Roosters poach 16yo GPS rugby star Agapetos Lote-Felo from QLD

The gentlemen’s agreement* between GPS schools in Queensland and New South Wales against pilfering* each other’s best ball players has taken a tumble.

The Sydney Roosters Rugby League club has signed The Southport School’s Australian under-16 rugby union star Agapetos Lote-Felo. Not only will he now play both codes, the deal also means an unprecedented* cross-border school transfer. The schoolboy No. 8 is now due to complete Year 11 and 12 as a boarder at Scots College in Sydney.

Outside a family relocation, it is thought to be the first time an active First XV star from Queensland’s prestigious* GPS competition has defected* to New South Wales’ premier schoolboy competition.

Scots now fields two-thirds of the 2024 Australian Rugby Union under-16 backrow, with blindside flanker* Aston Weir alongside Agapetos.

Queensland GPS rugby legend Ron Cochrane said he had never seen a case like it in nearly 50 years as a coach and administrator, but sources said it was not the first time that the Roosters had attempted to lure a current First XV ace south of the border.

Queensland State of Origin debutant Robert Toia was approached by the club to leave Nudgee College early, while Ipswich Grammar School alumni Sam Walker and Ethan King were both understood to have declined offers to relocate.

But Agapetos accepted the Roosters’ invitation to relocate to a rugby school in Sydney and continue his development in both codes.

“It was a pretty tough decision to leave,” the 16-year-old said.

“I really liked my last year at TSS playing Firsts footy and I ended making some good mates. I was contemplating not saying I was going because it was pretty hard to say goodbye.

“It was a hard decision, but since I’ve signed with the Roosters, it was better for me in my development to be down there right now.”

Agapetos suffered an injury in his first game of the season in Sydney but will train three times a week with the Roosters, three times a week for Scots and play for club or school on a Saturday when healthy. Sundays are the only dedicated rest day.

“It’s been pretty easy to transition because Scots is like TSS, with a big footy culture and the boys all get around it,” Agapetos said.

“It hasn’t been too hard to fit and get some mates, especially when you’re living with them 24/7.

“I do miss my parents and my family but it’s not too bad because I have a second home in the boarding house.”

The Gold Coast Eagles rugby junior never expected his first season of league would end with a contract and a tug of war for his playing future before his 17th birthday.

The Queensland Reds’ under-16 rugby union captain, who started at No. 8 for Australia U16, is contracted to the Roosters through 2026 and remained unsure of his future direction beyond that.

“I’m a bit 50-50 right now,” he said. “I’ve played rugby union all my life and rugby league came onto the scene last year when I played Cyril Connell, so I don’t know.

“I like the physicality and upfront confrontation (of rugby league) but I’ve always had love for union.”

Admitting he once “dreamt of being an All Black,” Agapetos came out of a moon boot this week and has turned his attention to the Roosters’ 2026 Harold Matthews campaign and his senior year with Scots’ First XV.

Former Wallaby Brian Smith, a graduate of Brisbane State High School in the Queensland GPS, is head of sport at Scots.

POLL

• GLOSSARY
• gentlemen’s agreement: informal but widely accepted as customary and polite conduct
• pilfering: in rugby union, a pilfer is taking the ball from the opposing side in active play
• unprecedented: not seen before, happening for the first time
• prestigious: highly respected and admired, usually due to being of high quality or importance
• defected: leaving a place, political party or organisation to go to the opposing one
• blindside flanker: usually number 6, a forward who binds the scrum closest to the sideline and whose job it is to watch the opposition’s blindside winger, who may get the ball off the scrum

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QUICK QUIZ

1. Where was Agapetos at school previously?
2. Which Sydney rugby league club has Agapetos signed on to play for?
3. Where will he be living and going to school while he finishes Year 11 and 12?
4. What is his training schedule between rugby union and rugby league commitments?
5. Agapetos has started for the Wallabies – but he used to dream about playing for which rival side?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Why the rule?
Do you think that professional clubs should be allowed to recruit high school players from different schools, states and codes and potentially pay for their schooling elsewhere as part of the contract? Or for these GPS schools themselves to offer talented interstate students sports scholarships? Write a convincing paragraph that explains your opinion.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education

2. Extension
What do you think could be some of the challenges that Agapetos could face in his new state, school and code? List as many as you can think of. Next to each challenge, write some specific suggestions of things that Agapetos, his family, his new school or football club can do to help him to meet or overcome it.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social Capability

VCOP ACTIVITY
Girls in sport
There are many sports in which we’re seeing an increase in female participants, including rugby union and rugby league. What sports have you noticed, or maybe joined yourself, where you have seen an increase in the amount of girls now playing? How do you feel about this? Why do you feel this way? Do you think it’s a positive shift? Why/why not?