The QRL have named the Queensland Murri Under 16 squad to take part in this year’s 2017 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars celebrations.
The 20-man squad, which also features an 18th Man and two shadow players, will head into camp on Monday, February 6, in Newcastle in preparation for their match against a NSW Koori Under 16 side.
Selected following the completion of the Queensland Murri Carnival last season, many of these boys received their first taste of representative football when they travelled to New Zealand late last year to play a number of tour matches.
Next month, the players have a packed schedule ahead of them in camp.
They will attend an all teams dinner with the Indigenous All Stars, World Stars (men’s and women’s teams) and Touch Football teams, and will have their jerseys presented to them by the Indigenous All Stars Team.
The boys will also be guests at the RAAF Williamtown Air Force Headquarters where they will be provided with a tour of the base and enjoy lunch with the service personnel.
Coach Jim Stevens (an NRL Game Development Officer with extensive coaching experience at the junior level including with QRL State Junior Carnival teams), will be joined on the staff by Keiron Lander, who skippered his team the Ipswich Jets to the Intrust Super Cup title in his final year of playing.
The Queensland Murri Under 16 v New South Wales Koori Under 16 game will kick off at 6pm on Thursday, February 9 and will be the curtain raiser to the Redfern All Blacks v Cherbourg Hornets game.
Queensland Representative Murri Under 16 squad 2017
Alofiaua Khan-Pereira – Burleigh Heads JRL
Bailey Biondi-Odo – Innisfail Brothers JRLFC
Byron Parnell - Helensvale Hornets JRLFC
Cole Gardiner – Carina JRLFC
Elia Mooka - Innisfail Brothers JRLFC
George Lee - Logan Brothers RLC
Hamish Gibson – Tully RLFC
Jackson Smith - St George RLFC
Jesse Braslin - Helensvale Hornets JRLFC
Leo Blennerhassett - Innisfail Brothers JRLFC
Lochie Pollock – St George RLFC
Lyncoln Rebel – Past Brothers JRLFC Gladstone
Rayden Burns – Brothers Bulldogs JRL - Mackay
Tyler Han – Logan Brothers RLC
Tyreese Gyemore – Cherbourg JRL
Vaughn Kim – North Thuringowa RLFC
Watjerra Briggs – Charleville JRL
18th Man Ben McKellar – Charleville JRL
Shadow and Support - Rodney Wailu-Walsh – Sarina JRLFC
Shadow and Support - Denzel Borthwick – Bribie Island & District JRLFC
Queensland Murri Under 16 coaching staff
Head Coach: Jim Stevens
Assistant Coach: Keiron Lander
Team Manager: Gary Halliday
Head Trainer: Ron Tasker
Sports Trainer: Dwayne Kangan
Team Mentor and Trainer: Leo Dynevor
