Junior Rep Round 1 Preview

Author: Raiders.com.au
Timestamp: Fri 5 Feb 2021, 11:04 AM

When the Canberra Raiders claimed a memorable win against the Cronulla Sharks in Round 20 of last year, it was a result many years in the making.

With a host of established stars rested, ten players who had been part of the Raiders junior system took to the field for the club and showcased their talent in the NRL.

As the 2021 junior representative season begins this weekend, the building blocks for the next group of young boys and girls truly gets underway.

With the 2020 junior representative season cut short last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been challenges due to players missing valuable game time. However, a change in the age groups by NSWRL, as well as a new approach in training has helped negate that.

Each of the three grades has moved up one year in their age groups, which also compliments the Country Championships which have remained as Under 16 and Under 18 competitions.

“Now, we don’t need to make too hard of a call on players,” Raiders Head of Pathways & Performance, Dean Souter said.

“If there’s a kid who’s not clearly ready to be in an S.G. Ball or Harold Matthews environment, we can put them in the Riverina and Monaro pathway and bring them through the following year.”

The change in age groups has also allowed the Raiders to build upon a promising group of players in the Tarsha Gale Cup.

“Because of the success we had last season, we received a lot more attention from people who sit within our footprint – which is the Riverina down to the South Coast belt,” Souter said. “When the girls came back this season, every single one of them was recording better pre-season times than they were last year.

“They’re stronger, their bodies are a little more mature, they retained that understanding and base coaching we did last year which has allowed us to go to a second level of coaching this pre-season.

“We’ve had some of these girls for three seasons now and it’s starting to show in this particular year.”

The other change which has helped address the lack of rugby league in 2020 has been how players have been training above their age groups in pre-season.

“For example, at the S.G. Ball age, we’ve had a handful of players doing an NRL pre-season of training which sort of superchargers their conditioning, education as well as their knowledge and access to high quality coaches and training.,” Souter said.

With a number of other S.G. Ball squad members taking part in pre-season with the NSW Cup side, players from lower age groups moved up to the S.G. Ball squad.

“By doing that, everyone kind of benefited from it. We needed to do it because we think what happened last year left a bit of a void and this was our way of addressing how to fix it,” Souter said.

Thinking about the bigger picture of player development is part of how Souter defines success.

“What success looks like for us is how many people we can get to the next respective level,” Souter said. “It’s nice to have success along the way but our recruitment guys aren’t out there recruiting to win the S.G. Ball Cup competition.

“We’re out there to recruit players to build the best depth for this club that we possibly can.

“If we’ve got quality people pushing through – if the quality is very high- it keeps the pressure on the players that are in the system already and there’s a lot of internal competition. That’s designed deliberately.

“If we’re competing hard internally, the fruits of that competition start to show at the top level and Canberra gets a lot more success.”

The 2021 junior representative season begins this Saturday with the Raiders taking on the Cronulla Sharks in all three grades at Bruce Oval.

Round 1 - Round 1 - Saturday 6 Feb

Full Time

Raiders

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Raiders is number 1 Krystal Blackwell

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Lily Murdoch
Winger for Raiders is number 2 Chloe Muggleton

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Ella Gould
Centre for Raiders is number 3 Valasi Asomua

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Chloe Boston
Centre for Raiders is number 4 Alanna Dummett

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Ella Barker
Winger for Raiders is number 5 Klaudia Osztrenkovics

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Taylor Charman
Five-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Madyson Tooth

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Alexandra Weir
Halfback for Raiders is number 7 Makayla Morris

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Zali Hopkins

Forwards

Prop for Raiders is number 10 Amelia Kiriui

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Kirsty Sant
Hooker for Raiders is number 9 Maddie Dodson

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Sienna Stewart
Prop for Raiders is number 18 Carly Wilkin

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Skye Brennan
2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Grace Sullivan

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Tayah Beckett
2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Maata Alai-Lokeni

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Sophia Griffin
Lock for Raiders is number 13 Geena Elliott

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Erika-May Kavana

Interchange

Interchange for Raiders is number 14 Jaxan Blackhall

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Lilli O'DEA
Interchange for Raiders is number 15 Cassius Delamere

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Tipani Matai
Interchange for Raiders is number 16 Teliya Hetaraka

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Manaia Blair
Interchange for Raiders is number 21 Hayley Liddle

Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Tayla Curtis

Reserves

Reserve for Raiders is number 20 Carly Heyman

Reserve for Sharks is number 18 Maeghan McCauley

Last updated: 6/23/2022 1:41:37 AM

Round 1 - Round 1 - Saturday 6 Feb

Full Time

Raiders

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Raiders is number 1 Samuel Gash

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Chevy Stewart
Winger for Raiders is number 2 Jacob Haeata

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Harrison Hood
Centre for Raiders is number 4 Michael Griffiths

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Talanoa Penitani
Centre for Raiders is number 5 Siamani Leuluai

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Koby Douglas
Winger for Raiders is number 3 Hunter Marsh

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Osca Catton
Five-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Brock Sing

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Max Demeio
Halfback for Raiders is number 7 Leroy Murray

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Dylan Christensen

Forwards

Prop for Raiders is number 8 David White

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Lachlan Crossle
Hooker for Raiders is number 9 Jack Craig

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Taj Brailey
Prop for Raiders is number 10 Matthew Parkes

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Zane Watson
2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Owen Hromow

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Lawson Cotter
2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Noah Martin

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Lachlan Colenso
Lock for Raiders is number 13 Clay Sing

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Luke Raymond

Interchange

Interchange for Raiders is number 14 Noah Marcantonio

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Billy Dickens
Interchange for Raiders is number 15 Blake Halls

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Lachlan Araullo
Interchange for Raiders is number 16 Jack Neyland

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Justin Letton
Interchange for Raiders is number 17 Deekon Parsons

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Ricardo Oloapu

Reserves

Reserve for Raiders is number 19 Harley Young

Reserve for Sharks is number 18 Samson Mairi

Last updated: 6/23/2022 1:40:42 AM

Round 1 - Round 1 - Saturday 6 Feb

Full Time

Raiders

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Raiders is number 1 Jack Sandford

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Kade Dykes
Winger for Raiders is number 2 Livai Kaloutolu

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Samuel Stonestreet
Centre for Raiders is number 3 Michael Asomua

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jordan Samrani
Centre for Raiders is number 4 Josh Billing

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Noah Lester
Winger for Raiders is number 16 Sione Tapuosi

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Te Wehi Waitere
Five-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Joshua Pokoney

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Cody Fuz
Halfback for Raiders is number 7 Sione Moala

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Ryan Rivett

Forwards

Prop for Raiders is number 8 Jayden Clarkson

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Joshua Finau
Hooker for Raiders is number 9 Toby Thorburn

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Kobie Wilson
Prop for Raiders is number 10 Abai Chatfield-Mooka

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Semisi Sikei
2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Clay Webb

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Jed Hardy
2nd Row for Raiders is number 18 Caleb Esera

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Jake Biggs
Lock for Raiders is number 13 Blake Martin

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Blake Hosking

Interchange

Interchange for Raiders is number 14 Mitchell Spencer

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Samuel Jinks
Interchange for Raiders is number 15 Noah Saddler

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Waylon Fiaii
Interchange for Raiders is number 20 Eneseli Kamuta

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 William Abou-Arrage
Interchange for Raiders is number 23 Taulauniuotagaloa Mariota

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Billy Burke

Reserves

Reserve for Raiders is number 21 Connor Williams

Reserve for Sharks is number 18 Samuel Healey

Last updated: 12/6/2022 12:22:30 AM

Those attending the matches will need to check-in using the Check In CBR app. We also ask that people follow social distancing and other COVID Safe practises. For those driving to the venue, par parking is available at CIT, Bruce.