"Thank you to everyone who played a part in our 2017 season. The season was a successful challenge, although we did not make the final it was good fun and exciting"
Conor O'Regan - U15s Season 1 Captain

Season 1 started for the boys in early February as they were put through their paces in a pre-season program. Thanks go to Bobby Brown (no not the singer) from Inspire for working with the boys during this period to help prepare them for the season ahead. We also put the boys through some boxing drills as part of their fitness work. Let’s just say that at this stage I don’t think anyone will be challenging Danny Green yet.

The season was a challenging one as we took boys from our Div 2 and Div 5 teams last year and combined them into one team playing at Div 2 level. We also welcomed a new player, Reegan

Gilepa into the team this year. We also welcomed a new coach, Eben Gereke coming on board to support Rob O’Regan.

After 6 weeks of pre-season training we travelled to Logan to play our first trial game on 12 March.

This was our first chance to wear the new club uniform. The team unleashed a free flowing display recording a 66 – 7 victory with 2 tries each to our wingers Tom Mills, Flinn Kendall and centre Riley Brown and tries to fullback Leon Guttler, new fly half Josh Toohey and forwards Jaidyn Walker and Lochy Cassidy. Skipper Connor O’Regan kicked 8 from 10.

Our second trial was a much tougher affair. After our premiership success in U14s last year and our first trial success we were matched against the Wests Div 1 team. Unfortunately they were far too strong for our boys, beating us 63 – 0. During the season they would go on to dominate the Div 1 competition in a similar fashion.

For out third trial we took on Redcliffe and returned back to the winners circle with a 45 – 7 victory.

Two tries to Kyle Schramm and tries to Tom Mills, Flinn Kendall, Connor O’Regan, Leon Guettler and Moremu “Moose” Hei Hei. Connor O’Regan potted 5 from 7.

After the trials we were placed in the Div 2 competition with Surfers Paradise, Coomera, Sunnybank, Wests and our arch rivals Brothers.

We would travel to Crosby Park for our first round match against Brothers with a depleted playing roster, losing Aedhon O’Rourke, Kyle Schramm and captain and scrum-half Connor O’Regan to injuries suffered in school games the day before. Despite a valiant effort by the team we were unable to match our opposition, going down 19 – 5 with our only try being scored by make-shift scrum half Knox Raivalita.

In the second round we took on a Sunnybank team that had been strengthened during the off season. Again we were depleted by injuries and were outclassed in going down 36 -5. Knox Raivalita playing out of position at scrum half again managed to cross the stripe for our only try.

On 7 May we travelled to the recently refurbished Memorial Park to take on Wests Div 2 team in our third round clash. This was a very exciting affair. After being down 17 – 0 at half time the Norths boys staged a thrilling second half comeback scoring the final try right on full time. Connor O’Regan, returning from injury for this match, converted the try to allow us to record a 24 – 22 win and pick up our first points for the season. Our tries were scored by Corey Drake, Connor O’Regan, Maea Mitchell and Riley Brown and Connor kicked 2 from 4.

On Mothers Day we travelled down to Coomera for the first time to take on the Crushers. With uncontested scrums being called from the start of the game, our set-piece advantage was taken away. Again we let the opposition get away to a start in the first half with a 10 – 0 advantage at the break, losing hard working forward Christian Mills to a dislocated shoulder early which would rule him out for the rest of the season. Unfortunately we were not able to reel in the opposition two weeks in a row, going down by 17 – 14. Our two tries were scored by Jaidyn Walker and Connor O’Regan kicked 2 from 2.

After some soul searching at training following the Coomera result, we returned to Hugh Courtney Oval to take on Surfers Paradise on 21 May. The boys put on a clinical performance, recording a moral boosting 43 – 7 victory. Tom Mills picked up 2 tries along with tries to Knox Raivalita, Reegan Gileppa, Connor O’Regan, Maea Michell and Aiden Pascoe. Connor O’Regan kicked 3 conversions and Knox Raivalita kicked 1 conversion. This enabled the team to finish in fourth spot and claim a finals berth.

On 28 May we travelled to Redcliffe as part of the U16 trials to take on another of our traditional rivals North Lakes. In contrast to our up and down season, North Lakes entered this match having had a successful season in Div 3, finishing undefeated on top of the table. They arrived with plenty of confidence and a bit of bragging in the lead up. After a tight first half where we managed to take a 19 – 12 lead, we were able to run away in the second half to win 33 -12. Tries were scored by Jaidyn Walker, Zac Seeto, Maea Mitchell, Riley Brown, Lochy Cassidy Connor O’Regan kicked 4 from 5.

On 4 June we travelled Bottomley Park to take on Wests in our first semi-final match. Wests finished ahead of us in third place and were going to be a challenge. The boys came out and immediately dominated play and didn’t let the opposition into the game, recording a fantastic 31 – 15 victory.

Tom Mills picked up another two tries and was joined on the scoresheet by Jaidyn Walker, Connor O’Regan and Maea Mitchell with Connor kicking 3 from 5.

On 11 June we played Sunnybank for a grand final spot against Brothers. Once again the final composition of the team was impacted by injuries with only 16 players being available for the match.

Despite a heroic effort and with a number of players playing out of position, Sunnybank proved too strong, recording a 36 – 0 win.

Special thanks go out to Lee Kendall for keeping up with the boys strapping needs during the season,

Moses Rokotoro and Steve Drake for supporting the coaching effort, the Gileppa family for taking on the washing duties three times during the season including after the wet and muddy conditions of the preliminary final, and all of the parents for supporting the team during the season.

I am sure the boys would also like to thank our coaches Rob O’Regan and Eben Gereke for their guidance during the season. Their devotion to the team and their mentorship has been wonderful and they have helped the boys development as players during the season. A successful season doesn’t happen without good coaching.

A great Season 1 by the boys and I look forward to seeing many of you back in Season 2.

US!!!!!

Season 1 Squad
Riley Brown, Lochy Cassidy, Xavier Dowling, Corey Drake, Reegan Gileppa, Jack Gordon, Leon Guettler, Moremu “Moose” Hei Hei, Alex Holland, Flinn Kendall, Christian Mills, Tom Mills, Maea Mitchell, Ben Newman, Connor O’Regan (captain), Aedhon O’Rourke, Aiden Pascoe, Knox Raivalita, Aisake Rokotoro, Kyle Schramm, Zac Seeto, Titus Thetadig, Josh Toohey, Jaidyn Walker and Zane Wheatley.

Photo Credit: Danielle Mills