St Patrick’s College Mackay has rubber stamped its exciting new partnership with the North Queensland Cowboys.
Both parties recently signed a memorandum of understanding to promote clear pathways for aspiring rugby league players in the region to play in the NRL competition.
A Cowboys contingent led by Head of NRL Elite Pathways Glenn Hall visited Mercy College Mackay last Friday to officially endorse the new partnership.
Other Cowboys officials in attendance were Elite Pathways coach Steve Sheppard, Club Recruitment Manager Dane Campbell and Elite Pathways Strength and Conditioning Coach Liam Bartlett.
They were joined by boom St Patrick’s and Queensland Country Under 17 colts Xavier Kerrisk and Jaxon Purdue, St Patrick’s and Mercy College Sports Co-ordinators Chad Buckby and Matthew Paul, newly appointed Mercy College Cowboys Challenge coach Tom Gaviglio and Mercy College Assistant Principal Curriculum Scott McSherry.
Emerging hooker Kerrisk and skilful half back Purdue will attend a special camp in Townsville during December as part of the Cowboys Young Bucks squad.
Other promising St Patrick’s rugby league colts invited include top forwards Liam Doherty, Matthew Watts, dynamic centre Kai Simon (Under 21 Young Guns) and lock forward Kayne Smith and classy utility back Will Shears (Young Bucks).
Both Mercy College and St Patrick’s College have proved a thriving nursery for NRL clubs over the past three decades and have tasted phenomenal success in the Confraternity Shield, Aaron Payne Cup and Cowboys Challenge competitions.
Mr Hall said the Cowboys were looking forward to building on the back of the school’s success of the past few seasons.
