ONE is an excitement machine and a relatively untapped resource while the other is reliable and does his job with a minimum of fuss.

Rising Far North Queensland soccer talents Lorenzo Sipi and Malcolm Geerlings are vastly different players but both appear certain to achieve memorable careers in the game.

Tully High student Sipi and Cairns High’s Geerlings were integral members of the Queensland side which finished runners-up at the national 19 years and under secondary schools championships at Port Macquarie earlier this month.

Sipi was also one of six Queensland players chosen in the Australian schoolboys side to tour Korea and Japan in December.

Queensland coach Brian Stopford, who teaches at Cairns High, said the pair were standout performers in the best side the state had fielded during his tenure.

"This was the 12th state team I’ve coached and it was the best group of young men I’ve ever worked with," he said. "And both boys were integral members of the team."

Stopford said Sipi’s potential remained largely untapped with the 17-year-old’s game, based on power and pace, set to benefit from additional work with high-quality coaches.

He described Geerlings, also aged 17, as a coach’s perfect player, the type who doesn’t make mistakes and plays with great intelligence.

Sipi (Innisfail) and Geerlings (Edge Hill) clashed in Sunday’s FNQ Football premier division match at Tiger Park and were among their respective side’s best on the day.

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