While our first grade squad is still celebrating the spoils of a superb Auckland Nines’ campaign, our Harold Matthews and SG Balls squads are gearing up for their opening round of competition this upcoming weekend. In light of this I figured it was about time we all got introduced to and in plenty of cases reacquainted with the best that Parramatta has to offer in the Under 16s and Under 18s!

Harold Matthews

• Joshua Boumelhem
• Dylan Brown
• Matt Doorey
• Harry Duggan
• Phillip Fanane
• Tyler Field
• Valance Harris
• William Kei
• Dallas King
• Ronan King
• Uikilifi Lea’aetoa
• Dennis Mataia
• Dane Oostendorp
• Kyle Schneider
• Uellington Seve
• Luke Sommerton
• Jayden Tanner
• Charbel Tasipale
• John Paul Nohra
• Mark Tepu Smith
• Peter Tevaga
• Isileli Uilou
• Stefano Utoikamanu
• Asaeli Vuicakau

At A Glance

2016 yields a fresh class of talent for the Eels in the Harold Matthews as we begin a new two-year development cycle in the grade. Our fresh cadets certainly have big boots to fill given how we were pipped in the 2015 grand final by the Cronulla Sharks but the early signs across the trials have suggested they will give any team they cross a real shake.

The foundation for success will almost certainly be built on the work of a gritty forward pack. While the Eels do field some size in the engine room they have by-and-large opted to field a pack comprised of mobile players with skill and – in something that is becoming an increasingly obvious in our scouting profiling – a hard edge. They will be setting the platform for a capable backline that has shown that it can make the most of any reasonably opportunity thrown its way.

The biggest question mark for mine as we head into Round 1 in the coming weekend hovers over our halves. Throughout our three trials there have been glimpses of talent shown through the running game of our play-makers but their distribution of the ball through the hands as well as their general kicking game will need to lift based on what I have seen.

Five to Thrive (In order of squad listing)

1. Matt Doorey (Backrow) – A rugged backrower with a penchant for brutal execution and timing in his tackling. Doorey staked his claim for a berth in our starting park in our final trial where he was faced down a monster Canterbury pack. The young backrower rattled the cages of several Canterbury players and then weathered the return fire as they put a target on his back. Doorey is capable of getting through work in the ruck but is likely a better prospect on the edges at this stage.
2. William Kei (Left Centre) – Kei has proven he can beat his opposite one-on-one or create a two-on-one down the left edge with a sharp right-foot step. With good size, speed and agility for this age group, Kei is shaping up as our primary weapon in the back line.
3. Kyle Schneider (Hooker) – A country product that is as tough as they come. Schneider is a hard-nosed rake with an outstanding training pedigree. He may not flash the big plays (he could certainly prove me wrong there though given my limited scouting) but Schneider will hold the ruck together on both sides of the ball and pave the way for a one-two punch from interchange hooker Luke Sommerton.
4. John Paul Nohra (Fullback) – Nohra is an intriguing prospect for the Eels in 2016. A project player that is transitioning from centre to fullback, Nohra sports a tall, athletic frame and has shown a willingness to back up his forwards and get his hands dirty working it out of the red zone. He is still trying to put it all together in his new role as team’s custodian but he looks to have the raw tools needed for the position.
5. Stefano Utoikamanu (Prop) – A hulking, yet extremely fit, prop. When I said the Eels field some size in the forward pack I meant Stefano IS the size in our pack. The younger brother of SG Ball member Filia (Tangata), Stefano is a prodigious talent in his own right. Injury cruelled his chance to play in the Harold Matthews in 2015 so look for Stefano to make up on lost time. Quite likely the lynch pin of our forward pack.

SG Ball

• Robert Afu
• Taufa Afu
• Tuimavave Afualo
• Noel Aukafolau
• Harry Brown
• Josh Carr
• Kyle Cassel
• Jessie Cronin
• Josh Curran
• Steve Dresler
• Haze Dunster
• Elie El Zakhem
• John Fonua
• Junior Faingaa
• Mitch Hyde
• Oregon Kaufusi
• Sean Keppie
• Nick Okladnikov
• Ethan Parry
• Alex Seve
• Lufusi Tapa’atoutai
• Vinnie Tikeri
• Michael Tupou
• Travis Turnbull
• Tangata Utiokamanu
• Beni Valu

At a Glance

The vast majority of our exceptionally talented Harold Matthews class of 2015 have filtered through to our SG Ball squad in 2016. Sean Keppie and Josh Carr return from the 2015 SG Ball squad as the experienced hands in the forward pack and Keppie in particular will prove crucial in leading our decidedly young squad.

Make no mistakes though, despite their age handicap this is a squad that should be there in the business end of the season. The forward pack has an excellent blend of toilers and attacking weapons while a stacked backline will see several starting quality players miss out. Most importantly, unlike the Harold Matthews squad the SG Ball has a much more assured halves pairing who are capable of seizing the initiative and not simply steering the team around.

Five to Thrive (In order of squad listing)

1. Tuimavave Afualo (Centre/Half) – Tui is a fascinating blend of pure physical brutality, honed football instincts and surprising finesse. It is honestly difficult to describe exactly what how much he brings to the team in words but I am telling you the truth when I say he is a weapon on both sides of the ball. Afualo is a monster through contact when running the ball and one of the cleanest and most instinctive defenders I have seen in our juniors. Despite what you might think given his outstanding power game, Tui has excellent vision and is extremely competent in setting up his winger…to the point that the Eels have experimented with shifting him into the halves with surprising success.
2. Jesse Cronin (Lock/Prop) – A relentless forward with the mean streak we have valued in recent recruitment. Like Afualo, Cronin is a punishing defender who plays much larger than his size. Jesse has an old school temperament to his game and will give you everything he has in each and every game he plays. His build will push him towards lock as he gets closer to senior football but he is quite comfortable to push up into the engine room in the SG Ball.
3. Sean Keppie (Prop) – Last year I asked new coach Nathan Cayless for one player to watch in the SG Ball for 2016 and without hesitation this is the name he offered to me. I immediately understood why when I laid eyes on him in the trials this year as it became clear that Keppie had grown into his rangy frame and now stands as a far more imposing bookend for the Eels. A robust contributor in attack and defence for a prop, look for Keppie to lead the Eels into the finals.
4. Ethan Parry (Centre/Wing) – Parry was perhaps the biggest surprise packet out of our Harold Matthews squad in 2015. Starting the year as a rangy winger, Parry quickly began to fill out his frame and went on to become a force on the flanks for both the Eels in the Harold Matthews and St Gregory’s College in the GIO Schoolboys Cup. In addition to his considerable speed and power, Parry possesses aerial skills well advanced beyond the 18s age group. It also doesn’t hurt that he has a tremendous on-field rapport with a fellow team mate at St Gregory’s and the next chap on this list…
5. Travis Turnbull (Half) – Bevan French grabbed all the headlines over the weekend for all the right reasons but this young man could seriously challenge him for the mantle as our most exciting junior prospect. Turnbull possesses the holy trinity of play-maker skills (run, kick, pass), has great vision and is wicked fast and wiry strong too boot. An injury disrupted pre-season might limit his impact in the early rounds of the SG Ball but there is little doubt in my mind that he will be integral to our team in the back end of the season.

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