Wests Tigers would like to congratulate junior representative players Lachlan Galvin, Heath Mason and Luke Laulilii on being selected in the 2023 Australian Schoolboys squad.
The Under-18 Boys Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League National Championships final took place on Friday in Redcliffe, with Mason captaining NSW Combined Catholic Colleges to a 40-10 win over Galvin and Laulilii’s NSW Combined High Schools.
All three players were members of last season’s Western Suburbs Magpies Harold Matthews premiership-winning team.
Galvin is a five-eighth/second-rower who was a standout for Western Suburbs’ SG Ball side this season.
The towering #6 powered his way through the line to score one of NSWCHS’s two tries in today’s final. As confirmed by Matt Betsey on this week’s episode of Behind the Roar, Galvin will enter the Wests Tigers Top 30 squad in 2024.
Mason is a fullback/five-eighth who showcased his utility value on numerous occasions throughout the ASSRL tournament.
Starting at five-eighth in today’s final, the nuggety spine player shifted to lock at times during the match and proved hard to handle when running the ball.
The Thirlmere Roosters junior was named Western Suburbs Magpies Best and Fairest in his first season of SG Ball Cup.
Laulilii is a fullback/winger and the younger brother of Western Suburbs SG Ball captain, Kit Laulilii. The Liverpool Catholic Club junior captained Wests’ Harold Matthews Cup side in 2023 (where he was named Best Back) and his bustling backfield kick returns are a feature of his game. Equally adept at fullback or on the wing, Laulilii looks set for a breakout debut SG Ball Cup season in 2024.
Australian Under 18 Schoolboys team
1 - Mutua Brown (QRSS)
2 - Luke Laulilii (NSWCHS)
3 - Logan Aoake (NSWCCC)
4 - Wilson De Courcey (NSWCCC)
5 - Nikora Williams (NSWCHS)
6 - Lachlan Galvin (NSWCHS)
7 - Riley Pollard (NSWCCC)
8 - Kaiden Lahrs (QRSS)
9 - Xavier Caccitotti (ACT)
10 - De La Salle Va’a (NSWCCC)
11 - Jezaiah Funa-Iuta (NSWCCC)
12 - Jacob Halangahu (NSWCCC)
13 - Finau Latu (NSWCCC)
14 - Heath Mason (NSWCCC)
15 - Cody Hopwood (NSWCCC)
16 - Loko Pasifiki-Tonga (NSWCHS)
17 - Logan Spinks (NSWCHS)
18 - John Fineanganofo (QSS)
Coach: Tim White - Holy Cross College, Ryde, NSW
Assistant Coach: Mark Morrison - Newington College, Stanmore, NSW
Manager: Tim Wykes - Lightning Ridge State School, Lightning Ridge, NSW
Trainer: Michael Fisher - Marist Catholic College, Penshurst, NSW
