QLD COLTS 2018

[Oldschool]

.....

It’s a very different game playing against under 19 year olds who have played 1 or two years of colts 1. But if he’s involved in the Reds development squad then he’ll liikely be in, despite age or experience.

And therein lies one of Queensland and Australian rugbys development and pathway issues

 

[Stripes]

Team lists as listed on reds rugby.... haven’t had a good look yet but noticed a couple of surprise exclusions and inclusions. Will have a closer look after work.

Queensland Country U19s – Squad and coaching staff
Head coach – Grant Anderson (Bond University)
Assistant coach – Nick Fogarty (Norths)
Assistant coach – James McLaren (Sunnybank)

Forwards
Brendan Bell – Brothers
Jack Butler – Bond University* - Gold Coast
Lachlan Connors – Bond University – Gold Coast
Will Dearden – Wests – Warwick
Theo Fourie – Souths - Rockhampton
Reno Gerrard – The Southport School – Gold Coast
Reagan Leslie – Souths – Toowoomba
Angus Lovelock – Brothers
Torah Moe – University of Queensland
Ollie Sheppard – Wests*
Egan Siggs – Brothers – Gold Coast
Alex Smit – Wests*
Laurence Tominiko – Sunnybank
Dane Zander – Norths
Matthew Connor – Caboolture Snakes (development player)

Backs
Max Dowd – Bond University – Gold Coast
Ilaisa Droasese – Wests
Isaac Henry – Wests
Elijah Kefu – Souths
Viliami Lea – Souths
Neal McNamara – Sunnybank
Lachlan Sperling – University of Queensland - Toowoomba
Isaac Tarabay – Brothers
Brad Twidale – University of Queensland – Bringalily (Darling Downs)
Joshua Walker – Bond University – Gold Coast
Cooper Whiteside – Wests
Will Christie – Noosa Dolphins (development player)
---

Brisbane City U19s – Squad and coaching staff
Head coach – Damon Virtue (Sunnybank)
Assistant coach – Kelevi Tuicolo (Brothers)
Assistant coach – Pat Byron (Wests)

Forwards
Jed Chapman – GPS
Joe Cotton – Wests
Angus Dean – Souths*
Ben Fox – Sunnybank
Elijah Kuilamu – Sunnybank
Nathan Marshall – Sunnybank
Matthew Munday – Brothers
Zac Munro – Souths
Flynn Noon – Wests*
Ben Paxton-Hall – University of Queensland
Prynce-Romeo Taugaele – Wests
Rhys Van Nek – Souths
Xavier Vela-Tupuhi – Souths
John Yates – University of Queensland

Backs
Nathan Carroll - Brothers
Hudson Creighton – Brothers
Isaac De Flavis – GPS
Will Feeney – Sunnybank
Henry Lennon – Brothers*
Liam Matenga – Easts
Liam Predagast – Norths*
Byron Ralston – Brothers
Billy Rutherford – Souths
Sam Samu - Sunnybank
Tristan Stanghon – Brothers

*NRC replacement player

Unavailable due to injury:
Liam Usher - Brothers (prop)
Lloyd Gorman - Sunnybank (prop)

 

[Dark Shark]

Astonished Shea Lalagavesi did not get a look in. By my records he was top try scorer in the comp.

 

[Stripes]

Astonished Shea Lalagavesi did not get a look in. By my records he was top try scorer in the comp.

Have to agree Dark Shark, how did the selectors get that so wrong? Quick check of the stats confirm you are right he was the top with a whopping 22 tries.
A few other boys I was surprised missed out were Cullen ngamanu from souths, Harry Webster from Easts and Moli from brothers.
Would love to know how the players were selected.
A few boys I am surprised made it but I won’t mention names. Good luck and well done to all the players listed. And to the boys who missed out, don’t give up, keep playing your best game and prove them wrong.

 

[Getwithme]

Astonished Shea Lalagavesi did not get a look in. By my records he was top try scorer in the comp.

In back to back years. I actually cannot believe it. Whoever made this decision got it horribly wrong. The kid has a unique set of skills that includes gifted speed- something you can't teach. This sort of decision optimizes why Australian Rugby loses some of it's most gifted players, just because they possess something that is different from what everyone thinks. Very frustrating as a lover of club rugby, someone who hopes this competition showcases the best colts has to off and as a Queenslander that we could do this.

 

[RugbyReg]

Is he fit? Did he want to play?

There’s clearly more to it.

No Will Eadie either.

 

[Dark Shark]

Is he fit? Did he want to play?

There’s clearly more to it.

No Will Eadie either.

Well they specifically mentioned players not considered because of injury - which Shea is not listed.

Will Eadie’s last eligible year in Colts was in 2017. I believe he turns 20 this year.

 

[Stripes]

Is he fit? Did he want to play?

There’s clearly more to it.

No Will Eadie either.

Got to be more to it, there’s no way he was just overlooked. Will try reach out to some mates involved with Wests and find out.

 

[Oldschool]

Shea rolled out for the Fijian U20s this year. So that's probably why.

 

[Stripes]

Shea rolled out for the Fijian U20s this year. So that's probably why.

Playing for Fiji U20 at the Oceania’s wouldn’t affect his eligibility to play In the URC or his eligibility to be selected for AUS U20’s.
My mate at Wests doesn’t know why Shea wasn’t selected, he said he is fit and available and “the selectors must have rocks in their head”

 

[Getwithme]

Elijah Kefu played Tongan 20's and he was selected

 

[Happyman]

Overall IMHO not to bad couple of squads. There are a couple that I disagree with probably the most notable being a school kid. Colts is bit more physical and skilful than School rugby and I would expect NRC to be a further step up.

 

[RugbyReg]

Can someone have a go at a couple of starting teams for me?

Are there any in the open NRC squads eligible? Harry Wilson??

 

[Dark Shark]

Note in announcement above the notation *NRC replacement player - this means that these players have been subbed in for the u19 players who will be playing in the Open NRC comp. So looks unlikely that Wilson, McReight, Lucas etc will compete in u19 comp

QLD Country u19 - likely starting team (the coaches may have other ideas)

1 Egan Siggs Brothers
2 Theo Fourie Souths
3 Laurence Tominiko Sunnybank
4 Jack Butler Bond
5 Will Dearden Wests
6 Ollie Shepphard Wests
7 Alex Smit Wests
8 Lachlan Connors Bond
9 Neal McNamara Sunnybank
10 Isaac Henry Wests
11 Villami Lea Souths
12 Cooper Whiteside Wests
13 Elijah Kefu Souths
14 Max Dowd Bond
15 Ilaisa Droasese Wests
16 Brendan Bell Brothers
17 Dane Zander Norths
18 Angus Lovelock Brothers
19 Reagan Leslie Souths
20 Reno Gerrard TSS
21 Isaac Tarabay Brothers
22 Brad Twidale Uni
23 Lachlan Sperling Uni
24 Josh Walker Bond

QLD City u19 - likely starting team (the coaches may have other ideas)

1 Elijah Kuilamu Sunnybank
2 Joe Cotton Wests
3 Prynce Romeo Taugaele Wests
4 Matthew Munday Brothers
5 Ben Paxton Hall Uni
6 Xavier Vela-Tupuhi Souths
7 Nathan Marshall Sunnybank
8 John Yates Uni
9 Liam Prendegast Norths
10 Isaac de Flavis GPS
11 Byron Ralston Brothers
12 Hudson Creighton Brothers
13 Sam Samu Sunnybank
14 Tristan Stanghon Brothers
15 Nathan Carroll Brothers
16 Ben Fox Sunnybank
17 Flynn Noon Wests
18 Jed Chapman GPS
19 Zac Munro Souths
20 Angus Dean Souths
21 Billy Rutherford Souths
22 Henry Lennon Brothers
23 Will Feeney Sunnybank
24 Liam Matenga Easts

 

[LetsbeReasonable]

I’d say Brad Twidale will be number 12 for country

 

[Beer Baron]

Overall IMHO not to bad couple of squads. There are a couple that I disagree with probably the most notable being a school kid. Colts is bit more physical and skilful than School rugby and I would expect NRC to be a further step up.

Agreed. Standing out against 16/17 year olds versus 19 year olds who are beating up other good 19 year olds.
More so - i think he will have a target on him too.

 

[The Engine Room]

Agreed. Standing out against 16/17 year olds versus 19 year olds who are beating up other good 19 year olds.
More so - i think he will have a target on him too.

 

[The Engine Room]

The TSS boy's selection is an insult to the many club Colts players who have worked through 18-20 rounds of the club season to give themselves a chance of selection. It also raises questions as to the actual age of this player and his eligibility to play at GPS and/or at the Under 19 level.

 

[Dark Shark]

The TSS boy's selection is an insult to the many club Colts players who have worked through 18-20 rounds of the club season to give themselves a chance of selection. It also raises questions as to the actual age of this player and his eligibility to play at GPS and/or at the Under 19 level.

He is 18 this year. So no issues with GPS eligibility. I do note as a 16 year old he was not selected in his school First XV - so really has not mixed it up with guys older than himself in recent times.

 

[Dark Shark]

Have to agree Dark Shark, how did the selectors get that so wrong? Quick check of the stats confirm you are right he was the top with a whopping 22 tries.
A few other boys I was surprised missed out were Cullen ngamanu from souths, Harry Webster from Easts and Moli from brothers.
Would love to know how the players were selected.
A few boys I am surprised made it but I won’t mention names. Good luck and well done to all the players listed. And to the boys who missed out, don’t give up, keep playing your best game and prove them wrong.

You mentioned a couple of names above so I have gone back and looked at the Colts 1 stats again. While scoring tries is not the be all and end all of rugby and does not take into account deficiencies in other areas, it can be a good pointer. The selectors are definitely not taking it into account. Now some teams did not record try scorers for a game or two but it does show how far Shea was ahead of the rest of the pack except for Stanghon.

I also thought Sunnybank with 7 selections were a bit hard done by when compared to Souths with 9 selections for a few reasons including position on ladder and stats below.

Top Five Try scorers - Backs

1. Shea Lalagavesi (Wests) - 22 tries (from 15 starts)
2. Tristan Stanghon (Brothers) - 19 tries (from 15 starts)
3. Joshua Russell (Uni) - 15 tries (from 15 starts)
eq 4. Faiva Moli (Brothers) - 14 tries (from 14 starts)
eq 4. Neal McNamara (Sunnybank) - 14 tries (from 20 starts)

Top Five Try scorers - Forwards

1. Lachlan Connors (Bond) - 12 tries (from 14 starts)
2. Harry Webster (Easts) - 10 tries (from 17 starts)
eq 3. Cameron Howard (Wests) - 9 tries (from 16 starts)
eq 3. Elijah Kuilamu (Sunnybank) - 9 tries (from 20 starts)
eq 5. Emmitt Keepa (Sunnybank) - 7 tries (from 19 starts)
eq 5. Joseph Faulalo (Sunnybank) - 7 tries (from 19 starts)
eq 5. Joe Cotton (Wests) - 7 tries (from 19 starts)