Story by Kristian Dwyer
Western Australia has gone back to back in Pool B of the Under 15;s Australian Secondary Schools RL Championships this week in Tamworth. Opening up with a thrashing of nearby rivals South Australia 76-6, the Under 15’s then made light workof Northern Territory, running out 36-0 winners. In these two games, Dylan Hutchins and Rakheem Tuuta-Edwards were the standouts.
Needing a win against Victoria to qualify for the final, Timothy Stinson put in a man of the match effort to secure a 20-6 victory and catapult the West Aussies into the decider. In a twist of fate, they ended up meeting the Northern Territory again in the final, and again, Rakheem Tuuta-Edwards led the way, as the black and gold went back to back with a 22-14 win over the Northern Territory.
There were plaudits all round for the young side, with Rakheem Tuuta-Edwards being named Player of the Championships in Pool B, and seven players being named in the Combined Affiliated States U15 Merit team.
These players were:
Wirihana Huriwai – Rockingham
Nika Morehu – Joondalup
Ashlea Tunbridge – South Perth
Rakheem Tuuta-Edwards – Rockingham
William Finau – Pilbara
Dylan Hutchins – Fremantle
Trent Manihera-Paul – South Perth
Congratulations to each and every player in the WA U15’s and well done to the WA coaching staff which consisted of Ian Prout, Michael Guthrie, Michael Hayes and Jo-Anne Prout.
