TSS leader set to lay down law
Today’s clash is pivotal for The Southport School’s GPS hopes but the team’s skipper want more. Connor O’Brien writes.
A RUGBY career is not all that is in Zane Nonggorr’s sights.
The 18-year-old, who will captain The Southport School in the GPS rugby season that kicks off with a home blockbuster against Nudgee College today, is also eyeing a pathway in law.
Nonggorr was raised in the Papua New Guinean highlands town of Mount Hagen – though his parents flew to Cairns for his birth – and has a strong family background in law.
“My mum and dad were both lawyers and growing up I have listened to what they do and how they go about it,” he revealed.
“My mum is currently the lawyer of the former Prime Minister (of PNG, Peter O’Neill) but she is still heavily involved in the political party that is there now.
“I’m hopefully looking to do law after school.”
Nonggorr moved to the Gold Coast in 2011 and immediately began in Year 5 at TSS, where his rugby passion first bloomed.
It’s why leading the team out against Nudgee will mean that much more.
“Ever since I played my first game for TSS I loved it and I came and watched a firsts game and ever since then I have always wanted to be in the firsts,” he said.
“I have been here for the past two years and the captains (Tom Van der Schyff and Max Dowd) have been my role model for the year, not just because they are great footy players but they are really good blokes on and off the field.
“The main thing they used to tell me was embrace it and just have fun with your mates doing the sport you love.”
Coach Mike Wallace said the 187cm, 129kg tighthead prop was a clear choice to succeed Van der Schyff as skipper.
“He’s an exceptional leader. He’s got a great work ethic, attention to detail, the boys listen to him and believe in what he has got to say,” Wallace said of Nonggorr.
“And he is experienced, it’s his third year of first XV, he has played rep footy.
“The reality is the boys believe in him and they believe in his decision-making ability and the biggest part is we (the coaching staff) believe in his decision-making ability.”
TSS and Nudgee played out a final-round thriller last year that decided the premiership, with a 34-29 scoreline going in favour of the Brisbane school.
With TSS having done their final preparations at a camp on the Sunshine Coast last week, Nonggorr is confident that his side can get off to a good start in 2019.
“We have worked on a whole new defence shape. We’re pretty confident in it, we have been training I think since the first day of school … it has been a really good preseason,” he said.
A huge crowd is expected to turn out to the 2.10pm kick-off.