One of Queensland’s finest schoolboy rugby league nurseries Palm Beach-Currumbin State High have staked a genuine claim for the National Schoolboys Cup championship trophy.
The Reds are strong contenders for this year’s national title after capturing the Queensland State Championship and Northern Conference Phil Hall Cup with a resounding 28-0 victory over St Patrick’s College Mackay in Townsville last week.
Regarded as a famous breeding ground for future NRL players, the Gold Coast school have booked a National Schoolboys Cup Final showdown with NSW Southern Conference champions Westfields Sports High after they edged out Patrician Brothers Blacktown 18-17 in the Peter Mulholland Cup final.
This year’s Cup decider will be staged on Wednesday September 13 at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, formerly known as Kogarah Jubilee Oval.
It is a huge achievement by Palm Beach-Currumbin who have produced superb displays in recent weeks to eliminate reigning national champions Ipswich State High and an in-form St Patrick’s College side that clinched the Aaron Payne Cup.
The Reds’ powerful forward pack laid the foundations for victory with Baylen Donald, Isaac Harrison, Jett Jackson, Jaylen Taewa and hooker Will Saunders making an impact along with classy halves Bailey McConnell and Zane Harrison.
The Reds nursery has produced 52 NRL players including former Kangaroos Ben Ikin, Darius Boyd and Ben Hannant and Kiwi Test stars Jahrome Hughes, Sam Perrett and Kevin Proctor as well as Origin stars Tom Dearden, Ryan James and Cody Walker.
Ian Schifilliti’s St Patrick’s squad can hold their heads high after a successful 2023 campaign that included winning the Aaron Payne Cup premiership, reaching the Queensland State Championship final and semi-finals of the QISSRL Confraternity Shield.
By Chris Karas
St Patrick’s College Mackay’s Opens rugby league team capped a memorable 2023 by winning the Aaron Payne Cup and reaching the final of the Queensland State Championship
