The QRL has today announced the Queensland Murri Under 16 team to play New South Wales Koori next year.
Keiron Lander, a former premiership-winning Ipswich Jets captain in the Intrust Super Cup, will head up the coaching team which includes ex-Mackay Cutter skipper Jardine Bobongie.
Lander was impressed with the level of talent on display at the recent Queensland Murri Carnival at Redcliffe.
“We picked the team on merit across the carnival,” Lander said.
“We were looking for players who worked hard, on and off the ball.
“And we were also looking for instinctive players who were able to take the opportunities in front of them.”
Lander believes the team’s mobile forwards, creative playmakers and slick outside backs can combine to trouble New South Wales in the annual representative clash in February.
The game is set to be played before the Charity Shield clash between NRL heavyweights South Sydney and St George Illawarra.
Queensland Murri Under 16 team:
Hubert Elu (AYS Young Guns) – Mareeba Junior Rugby League Club
Xavier Chatfield-Mooka (Townsville Black Stars) – Central ASA Rugby League
Malachi Ware (Townsville Black Stars) – Brothers Townsville Junior Rugby League
Nayshua Wurzbacher (Mackay Thunder) – Sarina Junior Rugby League
Jackson Warde (Wynnum Manly Brothers) – Calliope Junior Rugby League
Izaiah Hellmuth (Sunshine Coast Bunyas) – Central Cape Rugby League
Samuel Stephen (Townsville Black Stars) – United Suburbs Junior Rugby League
Jodeci Baker (Kambu Warriors) – Wynnum Manly Juniors
Tyreice Baira-Gela (Townsville Black Stars) – Brothers Townsville JRL
Ezra Mam (Kambu Warriors) – Souths Juniors Magpies Acacia Ridge
Brooklyn Stanley (Sunshine Coast Bunyas) – Robina Raptors
Brayden Duffy (Wooribinda Warriors) – North Rockhampton Junior Rugby League
Thomas McIntosh (Townsville Black Stars) - Brothers Townsville Junior Rugby League
Zadok Heron Jia (Wynumm Manly Brothers) – Innisfail Cowboys Junior Rugby League
Keanu Wright-Dunrobin (South West Qld Emus) – Dalby Devils Junior Rugby League
Tuvalli Khan-Pereira (Kambu Warriors) - Burleigh Heads Junior Rugby League
Arthur Miller-Stephen (Mackay Thunder) – Brothers Bulldogs Junior Rugby League
Jaziah Davis (Mackay Thunder) – Brothers Bulldogs Junior Rugby League
Coach: Keiron Lander
Assistant Coach: Jardine Bobongie
(Main Image: Preston Weatherall in action for the 2017 Murri Under 16 team in Mudgee.)
