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The son of former world heavyweight boxing contender Alex Leapai has been signed by NRL giants the Sydney Roosters after making his Langer Trophy debut tonight.
The 120kg, 15-year-old front row powerhouse played for Mabel Park SHS during its historic first ever game in the elite schoolboy competition on the Gold Coast.
The hulking son of a gun tore into the Coombabah SHS pack after been elevated by his coach coach Lee Addison.
Leapai, who has an interview scheduled with the courier, was described his coach as brave and aggressive.
“He still has a lot to learn about the game, but he has bravery, he runs hard with aggression,” Addison.
Leapai’s father, Alex senior, earned the nickname “Lionheart’’ after a brave heavyweight boxing career which culminated in him fighting unsuccessfully for the world title against Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.
Aside from being a world class heavyweight boxer, Alex Leapai senior was also an outstanding schoolboy footballer for Woodridge SHS.
He was signed by the North Queensland Cowboys, but he took a wrong turn in life and was jailed for grievous bodily harm.
When a reformed Leapai senior left jail, he took up boxing and vowed to be a mentor to young Logan children where he went from school to school telling them not to repeat the mistakes he made.
Alex’s jr’s sporting pedigree does not end there.
Alex senior’s cousin is Queensland State of Origin hero Josh Papalii.
Indeed Papalii last year accredited Alex Leapai senior for contributing to his elite NRL career after doing summer time boxing work with him in Logan.
Importantly Addison said Alex Leapai junior was “really keen to learn’’.
Addison initially planned to blood the rookie later in the Langer Trophy, but went with a gut feeling to introduce him in round 1.
It was a similar feeling he had when handing the Langer Trophy debut of current Cronulla Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo when Addison was coach of Mulitalo at Ipswich SHS in 2015. “He was a 15-year-old in an 18 years competition,’’ Addison said.
“In his first couple of games Ronaldo was a bit green, but after round 2 it was clear he would make a good fullback because he was such an independently minded player.”
Addison said Mulitalo “kicked on’’ in the Langer Trophy and he also expected early experience gathered by Leapai to benefit him.
Like his father, Alex Leapai jr is also handy with the boxing gloves and recently beat the young brother of Brisbane Broncos enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr in the ring.
The 120kg, 15-year-old front row powerhouse played for Mabel Park SHS during its historic first ever game in the elite schoolboy competition on the Gold Coast.
The hulking son of a gun tore into the Coombabah SHS pack after been elevated by his coach coach Lee Addison.
Leapai, who has an interview scheduled with the courier, was described his coach as brave and aggressive.
“He still has a lot to learn about the game, but he has bravery, he runs hard with aggression,” Addison.
Leapai’s father, Alex senior, earned the nickname “Lionheart’’ after a brave heavyweight boxing career which culminated in him fighting unsuccessfully for the world title against Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.
Aside from being a world class heavyweight boxer, Alex Leapai senior was also an outstanding schoolboy footballer for Woodridge SHS.
He was signed by the North Queensland Cowboys, but he took a wrong turn in life and was jailed for grievous bodily harm.
When a reformed Leapai senior left jail, he took up boxing and vowed to be a mentor to young Logan children where he went from school to school telling them not to repeat the mistakes he made.
Alex’s jr’s sporting pedigree does not end there.
Alex senior’s cousin is Queensland State of Origin hero Josh Papalii.
Indeed Papalii last year accredited Alex Leapai senior for contributing to his elite NRL career after doing summer time boxing work with him in Logan.
Importantly Addison said Alex Leapai junior was “really keen to learn’’.
Addison initially planned to blood the rookie later in the Langer Trophy, but went with a gut feeling to introduce him in round 1.
It was a similar feeling he had when handing the Langer Trophy debut of current Cronulla Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo when Addison was coach of Mulitalo at Ipswich SHS in 2015. “He was a 15-year-old in an 18 years competition,’’ Addison said.
“In his first couple of games Ronaldo was a bit green, but after round 2 it was clear he would make a good fullback because he was such an independently minded player.”
Addison said Mulitalo “kicked on’’ in the Langer Trophy and he also expected early experience gathered by Leapai to benefit him.
Like his father, Alex Leapai jr is also handy with the boxing gloves and recently beat the young brother of Brisbane Broncos enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr in the ring.
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