The Northern Region Junior rugby league Championships were held at Brothers Leagues Club in Townsville for the first time this past weekend and has been hailed a huge success.
Large crowds flocked to the grounds to watch this year’s event that featured a number of changes.
Aside from the new venue, there were four games played at various stages on the Saturday and North Queensland Country (a combination of Innisfail / Eacham and Outback - Cape / Torres and Mount Isa) played for the first time.
A major highlight of the weekend was the Under 15 team under Mount Isa coach Nigel Tremain, who took out the competition in their inaugural year and were competitive in all other grades.
Townsville won the Under 16 boys and Under 14 girls, whilst Mackay did the same in the Under 13 and 14 boys and Under 16 girls.
Northern Territory again showed great improvement and defeated Townsville in Under 14 boys for the first time, a great achievement for the team.
NQ Country also performed well over the weekend with Under 13 boys finishing fourth, Under 14 boys fifth, Under 14 Girls second, Under 16 boys in third and Under 16 girls third.
These were impressive results considering teams were put together from Cape / Torres, Mount Isa, Innisfail and Eacham and had only one and half days training together.
From these Country teams, a total of 26 players earned themselves a North Queensland Marlins jersey.
Cairns Under 13 boys put up a great display to just go down to Mackay while the same can be said for the Under 14 Country girls who pushed the champion Townsville girls all the way.
After the championships, the Northern Region Junior Marlins teams were selected and will play against Central and South East Regions on the Sunshine Coast from July 4 -7.
Results were as follows:
Under 13 Boys winners - Mackay - Player of Carnival - Darcy Clark
Under 14 Boys winners - Mackay - Player of Carnival - Henry Thorpe
Under 14 Girls winners - Townsville - Player Carnival - Brandy Yallop
Under 15 Boys winners - North Queensland Country - Player of Carnival - Luke Misener
Under 16 Girls winners - Mackay - Player of Carnival - Ataliah Love
Under 16 Boys winners Townsville - Player of Carnival - Luke Jack
Congratulations to the following players named in the North Queensland teams below:
Under 13 Boys
Logan Atkinson (Mackay)
Trace Beattie (Mackay)
Marcus Bell (Townsville)
Ronald Bero (Cairns)
Charlie Bird (Cairns)
Jake Bryan (Mackay)
Wallace Charlie (Cairns)
Darcy Clark (Mackay)
Harrison Considine (Mackay)
Hayden Cumming (Mackay)
Kade Day (Townsville)
Braith Dowson (Townsville)
Cohen Emmi (NQ Country)
Roelof Fincham (Cairns)
Jayden Gibuma (Cairns)
LeBron Heron-Jia (NQ Country)
Jaycee Hudson (Cairns)
Lavin Keyes (Cairns)
Hayde Munro (Townsville)
Sawyer Nehow (Cairns)
Kody Perry (Mackay)
Kailu Phineasa (Mackay)
Kayne Pua'avase (Townsville)
Kynan Purdy (Townsville)
Ethan Rains (Townsville)
William Roos (NQ Country)
Tureti Ryder (NQ Country)
Jaffahl Skillington (Mackay)
Kayne Smith (Mackay)
Oakland Stowers (Townsville)
Xapheniah Tanner (NQ Country)
Elijah-Shane Tapau (Townsville)
Jayden Wahlin (NQ Country)
Jay Webber-Viero (Townsville)
Robert Wiltshire (Townsville)
Andrew Woods (Cairns)
Under 14 Boys
Will Shears (Mackay)
Damon Lock (Mackay)
Beau Jones (Mackay)
Hosea Kedzlie (Cairns)
Terry Connors (Townsville)
Harry Thorpe (Mackay)
Will England (Cairns)
Jamal Shibasaki (NQ Country)
Xavier Kerrisk (Mackay)
Samson Chow (Mackay)
Cain Hastie (Cairns)
Jay O'Loughlin (Mackay)
Henry Thorpe (Mackay)
Jackson Fahlstrom (NQ Country)
Lauloto Salei (Northern Territory)
Tikaimoa Kaono (Mackay)
Jack Laffey (Townsville)
Ma'taeo Benioni (Cairns)
Braithan Ketchell (NQ Country)
Coach: John Mulherin
Assistant coach: Wayde Kidner
Under 14 Girls
Brandy Yallop (Townsville)
Jalen Pauling (Mackay)
Montaya Hudson (Townsville)
Dakota Taputoa (Cairns)
Olivetiola Latu-Burfield (Cairns)
Anna Toby (NQ Country - Thursday Island)
Briseis Tamwoy (Townsville)
Emily Mackney (Northern Territory)
Kimberley Bryant (NQ Country - Innisfail)
Olive Whap (NQ Country - Bamaga)
April Major (Townsville)
Summer Black (Cairns)
Cecelia Brown (Northern Territory)
Abby-Rose Bowman (Mackay)
Jessy Johnston (NQ Country - Innisfail)
Jahntae Mara (Townsville)
Cieanna Ah Wing (Northern Territory)
Lhylla Williamson (Townsville)
Monique Maniot (Townsville)
Coach: Jade Badger
Assistant coach: Coco Quirke
Under 15 Merit team
Kyetonn Boah (Mackay)
Malachi Magill (Cairns)
Max Hayley (NQ Country)
Mana Nepe-Karaka (Cairns)
Djerome Mooka Salam (NQ Country)
Mitchell Doyle (Townsville)
Aiden Carson (NQ Country)
Luke Misener (NQ Country)
Tanner Quattromani (Mackay)
Cade Ryland (Mackay)
Morgan Black (NQ Country)
Brock Salecich (Cairns)
Boyd Corkill (Mackay)
James Kelleher (Mackay)
Jerone Ketchell (NQ Country)
Bray Tait (Mackay)
Jakeb Vailalo (Townsville)
Under 16 Boys
Arthur Miller Stephen (Mackay)
Kmani Levi (Townsville)
Xavier Chatfield-Mooka (Townsville)
Keyarn Porter (NQ Country)
Dudley Dotoi (Townsville)
Jordan Davis (Townsville)
Ragarive Wavik (Townsville)
Seth Sologinkin-Samuel (Mackay)
Ethan Roberts (Mackay)
James Filipo (Townsville)
D'Jazirhae Pua'Avase (Townsville)
Leremiah Nanai (Townsville)
Luke Jack (Townsville)
Tyreice Baira-Gela (Townsville)
Toby Strecker (Mackay)
Paul Bryan (Mackay)
Ethan Cocco (Mackay)
William Latu (Northern Territory)
Noah Cookson (Mackay)
Coach: Paul Callaghan
Assistant coach: Leigh McWilliams
Under 16 Girls
Alarnah Langwe (Mackay)
Jessica Doring (Mackay)
Lara Burnett (Mackay)
Bonnie Ryder (NQ Country)
Che Congoo (NQ Country)
Libby Suhra (Mackay)
Emily Bella (Mackay)
Page Brodel (Mackay)
Etuina Suavai (NQ Country)
Shanaye Watson (Townsville)
Jacinta Maurangi (NQ Country)
Charlee-Jean Pott (Townsville)
Ataliah Love (Mackay)
Casey Manzelmann (Mackay)
Feliciann Bowen (Townsville)
Brooke Tongalea (NQ Country)
Emma Martin (Townsville)
Hannah Geary (NQ Country)
Ebony-Rose Columb (Mackay)
Coach: David Gampe
Assistant coach: Marco Peters
