ROSEWOOD’S rugby league team of the future celebrated a mighty performance, delivering a memorable finale for club supporters and the community.
The skillful Roosters under-13 side overpowered Norths Gold 38-20 in the Rugby League Ipswich Development competition grand final to cap a wonderful season.
The young Roosters earlier secured this year’s minor premiership after winning nine matches and only losing three.
Co-coach Ash Neuendorf praised his talented players and valuable assistant Cody Adams for a terrific season.
“They are a good little unit,” Neuendorf said.
“We wouldn’t have got this far without the help of Cody. He has pretty much been co-coach of the side.
“He’s been looking after this group of boys.
“We’ve had our ups and down throughout the season … but they absolutely brought their game today, which we were really impressed with.”
Adams agreed, having encouraged the boys from the start.
“They played awesome,” Adams said.
“They come out and gelled and just got the job done.”
Adams was keen to bring them back next year to build a winning team of the future.
“They’ve done me proud. They’ve done the families proud. They’ve done Rosewood proud,” Adams said.
Rosewood lock Dan Young was deserved Player of the Match after scoring three tries, including a brilliant individual effort from his own half at the North Ipswich Reserve.
Young zigzagged his way through the Norths’ defence to score under the posts and set up his team’s 16-10 advantage.
The Roosters only led 20-14 at halftime before displaying their speed and ball control to surge ahead of the second-placed Tigers.
Young was inspirational, finishing the season as the competition’s leading try scorer (28) and overall point scorer (112).
“He’s been playing up a grade for quite a few seasons and this is his actual first chance to play his own age group where he has excelled,” Neuendorf said.
Other Roosters try scorers were five-eight Mitch Wright (two), captain Alfie McTaggart, fullback Jimi McTaggart and hooker Jasper Jacobsen.
“It was a good way to finish their season considering it’s a group of boys that had never played together before,” Neuendorf said.
“We are made up of under 12s, under 13s and a few of the 14s that can play down.
“They gelled really well and just come on in leaps and bounds.”
Co-coach Adams was also delighted to have played hooker in the Rosewood C-Grade side which finished their 2023 season with a commanding 32-0 win over West End the night before.
“Two wins for the boys. A grand final for these boys so take the trophy home for the club,” Adams said.
