Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

St Patrick’s Young Guns A Force To Be Reckoned With

A promising batch of St Patrick’s College Mackay rugby league colts are set to realise a childhood dream.

Young guns Will Shears, Xavier Kerrisk, Matthew Watts, Liam Doherty, Jason Purdue, Kai Simon and Kayne Smith along with twins Henry Thorpe and Harry Thorpe and Levi Love have secured their immediate sporting futures by signing NRL contracts with the North Queensland Cowboys and Canberra Raiders respectively.

The local Mackay Cutters junior products will spearhead a powerful St Patrick’s Open XIII at the upcoming CQUniversity Confraternity Rugby League Carnival that features the best schoolboy and schoolgirl talent from across Queensland.

All ten prospects are players to watch when the 2022 QISSRL Confraternity Shield kicks off in Mackay on June 26 and runs through to July 1.

St Patrick’s College and Mercy College Mackay will host the prestigious CQUniversity Confraternity Rugby League and QISSN netball events that return to the Mackay region after a 26-year hiatus.

Under the guidance of Mackay Cutters Assistant First Grade coach and Mercy College staff member Michael Comerford, the St Patrick’s Open team are shaping as a force to be reckoned with.

Shears, a dynamic 17-year-old fullback and Capricornia representative, has the class and skills to go a long way and is one of seven St Patrick’s players to ink deals with NRL club North Queensland.

The dashing custodian, who skippered Mercy College to a Year 10 Cowboys Challenge premiership triumph last season, is joined by rising hooker Kerrisk, a crafty number nine and rugged defender who was part of the Emerging Queensland Origin Under 18s squad.

Alongside them will be skilful half back Purdue - who was Player of the Match for Mercy College in their Cowboys Challenge Grand Final win over St Brendans in 2021 and elusive goal kicking centre Simon.

The giant, ball playing prop Watts will feature alongside strong running back rower Doherty and outstanding 16-year-old lock Kayne Smith, who has impressed keen judges with his ball skills, power running and no-nonsense defence.

In tough middle forward Levi Love, utility half Harry Thorpe and his talented twin brother Henry, a smart hooker/lock, the Raiders have snapped up three budding young hopefuls.

Other key St Patrick’s players to keep an eye on include sharp winger Bailey Anderson and robust utility forward Bray Tait.

“Our Open team is very strong this season with a good mix of youth and experience and are keen to do well against the best schoolboy rugby league sides in the State” said Mr Comerford.

“The boys have worked hard in the lead up to this year’s CONFRO and will represent the Mackay region with pride” he added.

With Pool matches against St Peter Claver College Ipswich, Rockhampton Grammar and Iona College Brisbane, the St Patrick’s outfit is banking on a winning start to progress to the finals and hopefully collect a ninth championship title.

St Patrick’s College Mackay has proved a thriving rugby league nursery over the years and has produced a host of NRL top graders and representative stars including future Kangaroos in prop Martin Bella, winger Brett Dallas, dual international winger Wendell Sailor, half back Daly Cherry-Evans and Queensland excitement machine Ben Barba.

The College has recorded eight Confraternity Shield trophy wins to date including five in a row from 1988 to 1992 as well as title victories in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Several Mercy College and St Patrick’s College staff members are connected to the Mackay Cutters in the QRL Hostplus Cup including star first grade half back Brandon Finnigan, gun centre Blake Paskins (Mercy College) and quicksilver utility back Jake Riley (St Patrick’s).

Michael Comerford (Mercy} and Chad Buckby (St Patrick’s) are the Cutters’ Assistant First Grade coaches for 2022 while Mercy College’s Ethan Roberts is a valuable utility with the Cutters’ Under 20s team

Contributed by Chris Karas

St Patrick’s have had a slew of players sign professional NRL contracts this year, including players like Xavier Kerrisk

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