HE was a Logan Brothers halfback a year behind current Australian captain Cameron Smith in his younger years.

He played against Ian Lacey and Tom Learoyld-Lars when he played in the Under 18s competition.

But at a time when the values and place of loyalty in Rugby League are being questioned, you’ll find Aaron Coolwell directing Logan Brothers around the park, like he’s done for the past twenty years.

Watching him play in the Open 1s Ted Beaumont Trophy fixture, you could see how well respected by the players he is as he directed play.

“We’ll go pretty good this year,” he told me after I watched his side beat Wests Centenary 28-20 despite having three players sent to the sin bin and playing 10 minutes with 11 men.

“Discipline-wise we’re probably not the best,” he admits with a smile.

But if there’s anything the longest serving senior player in Logan Brothers history knows, it’s how much he loves his club.

“It’s great. There’s a good environment down there,” he describes. “I know a lot of the guys, I know the club, and I grew up in the area.”

When asked about his future prospects, the softly spoken halfback was a little stumped, but looked only as far as next year when he hopes to line up for Logan Brothers in the Premier Grade.

Bringing the focus back to this season however, he knows that his side will go far – potentially to what would be his 4th Grand Final.

If the rest of the competition didn’t know Logan Brothers were serious in their title hunt, they should now. Undefeated after 13 games, Ted Beaumont Trophy winners, and a sizeable forward pack that loves to flatten opponents.

Logan Brothers will be hard to stop come Grand Final day, and Aaron Coolwell will be there, directing the players as he does so well and chalking up another championship his beloved club.

LOGAN Brothers overcame the sinbinning of three players to defeat Wests Centenary Panthers 28-20 in the Southside 1 Ted Beaumont Trophy match at Langlands Park.

Wests got on the board first in the 7th minute, when a seemingly innocuous kick downfield was fumbled by Logan fullback Cain O’Shea.

Wests second rower Patrick Noonan picked the ball up and passed to centre Wade Watson, who raced away to score. Tim McIlwain converted the try.

Logan hit back eight minutes later, when powerful five-eighth Rickson Toloa fought his way over, dragging several defenders with him. Henry Cope added the extras, levelling the game at 6-6.

Logan Brothers gained the lead in the 25th minute, when classy hooker Joshua Teamo snuck over from dummy half. Cope converted the try to give them a 12-6 lead, which they carried into the break.

The game continued in the same manner after the break, with Logan punishing Wests’ poor ball control and scoring through winger Matthew Faiumu in the 41st minute.

They extended the lead just five minutes later, when Jester Niuula superbly offloaded in heavy traffic, finding lock Kurt Whittle who made no mistake in scoring the try. Cope converted the try, giving Logan a 22-6 lead.

Wests hit back in the 50th, when winger Chris Ferris fielded a kick 35m out from his own line. He beat two defenders, then raced down the sideline, stepping his way around the remaining defence to score under the posts. McIlwain converted to make it 22-12.

The undisciplined Logan Brothers side were penalised for several consecutive high tackles, before Perez decided enough was enough. With 14 minutes left to play, halfback Aaron Coolwell committed a high tackle and was sent from the field, only to be joined by Teamo in the same act for dissent.

Wests failed to take full advantage of the two man overlap, scoring only one try 7 minutes from fulltime when Cameron Sinisa crossed.

Logan took control of the dying stages, sealing the result two minutes from time when Faiumu grabbed his second. Wests winger Glynn Robson hit back as the fulltime siren sounded, Logan triumphing 28-20.

After the game, Logan Brothers coach Duane Antcliff praised the performance of his team, commending them for “their season of hard work”.

LOGAN BROTHERS 28 (Faiumu 2, Toloa, Teamo, Whittle tries; Cope 4 goals) def WESTS CENTENARY PANTHERS 20 (Ferris, Watson, Robson, Sinisa tries; McIlwain 2 goals) at Langlands Park