Six of Mackay’s best young rugby league prospects will showcase their skills in coming weeks at one of the State’s best showpiece schoolboy tournaments.
Emerging St Patrick’s College colts in halfback Jaxon Purdue, hooker Xavier Kerrisk, fullback Will Shears, lock forward Kayne Smith, centre Tenzin Cantor and prop Tyler Shandiman are players to watch when they line up for the Capricornia 18yrs team at the Queensland School Sport State Championships in Townsville on May 22-23.
The tournament is the breeding ground for future NRL, State of Origin and Kangaroos stars and a stepping stone into the code’s highly competitive professional ranks.
Queensland Country Under 17s playmaker Purdue and classy number nine Kerrisk along with dashing custodian Shears and ball playing lock Smith are already contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys and have bright futures in the game.
Shears and Smith impressed Cowboys officials during a Young Guns pre-season camp in Townsville while Cantor and Shandiman add size and strength to a powerful and well drilled Capricornia representative squad that is tipped to figure in the State Championship play-offs.
All six are key players for Ian Schifilliti’s much vaunted St Patrick’s College Open Boys team that are strong contenders for this year’s Confraternity Shield and Aaron Payne Cup titles.
The super six are also trump cards for the Mackay Cutters Under 18s side that are currently entrenched in the top six of the Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup competition after five rounds.
Meanwhile five St Patrick’s College students feature in the Capricornia 14-15yrs rugby league representative squad that will also compete at the Queensland School Sport State Championships in Townsville on May 22-23.
Young guns Adam McSherry, George Gofton, Sam Anderson, Norm Campbell and Eli Cookson were selected after strong performances at schoolboy and Junior League level.
McSherry, a premiership winning five eighth with the Brothers Bulldogs, will skipper the Capricornia team.
By Chris Karas
St Patrick’s College Mackay rugby league stars l to r Xavier Kerrisk, Tyler Shandiman, Kayne Smith, Jaxon Purdue, Will Shears and Tenzin Cantor will represent Capricornia at the Queensland School Sport Rugby League State Championships in Townsville from May 22-23. Photo supplied
