Allan Langer Cup

Canberra Raiders snare schoolboy Langer Trophy stars – including a four try first round hero

by
dragonsmedia
06/06/2021

Prinston Esera of Wavell SHS in round 1 against St Mary’s College. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Canberra Raiders snare schoolboy Langer Trophy stars – including a four try first round hero

Author : Andrew Dawson Quest Newspapers

The Canberra Raiders have swooped to snare three schoolboy backline stars from Queensland – including a Langer Trophy four try first round hero from round 1.

Teapo Stoltman of Marsden SHS. (News Corp/Attila Csaszar)

The Canberra Raiders have swooped to snare Queensland schoolboy stars – including a Langer Trophy four try first round hero – while also scouting a discovery back from Rockhampton.

Teapo Stoltman, who scored four tries in Marsden SHS’s round 1 win over Keebra Park SHS, and stylish Wavell SHS centre Prinston Esera have been secured by the Green Machine.

And from Rockhampton, Cathedral College and Central Capras discovery Elekana Suavai is very much on the raider for Canberra.

Centre Elekana Suavai.

“He a big outside back from Cairns with Torres Straitand Samoan heritage. The Raiders are very keen on him,’’ said Mick Busby Director of Sport.

Suavai is match hardened, coming off Central Capras’ excellent Mal Meninga Cup under 18 campaign.

Canberra have also signed Suavai’s team mates Tom Powell, a strong defensive middle forward, and the versatile Tyler Conroy who plays five-eighth and edge backrow in the 2021 Payne Cup.

Their addition follows last season’s raid by Canberra on Queensland schoolboy footie which included scooping up wing sprint sensation Xavier Savage from PBC SHS and Marist College Ashgrove rugby union centre Josh Billing.

The Courier-Mail, Gold Coast Bulletin and News Corp Australia affiliates are live-streaming the Langer Trophy, Walters Cup and Langer Reserves games. That is at least 10-12 games each round – plus access to the Payne Cup on top of that.

Stoltman, primarily an outside centre, played wing for Marsden in round 1 of the Langer Trophy, scoring four tries, including a brilliant long distance individual effort on the cusp of halftime which helped turn the match in his team’s favour.

Teapo Stoltman in the Cameron Smith grandstand. (News Corp/Attila Csaszar)

A Waterford and Logan Brothers junior who played Meninga Cup this season with Brishane Tigers (Easts), Stoltman was initially with the Brisbane Broncos in their elite player development squad, but Canberra came knocking.

Stoltman said he was inspired after spending a camp with the Raiders during January where he met NRL players Jack Wighton, Jarrod Croker and Curtis Scott.

“It was exciting because I had never really seen any NRL players before,’’ Stoltman said.

“It made me want to play in the NRL, being close to that environment and seeing how they train.’’

Wavell SHS centre Prinston Esera is one of the premier players of the Langer Trophy.

Named in the Queensland 16-18 years merit team two weeks ago, this will be his third season in the senior Langer side after breaking in as a year 10 student in 2019.

“He is a damaging ball runner and I think he will score a lot of tries if we can get him into the right position,’’ said Wavell SHS coach Mick Roberts.

Wavell will look to Esera to help get their season rolling on Tuesday at Home Coming Day when Wavell host Coombabah SHS following a round 1 ambush loss to St Mary’s.

Home Coming Day is when past students and parents were welcomed back to Wavell.

Canberra Raiders have a long, rich history in recruiting from Queensland – including centres.

Brisbane Easts grand final centre Frank Roddy was a member of the Raiders first ever side in 1982, and then came along Brisbane Souths centre pairing of Mal Meninga and Peter Jackson in the mid 1980s.

Also in Canberra’s inaugural side was Queensland hooker Jay Hoffman, while the likes of Gary Belcher, Gary Coyne, Steve Walters, Steve Jackson and Josh Papalii, to name a few, were proud Queenslanders who played for Canberra.