Confraternity Carnival history with nine girls teams invited to the 2021 carnival

The barriers previously preventing girls playing rugby league continue to crumble at pace, with the time-honoured Confraternity Carnival, once a boys domain, making history by welcoming girls teams for next week’s carnival.

The escalation of opportunities for girls to play rugby league continues at pace, with the time-honoured Confraternity Carnival welcoming female teams from nine schools for next week’s 2021 carnival.

Clairvaux MacKillop College (Mount Gravatt), Trinity College (Beenleigh), Shalom Catholic College (Bundaberg), St Joseph’s College (Toowoomba), Emmaus College (Rockhampton), The Cathedral College (Rockhampton), St Patrick’s College (Mackay), Marymount College (Burleigh Waters) and Southern Cross Catholic College (Townsville) will compete.

The schools will join the 48 teams, mostly from Catholic schools, in a carnival which had been played every year since 1980 until last year’s break. Previously the carnival had been the domain of boys rugby league.

Lily Prendergast, 17 (Marymount College), will be a key player for her side. Picture: Jerad Williams

The carnival is run by Queensland independent Secondary Schools Rugby League and will be staged June 28-July 2 at Iona College.

“It’s a historic year for the Confraternity Carnival with the girls’ competition creating a new level of excitement,” said QISSRL president and Padua College Rector Peter Elmore.

Competition will be first class, with girls teams from the nine competing schools finalists at the 2019 Karyn Murphy Cup.

RELATED LINKS

ST MARY’S OLD BOY A BRONCOS SIGNING

COUNTRY KIDS IMPRESS AT RAIDERS. WESTS TIGERS

The QISSRL decision continues the rapid growth of girls playing rugby league, highlighted by the growth of the Titans Schools Leagues - which is livestreamed each Wednesday via www.couriermail.com.au and News affiliates - and the expansion of the NRLW team four to six teams (including the inclusion of the Jamie Feeney-coached Gold Coast Titans).

The Queensland Rugby League has also moved to improve its pathways for schoolgirl players to ease the flood of young talent which had previously gone to play in Sydney in order to progress their games.

Marymount’s Lily Kolc brushes off the defence. Picture Glenn Hampson

Elmore said the new Confraternity Carnival girls’ competition was not dissimilar to the inaugural boys’ competition in 1980 which started with six teams, but is now one of the best known schoolboy rugby league nurseries.

The 40th Confraternity Carnival in Bundaberg in 2019 drew more than 1000 boys while nine players from the Queensland State of Origin squad for the series opener were former Confraternity Carnival players.

“The Carnival has grown in size since it was first contested in 1980 but it remains an event in

which sportsmanship, respect and fellowship are most highly valued,” Elmore said.

“We are proud of the many Catholic schools and players who have contested this event over the decades.

Marymount College girls players will take part in the Confro Carnival for the first time this year.

“While there is a great list of former Confro players who have gone on to the game’s highest levels, we’re just as proud of the manner in which the Carnival is played.’’

The www.couriermail.com.au will cover girls’ grand final day on July 1, and boys quarterfinals (July 1) and grand finals (July 2).