NRL clubs eyeing Gisborne Boys’ High players after rugby league tournament

The Gisborne Boys' High players selected for NZ Warriors age group trials and NRL club camps are, standing (from left): David Gray, Noah Fox, Rory Gifford, Max Hammond, Timuaki Stewart, Samuel Fox, Manawanui Stewart, Kane Soto and Anakin Ormsby-Cairns. Kneeling: Tomasi Mataele, Storm De Thier and Nevaryn Rewita.

Gisborne Boys’ High School student David Gray has been selected to trial for a rugby league club in Queensland.

Gray is one of 14 Boys’ High players picked for New Zealand Warriors age-group trials in Auckland on Friday and Saturday.

However, he has also been asked to try out for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Queensland for the Mal Meninga Cup Under-19 squad.

The Seagulls are a pathway club to NRL club Gold Coast Titans.

As well as the Australian interest in Gray, teammate Samuel Fox was invited by NRL club South Sydney to attend camps in Sydney and Brisbane, but had to withdraw because of injury.

Another GBHS player, Rory Gifford, was recruited for Brisbane Broncos and South Sydney camps in Auckland next month.

And all of the GBHS players selected for the trials are now on the radar of an NRL recruitment agent.

The selections come after a strong showing by GBHS at the recent New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby League National Tournament in Auckland.

“This is a remarkable achievement for a school that only recently reintroduced rugby league to its sporting calendar, competing at the nationals for the first time in decades,” assistant coach Luke Fox said.

“These trials mark the next step in what has been an incredible season for the GBHS rugby league programme.”

The team, competing in the championship division at nationals, recorded three wins from five games, including a memorable hard-fought victory over Wesley College.

Fox said the trials selections were “a reflection of how much potential there is for rugby league in Gisborne”.

For many of the boys, the national tournament was their first taste of competitive league, and their work ethic, talent and attitude had “opened doors at the national level”.

“This is proof that our region can produce top-tier athletes when we’re given the opportunity and support.”

GBHS league team captain Timuaki Stewart said it was “exciting to see so many of the boys getting recognised”.

“We’ve shown that Gisborne can stand with the best in the country, and this will inspire the next generation coming through GBHS to pick up the ball and keep building on what we’ve reignited.”

The triallists will compete across three age divisions – U15, U17 and U19 – with the opportunity to be selected for the NZ Warriors’ Harold Matthews Cup (U17) and SG Ball Cup (U19) development teams.

“Our goal is simple,” Fox said. “We want to see another player from Gisborne Boys’ High School go on to play in the NRL – and these trials are the first big step toward that dream.”

The GBHS players selected were (some were unable to attend because of injury) – U15: Rory Gifford, Noah Fox; U17: Coen Theros-Brown, Anakin Ormsby-Cairns and Samuel Fox (injured), Max Hammond, Taine Poole, Manawanui Stewart; U19: Storm De Thier (injured), David Gray, Tomasi Mataele (injured), Timuaki Stewart, Kane Soto, Nevaryn Rewita.