GPS rugby: Churchie First XV captain George Stoddart reflects on his journey to the Firsts
George Stoddart’s nine year rugby career at Anglican Church Grammar School will come to an end on Friday when Churchie try and douse St Joseph’s Nudgee College’s faint hopes of a joint First XV premiership.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
George Stoddart’s nine year rugby career at Anglican Church Grammar School will come to an end on Friday when Churchie try and douse St Joseph’s Nudgee College’s faint hopes of a joint First XV premiership.
Nudgee must beat Churchie and hope Brisbane State High School upset Brisbane Boys College to have any hope of sharing the title with BBC.
RELATED LINKS
CONOR TWEEDY’S INSPIRING COMEBACK
BBC LOCKS INSPIRED BY THE PAST
BBC OLD BOY STARS FOR UNI COLTS ONE
But 15 proud Churchie boys will be standing in their way, with Stoddart in the front line and his halfback Sam Farrar scheming around the fringes.
For captain and No. 8 Stoddart it will end a wonderful association with the college after he watched his brother play for the Firsts while also hearing stories about his go-getting father playing in the famous Nudgee colours during the 1980s.
“I have been with the Churchie rugby program since year four and it made me a much better player,’’ said Stoddart, an Easts rugby club junior.
“The resources, coaching staff, gym – it is a really good place to work on your rugby skills making you a better player and a man.’’
Farrar, who played Firsts last season with Stoddart, said Churchie was a professional and structured program which got the best out of the boys.
“It really maximises our abilities. The opportunities I got from coming to Churchie were immense.’’
Stoddart said he always remembered looking up to the 2014 team and wanting to don the same First XV jersey.
“As a young boy, you wanted to pull on the jersey, do the same thing they did,’’ Stoddart said.
Then there was a moment during lower secondary school when Stoddart realised the clock was ticking on his dream and that if he wanted to follow in the footsteps of brother Ben and dad Tim, he had to get cracking in the gym and on the training park.
“I realised I had to step up my rugby, work on getting bigger, work on getting stronger and try and get fit,’’ George said, noting he was inspired by his brother playing Firsts.
The result is an outstanding No. 8 who will again proudly lead by example when Churchie run onto the park for the final time in 2020 against Nudgee at Churchie.
GPS
FINAL ROUND
FRIDAY:
Churchie v Nudgee
Terrace v IGS
BSHS v BBC
BGS v TGS