THEY started the season with eleven rugby league converts and two comprehensive losses and ended on a high with a top three finish in the Hunter Junior Rugby competition.

Meet the Nelson Bay Gropers Under 13s rugby squad that transformed into a competitive unit with some major scalps throughout the 2024 campaign.

Under the coaching of former Eastwood rugby identity James Kelman and Duncan Lawson, the Gropers developed into a real force to be reckoned with and posted victories against every team in the competition.

Team mainstays were the talented Kelman brothers – 13-year-old lock Axel Kelman and 12-year-old dual NSW Primary Schools representative prop Mason Kelman along with skilful forward Ollie Hoffman and sharp utility Kade Lawson.

A highlight for the young Gropers was lowering the colours of the mighty Merewether Greens side who were previously undefeated for two successive seasons – posting a spirited 26-17 victory over the premiers at Tomaree Sports Complex in the lead into the finals.

It was the Green’s only loss of the season and they went on to capture this year’s Under 13s title with a 32-10 Grand Final triumph over the Merewether Whites.

Eleven of the Gropers’ line up were converts from the Nelson Bay Marlins Junior Rugby League nursery.

The Marlins finished runners up to the undefeated Valentine Devils in the Hunter Junior League Under 12 Division One competition after a 24-10 Grand Final loss and finished the 2022 season undefeated in the ungraded Under 11s series.

They were also the top placed team in the Under 10 ungraded Hunter Junior League competition in 2021.

Gropers’ coach James Kelman told News Of The Area that the squad had made a smooth transition to the rugby ranks this season and had “improved with each match”.

“The group are a delight to coach and were quick to grasp the fundamentals of the rugby code and turn in some dominant performances,” revealed James.

Most of the squad took up rugby league at the age of nine after moving across from the soccer ranks.

Nelson Bay won twelve and drew one of their sixteen fixtures to finish second on the ladder before bowing out in the preliminary final after a 24-17 loss to Merewether White.

Lawson, Hoffman and Axel Kelman starred for the Hunter Wildfires Under 13s that were crowned NSW Rugby State Sevens champions with the gifted Axel also helping the Under 13 Wildfires fifteen per side team claim the NSW Country title.

Another honour for Kade, Axel and Mason was their selection in the Newcastle Knights Under 13s rugby league Development squad.

Playing up an age group, the dynamic Mason held his own in a tough division and grabbed a slice of history when he became the first Port Stephens pupil to represent NSW Primary Schools in both rugby league and rugby union in the same season.

Other squad members to impress were Stefan Grant, Costa Lazarou, Leon Calder, Darcy Lestone, Billy Kearney, Jack Costello. Baelin Scully, Harlem Stone, Jaylan Nettle, Isaac Seehusen, Kobi Sargeant, Max Leismann, Clancy Buckley, Sean Pietraszek, Croyde Gregory and Xavier Davis.

By Chris KARAS