Promising Playmaker Purdue Holds Key To St Patrick’s Aaron Payne Cup Bid

St Patrick’s College and Mercy College Mackay have created a slice of schoolboy rugby league history by qualifying for the 2022 Aaron Payne Cup and Cowboys Challenge Shield Grand Finals.

In a first for the proud sporting nursery, the St Patrick’s outfit will line up this Friday afternoon against archrivals Ignatius Park College in the Aaron Payne Cup decider at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

The showdown is being billed as a ‘clash of the titans’ and will be staged as a curtain-raiser to the NRL clash between North Queensland Cowboys and the New Zealand Warriors.

It is a maiden Aaron Payne Cup Grand Final appearance for the St Patrick’s giants, who thumped neighbours Mackay State High 44-6 in a semifinal last week at the Mackay Junior League Fields.

Ignatius Park College – the newly crowned Confraternity Shield Rugby League champions - booked a Grand Final berth when they edged out Kirwan State High 12-10 in extra time.

But they now face a formidable foe in St Patrick’s, who have hit their straps at the right time of the season.

Having recently clinched the minor title with a 20-6 victory over Ignatius Park in Townsville, the St Patrick’s team have shown their premiership credentials with strong performances in the Cup series.

That stirring win avenged the school’s loss to Ignatius Park in last month’s Confraternity Shield Grand Final and has given the team a massive confidence boost in the lead up to the Aaron Payne Cup decider.

Classy St Patrick’s half back Jaxon Purdue is the player to watch after masterclass displays in recent weeks.

The promising playmaker, who is contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys, has shown why he was named in this year’s Confraternity Rugby League Merit Team with skilful performances in the prestigious schoolboy Cup competitions.

Purdue continued his purple form patch with a superb game against Mackay State High in the final’s series – engineering an eight try rout with his tricks-of-the-trade.

Purdue nabbed a hat-trick of tries and created several others with his deft passing and astute kicking to underline his potential.

The half back maestro hopes to replicate his ‘best on ground’ performance in the recent clash with Ignatius Park where he guided his team to their first triumph over the Confraternity Shield champions in five years.

St Patrick’s had too many big guns for Mackay State High in a lopsided semifinal – establishing a 22-0 lead at the interval with a four try blitz before ramming home their advantage.

Hard working forwards Levi Love and Dillon Bulgarelli also impressed for St Patrick’s in a top team effort.

Purdue (3), Emerging Queensland U/18 hooker Xavier Kerrisk (2), fullback Will Shears, centre Kai Simon and forward Bulgarelli posted tries with Simon (5) and Bray Tait chipping in with conversions.

St Patrick’s coach Michael Comerford praised his team for their strong showings at the ‘business end of the competition’ and believes their hunger for success is an important factor.

“The boys have worked really hard since Confro on all aspects of their game and now hope to reap the benefits,” said the Mercy College Sports Co-ordinator.

“We came through our semifinal unscathed and the team has the skill, endurance and will power to give the title a big crack,” he added.

There is plenty of incentive for both St Patrick’s College and Ignatius Park College with the winner of Friday’s Grand Final to square off with the victors of the Dolphins Cup competition – covering the Rockhampton to Wide Bay region – en route to the State Championship.

St Patrick’s College Grand Final squad is: Will Shears, Bailey Anderson, Beau Jones, Kai Simon, Coby Arthur, Harry Thorpe, Jaxon Purdue, Henry Thorpe (captain), Bray Tait, Liam Doherty, Levi Love, Xavier Kerrisk, Matthew Watts; Ethan Van Kerkwyk, Hudson Galletly, Decy Jones, Oscar Warden, Patrick Vella, Kayne Smith, Jack Clark, Dillon Bulgarelli.

By Chris Karas

Mercy College Young Guns Chase Cowboys Challenge Shield Honours

When experienced Mercy College rugby league officials Matthew Paul and Ian Schifilitti sat down to discuss their team’s tactics for the Cowboys Challenge Shield Grand Final, they didn’t have to look too far for a blueprint to success.

Both coaches acknowledged that Kirwan State High would provide stiff opposition for their team of Mercy warriors in the Grand Final showdown on Wednesday at the Mackay Junior League Fields.

It was only two weeks prior that both schools featured in a torrid tussle during the preliminary rounds, with Mercy registering a courageous 16-10 victory to earn bragging rights.

A highlight of that win was Mercy’s super defensive effort throughout the second half as the Kirwan boys dominated possession but to no avail.

Despite a heavy penalty count against them and limited ball, the Mercy team showed its champion qualities by defending like trojans in a spirited performance to keep their Townsville rivals at bay.

Coaches Paul and Schifilitti will be looking for a similar defensive effort from their charges when both schools lock horns again in the Shield decider.

Mercy College advanced to the Grand Final courtesy of a forfeit from Mareeba State High with Kirwan toppling Ignatius Park in the other semifinal.

Players to watch for Mercy include impact forwards Cohen Jackson, Hunter Harris, hooker Hudson Clark, back rower Saxon Croft, prop Reuben Saron, five eighth Adam McSherry, centres Lachlan Whippy and Toby Woodall and fullback Lane Maunder.

By Chris Karas

Outstanding half back prospect Jaxon Purdue is one of several key St Patrick’s College players in action today against Ignatius Park College in the Aaron Payne Cup Grand Final at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville

‍Tirereless Mercy College forward Saxon Croft featured in the Cowboys Challenge Shield Grand Final against Kirwan State High

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