By Tania Phillips
The Warwick Cowboys will be well represented on Sunday at Kayo Stadium when the best A grade community rugby League talent to battle out in the prestigious 2024 Queensland City v Country match.
The game, a curtain-raiser for the Hostplus Queensland Cup grand final between Redcliffe and Norths, will feature three Cowboys – one on the bench and two on the field.
Cowboys mentor Col Speed will coach the country side with wing Jake Speed and centre Josephy Vite on the field.
“We go into camp on Friday morning at Redcliffe so it’s very exciting and the lads are very excited as well which is great,” the coach said.
“The game is on Sunday at Kayo Stadium.”
The match is the culmination of months of work behind the scenes for Speed, who was named as coach in the middle of the year, and while the side hasn’t been able to train together until Friday he believes that they will gel quickly.
“We’ve been communicating and I think the boys will gel,” he said.
“With the selection process we made sure that certain players had the same sort of combination that they would at club or they’ve played together in rep footy so it won’t take long to gel. We’re very confident.”
Hence the selection of Jake Speed (no relation) and Joseph Vite who have formed a match-winning combination at both club and representative level with Vite being named the TRL representative player of the year and Speed one of the top try scorers both in club and representative football this season.
He said they will have two 47th Battalion team mates around them on the field including top play maker Dalby Diehard Chris Woodridge.
So, what does Speed think there chances are?
“I’ve had a look at the city side, very wary of Ono – the fullback is definitely the strike weapon they’ve got there,” he said.
“They’ve got a rather big side and plenty of go-forward, they’ve got smart halves but Redbank Plains captain Ono So’oialo is probably the strike power, he’s an unbelievable talent. He had a couple of games for the Ipswich Jets this year, he’s up there with Chris Woodbridge with their elusiveness and what they can do on the field.”
He said it was a big occasion for the two Cowboys players.
“It’s great to see where they’ve come from and where they are now, I think credit’s got to be given,” Speed said.
“Young Jake Speed – last year he had aspirations to be a consistent A grade player within Warwick and then he had a bit of a dabble in rep footy. This year he made himself some goals in regards to getting a 47th Battalion position and he did that by being the leading try scorer three-quarters the way through the year. Then Joseph came from humble beginnings in New Zealand and then one year in Melbourne. Then he came here to Warwick and what he’s achieved this year is outstanding. The other thing is their success shows a pathway for young players in this area that doesn’t have to be through the Western Clydesdales or Q Cup. This is another opportunity where a door could possibly open.
“I think these guys will handle it, they are both very humble and have stepped up on both occasions when we’ve selected them to play 47th Battalion and they’ve played a bit of semi final footy now – got a taste for that. And having the calibre of players around them, they’ll only get better and rise and adapt to the occasion.”
