by CQ NRL BID Ceo Denis Keeffe

CQ NRL Bid CEO Denis Keeffe

They are both Queensland to the core and coincidently had their origins in the same year – 1980. One of these events was the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Confraternity Shield at St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon; the other was SOO 3, 2011, at Suncorp Stadium.

SOO 3, 2011 was just unbelievable. It was one of, if not the greatest game of Rugby League that I have seen. It is difficult to write about because no words or any amount of superlatives can describe the atmosphere in that Stadium. A mate of mine, who was watching the game in front of his plasma, texted me to say that he could feel the emotion and he could hear the crowd in the broadcast – he was pumped as well and he was 1500 kilometres away. When Darryn Lockyer led his Maroons out onto the grass of Suncorp, the noise was deafening. Every person stood and applauded Locky, even the Blues support immediately in front of me. I normally don’t become too emotional or excited at a game, but I gave my Chairman, Geoff Murphy a hug when Jharel Yow Yeh kicked the ball away from Anthony Minichello’s desperate grasp to score thus capping off thirty minutes of perfect State of Origin Rugby League and taking the score line to 24 to NIL. It was our time and our game from then on.

For me, the rest of the game was a bit of a blur. The crowd was euphoric and even though the Blues managed some good football, our Maroons had the ascendancy and were not going to let this history making moment elude them. We all stayed on after the final bell for the presentations and speeches. No one wanted this to end – it was the stuff of dreams.

The week before SOO 3, we were at the Confraternity Shield at St. Brendan’s College, Yeppoon. There were less people there and no massive replay screens or towering grandstands but I saw the passion of Queensland Rugby League in its truest form. There was no euphoric memory blur at SBC but as a Rugby League fan I felt proud and happy to be able to witness this pure presentation of our great game. The teams performed their war-cries before and after the games; the hits could be heard from the sidelines and the open play running would make Greg Inglis and Billy Slater proud.

Make no mistake our future State of Origin players were out there at SBC and playing the game as it was meant to be played – fast, aggressive and in a magnificent spirit of fairness and good sportsmanship. I congratulate all concerned, especially the team and event officials who worked tirelessly as volunteers over the week to produce a great Rugby League event.

Both Rugby League events were memorable and both made me proud to be a Queenslander who loves his Rugby League.

by Vince Haberman OAM, Bundaberg

St Brendan's College celebrate winning the 2010 Confraternity Shield

ST BRENDAN’S College, of Yeppoon, claimed their fourth Confraternity Shield title in the past five years but not before having to stave off a storming finish from Townsville’s never-say-die Ignatius Park College in the third straight classical grand final showdown between the two heavyweights of the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League at St Laurence’s Playing Fields, Runcorn, in the end prevailing 28-24.

Down 28-12 and seemingly out, Ignatius Park rallied to force a massive momentum swing and set up a grandstand finish with back-to- back converted tries in the 47th and 50th minutes.

After having been very clinical and seemingly in control for most of the first 46 minutes after recovering from the worst possible start, panic set into the young St Brendan’s side, as Ignatius Park totally dominated territorially over the last 10 minutes, which seemed like an eternity, and they mounted inspired attack after attack with fullback Josh Johnson, hooker Glen Day, halfback Sam Foster really turning up the heat and interchange player Jono Rueben also threatening every time he touched the ball.

But battered and bruised and running on empty, somehow St Brendan’s defended for their lives and hung on for a heroic victory.

The result went right down to the wire with the Blue and White getting one last shot at glory when they took a penalty-tap from 10 metres out in the dying seconds, but again the Saints survived the one ensuing ruck.

St Brendan’s had many stars, but in those frenzied dying minutes, captain and fullback Kurt Mann calmly produced the play which will be long remembered when he caught the ball from a bullet-like stab kick near his line under enormous pressure from a rapidly advancing Ignatius Park line, before second rower Alex Choyce and front rower Justice Grace combined to effect a brilliant tackle as another ram- pant runner launched himself at the line.

Ignatius Park had made the dream start with Matt Doyle scoring inside the first minute after St Brendan’s had knocked on from the kick- off and Foster adding the extras.

But the defending champions regrouped quickly and they levelled the ledger with Mann crossing and lock Jake McManus also raising the flags in the fourth minute.

On the back of a brilliant kicking game by five-eighth Jack Madden, Mann struck again and McManus again kicked truly in the 18th minute.

St Brendan’s struck another mighty blow when Jeff Russell also showed great skills to turn and pass in a tackle for fellow interchange player Dion Geesu to collect the ball and score in the right corner, then McManus converted from close to touch for an 18-6 lead in the 25th minute.

But Ignatius Park pounced on a rare St Brendan’s error two minutes later and got back to within a converted try’s margin with centre Hayden Crowley forcing his way over near the right touch-line, and Foster maintaining the 100% conversion rate.

St Brendan’s again regained their composure during the break, and after forcing an early Ignatius Park knock-on, they drew away again in their ensuing set with Geesu finishing off a sweeping back-line movement which was ignited again by Mann before Russell again threw the last pass and McManus landed another booming conversion.

Then when centre Brett Reddiex handled twice before somehow grounding the ball despite the best efforts of four defenders in the 43rd minute, it looked like game over, even though McManus’ kick sailed just wide.

But perhaps they dropped their guard, and Ignatius Park came roaring back, with firstly marauding front rower Chris Grevsmuhl power- ing over, then Rueben scoring from dummy-half and Foster converting both times to reduce the margin to four points.

From there, with a tidal wave of momentum behind them and their big guns booming, they looked certain to snatch victory, but they sim- ply could not get over the line again, and they were devastated when the referee finally blew the full-time whistle.

But the winners take all, and St Brendan’s and their army of supporters were delirious and Madden was a worthy winner of their Man of the Match award, but many players from both sides proved themselves to be superstars in the making, including Mann, whom coach Terry Hansen rated as “easily’’ his best on the day.

An emotional Hansen, who proved that grown men do cry and who earlier in the week had said that he had no great expectations this year for his youthful side which included 10 year 11’s, rated it as the best of his six Confraternity triumphs in the nine years at the helm.

“Determination and fitness won it and their willingness to work hard for each other – they will be an even better side next year. Our 13 (McManus), 10 (Tama Heka), 8 (Grace) were very good, but so were our 4 (Reddiex), 6 (Madden) and 7 (Angus Dorante) but they were all good and I love them all,’’ Hansen said.

Ignatius Park got a fitting consolation when Foster received the prestigious Player of the Carnival award, but St Brendan’s had further cause for celebration when hooker George Grant picked up the Ergon Energy Trophy for the Player With the Most Potential.

Lock sensation McManus was St Brendan’s Player of the Carnival, but he unfortunately missed a place in the Carnival Team even though the College was the best represented school with seven players chosen – Mann, who has already been signed by the Newcastle Knights, Madden, Grant, Reddiex, Heka, the Canterbury Bankstown-contracted prolific try scoring winger Brady Williams and workaholic second rower Thorne Johnson.

Four Ignatius Park young guns also received the selectors’ favour – Foster, Grevsmuhl, Day and another blockbusting front rower Lloyd McIvor, who each also had magnificent carnivals.

Meanwhile, Abergowrie bounced back from the disappointment of their semi-final loss to St Brendan’s and wound up a creditable third with centre Javid Bowen crossing for a double but hooker Hodrick Mudu their Player of the Match as they outgunned Rockhampton Grammar 30-20.

St Mary’s I grabbed fifth with a hard-fought 11-6 victory over St Peter Claver I, while hosts Clairvaux MacKillop again battled hard but they had to settle for eighth after going down to 26-22 to Padua I for whom fullback Andrew Shipp was a major contributor with 14 points from two tries and three goals, but lock Adam Genninges was Man of the Match.

Shield – Final: St Brendan’s 28 (Kurt Mann 2, Dion Geesu 2, Brett Reddiex tries; Jake McManus 4 goals) d Ignatius Park 24 (Matt Doyle, Hayden Crowley, Chris Grevsmuhl, Jono Rueben tries; Sam Foster 4 goals); 3rd & 4th : Abergowrie 30 d Rockhamp- ton Grammar 20; 5th & 6th : St Mary’s I 11 d St Peter Claver 6; 7th & 8th : Padua I 26 d Clairvaux MacKillop 22.

Seven St Brendan’s players were named in the side while runner-up Ignatius Park College in Townsville was rewarded, with four players included in the side.

St Brendan’s College fullback Kurt Mann was named captain.

2010 QISSRL Confraternity Carnival team

1. Kurt Mann – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon ( Capt )
2. Brady Williams – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
3. James Dick – Marymount College Gold Coast
4. Brett Reddiex – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
5. Jarrod Watson – St Patrick’s College Shorncliffe
6. Jack Madden – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
7. Sam Foster – Ignatius Park College Townsville
8. Chris Grevsmuhl – Ignatius Park College Townsville
9. Glen Day – Ignatius Park College Townsville
10. Tama Heka – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
11. Thorne Johnson – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
12. Steven Jones – Ignatius Park College Townsville
13. Ryan Hill – St Patrick’s College Shorncliffe
14. Lloyd McIvor – Ignatius Park Townsville
15. George Grant – St Brendan’s College Yeppoon
16. Brad Jones – St Michael’s College Gold Coast
17. Zac Santo – Blackheath and Thornburgh College Charters Towers

Dan Mollard is the official photographer for the  2010 QISSRL Confraternity Carnival.

Visit his site to see all the photos from this year’s carnival. Dan Mollard Photography

The boys from BTC celebrate winning the Confraternity Bowl (Photo courtesy of BTC)

The boys not only won the Bowl division of the Carnival but more importantly won the Referees Team Fair Play Award .

What great achievements they both were. Zac Santo was also selected in the QISSRL 2010 representative team.In their first game against St Peter Claver 2 they narrowly went down 20-16 but then had a great win over St Joseph’s/ Assumption 42 to nil.

Their third game again saw them narrowly be defeated by Chanel College 20 – 14 but in their quarter final game against Marist Emerald, after being down 10 nil at half time, they fought back to win 16-10.

The spectators were exhausted……not to mention the players. Wednesday was their much needed rest day and their semi -final game on Thursday was again a nail biting encounter with Padua and with 10 minutes to go the game was close,but BTC put in a few late tries to comfortably win 28-10.

Final time and the boys lined up against Marymount…and some of the opposition were big boys.

After Marymount put in two quick tries in the corner ,the boys must have felt the pressure but you couldn’t tell and they dug deep,didn’t let anymore tries in , Anton scored and then there was a bit of “Zac Time”,to turn the game around to an 18-8 victory for BTC.

The win was a team effort and you were a great team!

Thanks must go to Coach Nic Robins, Assistant Coach Max Batt, Trainer Alistair Horne, Manager Michael Gilbert, Fill-in-Trainer Roger Batt and spectators for cheering the boys on.

A special big thank you to the boys from Concordia , St Patricks Shorncliffe and St Peter Claver for helping the numbers in the BTC team.

You were great team mates and great friends.

Story courtesy of Blackheath and Thornburgh College

Ignatius Park started the game strongly, scoring their first try virtually straight after the kick off, but St Brendan’s hit back to score two and make the score 12-4 at halftime. The game went end for end with both teams struggling to put more tries on the scoreboard until Brendan’s scored a couple to see them up 22-6.

But Ignatius Park began completing their sets and crawled their way back to bring the score to 22-20.

They both added more tries to the board making it 28-24 in the closing stage of the match when a penalty was awarded to Ignatius Park. With minutes still remaining on the scoreboard, Ignatius Park took the hit up but the ref then blew time, despite there being time left until the siren sounded.

“It was a bit controversial, the ref must have been keeping time himself,” coach Dave Elliott said.

“We were pretty shocked.”

Despite the disappointing finish to the match, Elliott commended his team for their attitude and commitment throughout the carnival.

“They are definitely good team, it is a big carnival with about 42 teams competing,” he said.

“They are a great bunch of boys, they are a young side, most of them in Year 11.

“They put in some good performances even in the one they did lose.

“But they will have another opportunity next year.”

Four players made the Queensland independent state side – Sam Foster, who was also named player of the carnival, Lloyd McIver, Chris Grevsmuhl and Glen Day.

Other Ignatius Park results:

Day one: def St Brendans No. 2 side 42-0; def St Patrick’s Mackay 34-4.

Day two: def St Mary’s Toowoomba 20-12, def St Peter Claver from Brisbane 30-10 (quarter-final); def Rocky Grammar 56-0 (semi-final).

St Brendan’s also contested the Bob Lindner Trophy final with their No. II team taking on St Patrick’s Shorncliffe, but try as they may, they were soundly beaten 24-6 after trailing just 8-6 at half-time.

Lock Jacob Judd took out the St Patrick’s Player of the Match award, but centre Zach Koitka was rewarded for an also outstanding series with his selection in the Carnival team, and front rower Carl Brough and five-eighth Ryan Hill also played leading hands.

It was St Patrick’s first time in Division 1 and coach Steve Lawrence described their performance as “fantastic’’.

“The team only got picked last Monday but they did everything we asked of them and we were unlucky in some of our early games to be in the bottom half of the draw,’’ Lawrence said.

“We had four backing up from the rugby union state championships which only finished on Sunday – Zach Koitka, Jacob Judd, second rower Dylan Napa and front rower Michael Hoffman – so it was a big effort.

“Unfortunately our hooker Billy McCartney got knocked out in the semi-final and couldn’t play in the final.’’

A STUNNING four-try raid in quick succession early in the second half mesmerised Ignatius Park and set up a 36-26 victory for St Brendan’s I in the 2009 Confraternity Shield grand final at Bundaberg Brothers Sports Club.

It was the Yeppoon powerhouses’ third Shield title in the past four years and in the words of coach Terry Hansen it was “sweet revenge’’ after they had been similarly blown away by their Townsville heavyweights rivals 34-14 in last year’s decider.

But it was a score-line which was far beyond St Brendan’s wildest dreams and a blow-out which no-one saw coming after Ignatius Park, who had conceded just two tries in their first five matches of the tournament, led 6-0 and were looking good 11 minutes before half-time.

Against the run of play, St Brendan’s Queensland under-18 Maroons representative and Melbourne Storm contracted fullback Maipele Morseau breathed new life into the clash with a brilliant long-range try down the right flank.

Brendan’s then took the lead for the first time with an also superb try to halfback Aiona Nona five minutes later, but they lost the ball on the first tackle from the ensuing restart, and it was all too easy as Ignatius Park made them pay, with one of their two Queensland under-

18 Maroons second rowers Kurtis Ritchie bullocking over to the level the scores two tackles later.

But the danger signs were ringing for the defending champions with Brendan’s centre Kurt Mann finishing off a slick team try to re-establish a four-point lead on the stroke of half-time.

Everyone expected Ignatius Park to hit back strongly in the second stanza, but instead, they were shell-shocked as Brendan’s turned up the heat and scored the crucial first try with rampaging front rower Angelo Toby plucking the ball out of the air from a pin-point bomb

and crashing over the line.

They did not give Ignatius Park the chance to regroup, instead, going for the jugular, completing electrifying back-to-back-to-back tries, with Morseau putting the touches on a sweeping back-line movement to bring up a personal double, then high-class hooker Dean Black-

man joining the party.

If it was not game over by then, when their other rampant prop and captain Kyle Burkhardt, who made a remarkable recovery from in-jury to be a surprise starter, split the defence up the middle of the ruck and crossed under the posts, the battered pride of North Queen-

sland needed a miracle.

They did pick themselves up off the canvas to score the last three tries of the match, but it was too little, too late, and St Brendan’s went on to a famous victory.

Blackman collected his second straight Player of the Match award, but they were many other heroes, with Hansen also making special mention of hard-hitting second rower Ben Jarvis, Morseau, and their other second rower Tom Murphy.

“Dean was very good but I thought Ben was easily my best – his defence and his commitment are just great – also Kyle Burkhardt was very good even with his dickey shoulder, as was our 13 (Luke Crumblin), and our three Kurt Mann, who is only 16,’’ Hansen said.

“We saved our best to last and played really well – our ball control and completed sets won the game but our on-line defence was also very good – they visited our area a few times but they kept coming up empty-handed. It got a bit pear-shaped at the end but that was only when I gave the reserves a run.’’

Such was the magnitude of the performance, St Brendan’s also dominated the Carnival team with six players chosen in the 17 – Morseau, who also took out the coveted Player of the Carnival award, Blackman, Nona, winger Kearney Binawell, centre Tom Quill and five-eighth Sam Madden.

Ignatius Park was the next best represented with four – Ritchie, and quicksilver centre Alex Elisala, hooker Jay Lobwein and front rower Josh Rose, who each were selected for the second year in a row, although Lobwein who was Player of the Carnival last year could manage only a Reserves berth this time.

Shield Final: St Brendan’s I 36 (Maipele Morseau 2, Aiona Nona, Kurt Mann, Angelo Toby, Dean Blackman, Kyle Burkhardt tries; Brett Reddiex 4 goals) d Ignatius Park 26 (Kurtis Ritchie 2, Sam Foster, Jay Lobwein, Ben Carter tries; Lobwein 3 goals). POM: Dean Blackman (SB).

3rd & 4th: Padua 32 (Tyson Skyring 3, Michael Cotton 2, Ben Nielsen tries; Adam Crear 4 goals) d Rockhampton Grammar 6 (Simon Gregory try; Pryce Trevor goal). POM: Adam Crear (P), Stephen Coombe (RG).

5th & 6th: St Peter Claver I 17 (Brenton Mirallez 2, Jason Packer tries; Mirallez 2 goals; Mirallez field goal) d St Mary’s I 10 (Jackson
Green, Matthew Judd tries; Haydan Lipp goal). POM: Jason Packer (SPC), Haydan Lipp (SM).

7th & 8th: Clairvaux MacKillop 56 (Ethan Aiona 3, Mitchell Moore 2, Nick Doyle, Mitchell Sharman, Absalom Curry, Cameron Batchelor, Luke O’Connor tries; Thomas Clark-Kennedy 5, Jean-Marc Berthelot 3 goals) d Cathedral College 0. POM: Ethan Aiona
(CM), Jeremiah Lynch (TCC).