Next Up Maxwell Kara, Caleb Harvey, Anthony Wirjapranata & Z’kedeus Schwalger

Maybe one of the most talented ball players in the country with his Touch and 7’s background Maxwell Kara is such a hard player to mark up with for any team. The Super 8 is going to have a hard time with him this year and he should be a highlighted player for every team when it comes to preparing for this team. I like that Maxwell Kara has not only the skillset to be an attacking force but his size also is going to be key because this dude is solid and can not only identify the gaps but also can run through them and also find the supporting player. I am guessing that he’ll jump in at 2nd 5/8 again this year and will be the main attacking option for the Hamilton BHS team this year. His defence should be his true focus so that he can own both sides of the ball and just be that player that you want to avoid altogether. I hope to see him more explore his other talents on the field and show that he has a kicking game even if it’s the little “grubber” or chips kicks over the top or a go to skip pass something like that and just really mix it up. Obviously that is my selfishness talking because I know that he can do those things but being the guy that puts the team first and not just himself is really what is needed this year and it is going to be an awesome year covering this kid.    

Since  Z’kedeus Schwalger from Wellington College was in the U15 National Finals it has been cool watching this dude not only grow as this physical Monster that he is but also as such a smart player and leader. I saw him in his first year really just carry the ball and make tackles. Playing it really simple kept the game simple and narrow in his responsibilities as he should as a Year 11 starter. But then last year I felt he had this really big jump into this role as a leader that would take the ball in these key moments and add to the success of momentum for the team. I say that in the way that it wasn’t just the running of the ball which it is great at but also when to not take the ball from a ruck and make the right read coming into the breakdown and choose to protect the ball by cleaning out and leaving it for the next man. He would choose to give the ball earlier, finding the faster team mate and not hold on to that ball in the open and get as much ground as they could and even on defence just making solid tackles and finishing them one on one and then trusting his teammates to do the rest. I find myself looking at Z’kedeus Schwalger as a No.8 and maybe Blind Side and I think with his high ceiling of talent and IQ he can make those positions work for him. The Hurricanes have a talent here and it’s going to be more fun watching him grow over this season

Anthony Wirjapranata may be the best Hooker coming into this season. Anthony Wirjapranata could be the best front rower we have this season. What I do know for sure is that Anthony is such a fun player to watch and he brings everything he has every single game. I have seen Anthony break so many tackles over the last two years and have seen these tacklers throw their body at him and he just takes the hit and keeps moving forward. I have seen guys stand up slowly after trying to tackle him and shake their arm off trying to find feeling back in their arms. Even when Anthony makes a tackle you see guys feel that hit and feel that pain in contact. His go forward movements with the ball in hand wither it’s running off the 9 or the 10, if it’s from the base of a ruck or off the top of the line out Anthony is such a hard running player with no fear at all and is such an asset to any team he is apart of. I saw him play with the Auckland Gulls U18 last year and it was the same thing, just a kid way too strong for everyone else that he was just a Beast and was making every carry an opportunity to find a weakness in the line. I am very excited for this year and what he can bring to his Sacred Heart College side and hoping to see his name later in the year in the higher honours National sides.  

I really really hope to see Southland BHS in the flesh this year because I want to see Caleb Harvey in real time. Last year I saw every game that Southland BHS played and Caleb Harvey never let me down and only upped his value every single time he played. I like his style of play where he doesn’t back down physically and he will always welcome the contact either on offence or defence and it just doesn’t seem to bother him at all. On offence he is always playing rough but plays defenders with quick outside footwork and big heavy fends. I like this way because it shows that he will keep his defender engaged and also shows the defence needs to send 2 defenders to take him down and that when he plays the offloading game. Defence is the same where he is very patient and calm, he won’t over shoot the play or push out too far that the inside is just a welcome mat for runners but he’ll time everything right. That is one side to his defence and the other is just his strength in the tackle because you are not just throwing him off or easily getting rid of him he’s in your face all day. I really hope that I get to see Southland BHS weekly this year because Caleb Harvey is a ticket and I hope Invercargill or wherever Southland BHS play people go out to see him and see what I am talking about.