fullback who has been consistent all year for the Roosters.
He is a strong ball runner and the last-ditch efforts in defence have been huge for Valleys in recent weeks.
Miki Vetemotu (Valleys)
A second rower who is a strong ball carrier and has been one of the leading players for the Roosters in 2024.
Joseph Vite (Warwick)
Playing in just his first season of A-grade with the Cowboys, Vite has been a force to be reckoned with, helping his side to a second-place finish after the regular season.
He is an aggressive, athletic centre who was a standout performer for Toowoomba in the 47th Battalion, where he was named player of the grand final and series.
Caleb Murphy (Warwick)
A classy halfback who is in his second season and has torn opponents to shreds.
He is also one of the leading points-scorers in the competition.
Jake Speed (Warwick)
Speed has been in sensational form this year at fullback.
When he is at his best, few players can stop him from crossing over for a try and he ended the regular campaign with 18 tries.
Matthew Drews (Dalby)
A centre who has come through the Clydesdales Meninga Cup program and excelled playing in A-grade for the reigning premiers.
Despite his youthfulness, Drews holds his own on the outside edge playing against grown adults.
Bailey Rathmell (Dalby)
A forward who has also come through the Meninga Cup set up and thrived in A-grade with the Diehards.
He has shown immense growth and maturity for a player for his age and does all the little things which help the side tick along.
Fletch Prendergast (Dalby)
Has joined the club from Kingaroy and has been the ultimate team player.
He can play almost anywhere in the forward pack and is a great defender and an elite player at a technical level.
Lyucian King-Togia (Dalby)
The brother of the St George Illawarra Dragons’ newest star Lyhkan, Lyucian is an impressive talent in his own right.
The teenager has only played a handful of games in A-grade but has already proven himself as a skilful talent in the middle and does not look out of place playing against older opponents.
Thomas Luhrman (Gatton)
Running out of dummy half, Luhrman has tormented opposition defences this season.
The hooker played a leading role throughout the regular season with claiming the Madsen Rasmussen trophy in the last round of the competition.
Luhrman finished as the Hawks joint top try scorer, crossing the line 14 times, and will be a threat if given time and space in the finals.
Penisimani Teaupa (Wattles)
The 23-year-old is a powerful prop who has been a part of the Western Clydesdales set up this season.
He has shown his promise as a rising forward for several years now as he featured in a Australian Schools rep side and developed through the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs pathways in the SG Ball and Jersey Flegg competitions.
Open Women
Mia Davies (Gatton Hawks)
The Hawks rookie is having a debut senior season to remember.
Alongside Highfields Reagan McMillan, Davies is the women’s competition leading try scoring after crossing the line 14 times in 18 regular season matches.
The talented centre excels at finding gaps in broken defensive lines with her elusive footwork, speed and ability to power into space.
Davies is a threat anytime she has the ball in her hands.
Courtney Robinson (Gatton Hawks)
The seasoned campaigner is chasing her fourth straight premiership medal with the Hawks.
Robinson is a big game player who brings representative and BMD Premiership experience to the side after spending this season with Brisbane Tigers.
Can change the momentum of a game in the blink of eye with her lightning quick speed and tackle breaking ability.
Tahlia Marshall (Gatton Hawks)
Marshall can line up just about anywhere on the field but has shone at five-eighth this season.
The playmaker has slick passing skills and puts her evasive footwork to great effect to create time and space for herself and her outside runners.
Like all good five-eighths, she’s not afraid to take on the line herself, scoring six tries this season.
Mackenzie Zeller (Highfields Eagles)
One of Queensland’s rising stars Zeller, who captained the Western Clydesdales Harvey Norman under-19s this season, leaves no stone unturned as she strives to improve as a player working constantly on her fitness and asking questions of her coaches.
Zeller is strong through the middle of the field – running the ball hard and bringing down opposition runners with well timed tackles.
Reagan McMillan (Highfields Eagles)
It’s no surprise that McMillan is the competition’s top try scorer alongside Gatton’s Mia Davies.
The second rower is deceptively strong, routinely breaks tackle and makes the hard runs when her team is under pressure.
McMillan is also a top line defender.
Kelsey Price (Highfields Eagles)
An extremely versatile player who can line up just about anywhere on the field and get the job done.
Price, who has played the bulk of her footy in the halves for Eagles, lined up at lock for the Toowoomba Clydesdales at the 47th Battalion Carnival and was selected at centre by Queensland Country.
Zoe Cook (Valleys Roosters)
A regular in the Western Clydesdales BMD Premiership game day squad, Cook plays with the same commitment, skill, determination and effort when she lines up for Roosters.
The hard running lock never takes a backward step and works hard on both sides of the ball.
Cook’s strength makes her a tough proposition to tackle which creates space and opportunities for her teammates.
Her accuracy off the kicking tee has secured more than few wins for the team this season.
Cook is the competition’s third highest point scorer this season with 62 points behind Tahlia Sudhaus (84) and Abbey Markey (76).
Ruby Vayro (Valleys Roosters)
Vayro is a young star on the rise and her love for the Roosters is unquestionable.
With Valleys unable to field an under-17 girls team this season they sought special permission from Queensland Rugby League to allow Vayro play senior footy because she didn’t want to play for another club.
A quiet, unassuming player at the start of the year Vayro has found her voice as the season has progressed and expertly marshalls the defence from the back.
Vayro is a speedy fullback who isn’t afraid to take the hard runs when needed.
Meg Allen (Valleys Roosters)
A determined and committed forward, Allen has quickly established herself as key player despite her relative inexperience in rugby league.
Allen is an all-action player – running the ball hard and tackling without fear.
Her ball playing skills also make her a real handful in attack.
Chontelle Orcher (Brothers)
An inspirational prop who lifts the rest of the team with her.
The forward pack has been Brothers’ biggest strength this season and with Orcher making runs, it is no surprise.
She plays pure hard football and is a game changer.
Chelsea Middleton (Brothers)
She may only be 18, but Middleton is already a leader in the Brothers ranks.
She is mature for her age and is an exciting lock who has been thriving playing against older opposition.
Latiesha Orcher (Brothers)
Latiesha Orcher proves that the talent runs in the family and is a quiet achiever who has impressed in the second row this season.
She makes the most hit-ups and is always involved in the action one way or another.
Under-19 men
Joey Sankey (Dalby)
The Diehards tormented opposition defences in the regular season – scoring 480 points across 18 games.
Sankey, who leads all points scorers in the competition, has produced about a third of those points. Amazingly just 32 of his 130 points have come from tries.
The goalkicking second rower is a reliable player who can always be counted on to get the job done.
Deasharn Hebden Salase (Dalby)
Salase finished the regular season as the Diehards top try scorer.
The star centre picked up 10 tries in 18 games and will be a threat out wide.
Brock Sankey and Andre Murray (Dalby)
The depth of talent in Dalby’s backline has been one of their biggest strengths this season.
While Salase finished as the team’s top try scorer, Brock Sankey and Murray were also handy contributors with eight and seven tries respectively.
Dalby can score from just about anywhere in the backline and that is why they finished as minor premiers.
Matthew Schultz and Ashton Wilson (Brothers)
The hard running duo led by example in the regular season.
Schultz (second row) and Wilson (lock) were Brothers top try scorers in the regular season – crossing the line nine times each.
If the pair get good ball close to the line this weekend expect them to test the Valleys defence.
Koby Deluca (Wattles)
Finished the season as his side’s leading try and points scorer.
A constant threat out wide the winger scored seven tries and 92 points in total.
Tait Cameron (Souths)
A young gun with A-grade experience who is an elite competitor in the spine.
Matt Simpkin (Souths)
A no-nonsense front rower who makes big runs through the middle and countless tackles in defence.
Ronan Delaney (Souths)
An electric back who is dangerous when he gets on a roll.
Tom Fry (Souths)
A try-scoring centre who has been one of the Tigers’ main attacking weapons this season and ie equally impressive in defence.
Lachlan Clements (Wattles)
The fullback will be a key player in this weekend’s clash against Southern Suburbs.
Clements will need to lift defensively against a Tigers side that finished fourth but still managed to score 420 points in just 18 games.
Mitchell Clem (Valleys)
Clem is another one of the second row stars tearing up the TRL Under-19s competition.
The Roosters young finished the regular season as his side’s top try scorer – crossing the line eight times.
Look out for him close to the line against cross-town rivals Brothers.
Aston Fortier (Valleys)
Fortier’s versatility is his biggest strength.
The Roosters star has played in a number of positions this season but still managed to finish the regular season as the side’s top points scorer.
Whether he is the starting side or coming off the bench, Fortier can and will get the job done.
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