Queensland under-18 rugby league team

The Queensland Under-18 rugby league team, also known as Queensland Under-18s or Queensland U18, represents Queensland in the sport of rugby league at an under-18 age level. Since 2008, the team has played an annual fixture against the New South Wales Under-18 team as a curtain raiser to a State of Origin game. The team features players selected from Queensland's premier under-18 rugby league competition, the Mal Meninga Cup. They are administered by the Queensland Rugby League.

Queensland Under-18
Team information
NicknameMaroons
Governing bodyQueensland Rugby League
Head coachKurt Richards
CaptainJosh James
Top try-scorerKirisome Auva'a
Fanitesi Niu
Caleb Timu (2)
Top point-scorerJosh James
Josh Fauid (10)
Home stadiumSuncorp Stadium (52,500)
Uniforms
First colours
Team results
First game
New South Wales 34–12 Queensland
(Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; 11 June 2008)
Biggest win
Queensland 34–12 New South Wales
(Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; 5 June 2019)
Biggest defeat
New South Wales 56–6 Queensland
(Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; 26 June 2013)

History edit

Prior to 2008, junior interstate matches were contested at under-17 and under-19 levels. In 2008, with the advent of the National Youth Competition, the age levels switched to an under-16 and under-18 format to keep in line with the NSWRL's existing SG Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup competitions and the QRL's Mal Meninga Cup and Cyril Connell Cup competitions, which would begin in 2009.

Queensland suffered defeat in the first four under-18 Origin fixtures, not winning a game until 2012. The 2012 team, which featured future NRL players Anthony Milford, Kodi Nikorima and Lloyd Perrett, held on to defeat New South Wales 24–18 at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. Queensland would suffer two more defeats in 2013 and 2014 before picking up their second win in 2015, defeating New South Wales 22–18 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Queensland snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory in 2019.[1]

Players edit

Players selected for the Queensland under-18 team are usually contracted with a National Rugby League (NRL) side but play in either the Mal Meninga Cup, Hastings Deering Colts, Jersey Flegg Cup or Intrust Super Cup competitions. In 2008, before the Mal Meninga Cup began, players were selected from the under-18 representative carnival in Proserpine.[2] Each pre-season the Queensland Rugby League will select an under-18 squad featuring players in contention for the mid-season fixture. The squad participates in a weekend camp at the Queensland Academy of Sport.[3]

2020 squad edit

The 34-man training squad selected for the 2020 season:[4]

Name Position Club
Lachlan Adamson Hooker   Burleigh Bears
Ediq Ambrosyev Hooker   Tweed Heads Seagulls
Jake Baigrie Second-row   CQ Capras
Jake Bourke Five-eighth   Townsville Blackhawks
Blake Cesari Centre   Western Mustangs
Abai Chatfield-Mooka Prop   Townsville Blackhawks
Jayden Clarkson Prop   Canberra Raiders
Selwyn Cobbo Centre   Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Caleb Esera Second-row   Canberra Raiders
Grand Hagai Wing   Newcastle Knights
Riley Hall Prop   CQ Capras
Israel Higgins Centre   Tweed Heads Seagulls
Jack Howarth Second-row   Easts Tigers
Jayden Hunt Centre   Norths Devils
Peyton Jenkins Halfback   CQ Capras
Ezra Mam Five-eighth   Souths-Logan Magpies
Jeremiah Nanai Second-row   Townsville Blackhawks
Shaun Packer Hooker   Western Mustangs
Byron Parnell Centre   South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brendan Piakura Second-row   Tweed Heads Seagulls
Braythen Porter Prop   Norths Devils
John Radel Prop   Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Tyrone Sa'U Fullback   Parramatta Eels
Xavier Savage Centre   Canberra Raiders
Samuel Shannon Prop   Burleigh Bears
Damon Somerville Second-row   Burleigh Bears
Brocco Uhrle Prop   Newcastle Knights
Xavier Va'A Prop   Western Mustangs
Isaiah Vailalo Prop   Townsville Blackhawks
Keegan Vandenberg Centre   Canberra Raiders
Sam Walker Halfback   Sydney Roosters
Reece Walsh Fullback   Tweed Heads Seagulls
Ragarive Wavik Fullback   Townsville Blackhawks
Keanu Wright-Dunrobin Five-eighth   Western Mustangs

Notable players edit

Since 2008, twenty-two former Queensland under-18 players have gone onto represent Queensland at State of Origin level:

Results edit

2008 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2008 State of Origin series.

11 June 2008
Queensland U18   12 – 34   New South Wales U18
Tries
Gerard Beale 1
Pat O'Hanlon 1



Goals
Jordan Rankin 2
Report
Tries
Matthew Wright 3
Lachlan Coote 1
Albert Kelly 1
Mitchel Johnson 1

Goals
Lachlan Coote 5
Queensland under-18
2008 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): NYCDB


2009 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2009 State of Origin series.

24 June 2009
New South Wales U18   24 – 6   Queensland U18
Tries
Josh Portlock 2
Nathan Massey 1
Joseph Roqoko 1

Goals
Chad Townsend 4
Report
Tries
Michael Morgan 1



Goals
Jordan Rankin 1
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Robert Brown
Queensland under-18
2009 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Dennis Moore



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): NYCDB


2010 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2010 State of Origin series.

16 June 2010
Queensland U18   18 – 22   New South Wales U18
Tries
Kirisome Auva'a 2
Lachlan Maranta 1
Aaron Whitchurch 1

Goals
Kyle Feldt 1
Tries
Lachlan Burr 1
Nathan Green 1
Alex McKinnon 1

Goals
Jacob Miller 1
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Peter Gough
Queensland under-18
2010 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Jon Buchanan



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): NYCDB


2011 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2011 State of Origin series.

15 June 2011
New South Wales U18   16 – 6   Queensland U18
Tries
Sam Coster 1
Michael Lichaa 1
Kyle Lovett 1

Goals
Curtis Sironen 2
Tries
Tautau Moga 1



Goals
Anthony Gadd 1
Queensland under-18
2011 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Brendan Lam



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): LU


2012 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game III of the 2012 State of Origin series.

4 July 2012
New South Wales U18   18 – 24   Queensland U18
Tries
Mitchell Moses 1
Tyrone Phillips 1
Jake Trbojevic 1

Goals
Clinton Gutherson 3
Report
Tries
Caleb Timu 2
Luke Bateman 1
Patrick Kaufusi 1

Goals
Anthony Milford 4
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Matt Noyen
Queensland under-18
2012 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): NRL.com


2013 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2013 State of Origin series.

26 June 2013
Queensland U18   6 – 56   New South Wales U18
Tries
Ellery Tusa 1






Goals
Jayden Nikorima 1
Report
Tries
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3
Jackson Hastings 2
Alex Johnston 2
Sione Mata'utia 2
Zach Dockar-Clay 1
Michael Morgan 1

Goals
Jackson Hastings 6
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Michael Gordon
Queensland under-18
2013 team Coaching staff
  • 14   Chris Ostwald HK
  • 15   Harry Pondekas SR
  • 16   Kieran Quabba LK
  • 17   Andrew Niemoeller SR

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2014 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2014 State of Origin series.

18 June 2014
New South Wales U18   24 – 10   Queensland U18
Tries
Matthew Dufty 2
Lachlan Croker 1
Latrell Mitchell 1
Tom Trbojevic 1

Goals
Jackson Hastings 2
Report
Tries
Lindsay Collins 1
Kieran Duffin 1



Goals
Cooper Bambling 1
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Liam Nicholls
Queensland under-18
2014 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2015 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2015 State of Origin series.

17 June 2015
New South Wales U18   18 – 22   Queensland U18
Tries
Ryan Papenhuyzen 1
Curtis Scott 1
Reimis Smith 1


Goals
Brock Lamb 3
Report
Tries
Joshua Fauid 1
Tristan Hope 1
Thomas Mikaele 1
Jaydn Su'A 1

Goals
Joshua Fauid 3
MCG, Melbourne
Referee: Jarrod Cole
Queensland under-18
2015 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 16 January 2016
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2016 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2016 State of Origin series.

22 June 2016
Queensland U18   32 – 26 New South Wales U18  
Tries
Waylyn Chase 3
Corey Allan 1
Kobe Tararo 1
David Fauid 1
Patrick Carrigan 1

Goals
Waylyn Chase 2
Report
Tries
Zac Lomax 2
Tui Afualo 1
Isaac Lumelume 1
Ryan Papenhuyzen 1
Samuel Radovu 1

Goals
Zac Lomax 1
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Nick Pelgrave
Queensland under-18
2016 team Coaching staff
  • 14   Julian Christian HK
  • 15   Tom Skinner PR
  • 16   Kobe Tararo SR
  • 17   Mitipere Tuatai PR

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 27 June 2016
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2017 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game II of the 2017 State of Origin series.

21 June 2017
New South Wales U18   35 – 28   Queensland U18
Tries
Luke Metcalf 3
Sebastian Kris 2
Ethan Parry 1



Goals
Zac Lomax 5

Field Goals
Zac Lomax 1
Report
Tries
Logan Bayliss-Brow 1
Eddie Blacker 1
Ronaldo Mulitalo 1
Treymain Spry 1
Murray Taulagi 1

Goals
Travis Turnbull 4

Field Goals
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Darian Furner
Queensland under-18
2017 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 12 June 2017
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2018 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game I of the 2018 State of Origin series.

6 June 2018
New South Wales U18   16 – 10   Queensland U18
Tries:
Bronson Xerri 1
Jason Saab 1
Stefano Utoikamanu 1

Goals:
Jock Madden 2
1st: 0 – 6
2nd: 16 – 4
Tries:
1 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
1 David Fifita


Goals:
1 Tanah Boyd
MCG, Melbourne
Referee: Keiren Irons
Queensland under-18
2018 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Kurt Richards



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 6 June 2018
Source(s): QRL.com.au


2019 edit

Played as a curtain raiser to Game I of the 2019 State of Origin series.

5 June 2019
Queensland U18   34 – 12   New South Wales U18
Tries:
Fanitesi Niu 2
Xavier Coates 1
Alofiana Khan-Pereira 1
Jake Simpkin 1
Reece Walsh 1

Goals:
Josh James 5
Report
Tries:
1 Sione Fainu
1 David Hollis




Goals:
2 Jayden Sullivan
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Daniel Schwass
Queensland under-18
2019 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Kurt Richards



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 26 May 2019
Source(s): QRL.com.au


See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Queensland Under 18 team secure Origin night win". 5 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Home".
  3. ^ "QAS Under 18 squad". 20 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Queensland Under 18 Emerging Origin squad for 2020". 18 December 2019.