2025 Aaron Payne Cup live stream: Kirwan State High v St Augustine’s College

Kirwan High kept its hot start to the Payne Cup season alive against St Augustine’s, thanks in part to a stellar performance from Riley Carbone. Watch the REPLAY here.

Kirwan halfback Riley Carbone masterminded a 26-18 victory over St Augustine’s College at Barlow Park in Cairns with a stellar Aaron Payne Cup performance on Wednesday.

The Bears co-captain scored a hat-trick and set up another try with his slick ballplaying just five minutes into the game when he helped unlock space for Clarvarn Oth down the right sideline.

If Carbone was the conductor then powerful right winger Oth was first chair, hitting all the right notes to give Kirwan an early lead.

Riley Carbone was terrific for Kirwan State High School on Wednesday. Picture: Michaela Harlow

Oth scored the Bears’ first try when a nice backline play – which included a textbook catch-and-pass from Trent Martin – gave the winger enough space to get past the defence.

Martin unlocked his wing partner again five minutes later from a scrum in Kirwan’s half, and after making 30 metres Oth threw a late offload to Carbone to finish the long-range try.

St Augustine’s worked back into the grind but Carbone made it 16-0 to the visitors when the crafty halfback dazzled the defence with a little shimmy to slip through the line and score.

Saints hooker Tristian Martin scored a try from dummy half at the end of each half, teaching the Bears that they can’t afford to switch off in the late stages – especially when defending their line.

Kirwan led 16-6 at the break and picked up where they left off in the second half with a try through powerful prop Eneliko Savelio before Carbone completed his hat-trick by scooping up a charged-down kick and racing half the field to score.

Tries from Martin and Saints skipper Ben Walker got the home side back in the contest but they ultimately fell short of the mark.

KIRWAN: 26 (Clarvarn Oth, Riley Carbone (2), Eneliko Savelio tries; Riley Carbone (3) goals)

ST AUGUSTINE’S: 18 (Tristan Martin (2), Ben Walker tries; Lucas Russell (3) goals)

REPLAY

St Augustine’s College v Kirwan SHS (Cowboys Challenge)

Kirwan State High School’s rout of St Augustine’s College in the Cowboys Challenge has been cut short due to a player injury.

The visiting Kirwan piled on the pain in the first half, leading 38-0 just moments into the second half.

One of St Augustine’s players went down after being involved in a tackle early in the half.

With play unable to be resumed as training staff struggled to get the injured player from the field, the game was ultimately brought to an early conclusion with the result essentially beyond doubt.

It’s another statement win for Kirwan who will be hoping to back it up when the Aaron Payne Cup boys hit the track shortly.

PREVIEW

Kirwan State High School coach Todd Wilson says he is refusing to let his squad get ahead of itself after a strong season-opening performance.

The reigning Aaron Payne Cup champions defeated fellow Queensland schoolboys powerhouse St Patrick’s College, Mackay 28-6 in a decisive round one display.

However, faced with another major challenge in the form of St Augustine’s College on Wednesday, Wilson said the Bears want to continue to work on their weaknesses.

The Payne Cup and Cowboys Challenge matches between the two schools will be live streamed exclusively here on KommunityTV.

Manua Dau (right) was electric in Kirwan State High’s round one victory. Picture: Evan Morgan

“It was a good start, and gave us a bit of an idea of where we’re at and what we need to do,” Wilson said.

“We’re certainly not getting ahead of ourselves, it’s a long season. But it was a positive start.

“I think for us the key now is to minimise those unforced errors, we had way too many of those last week which put us under pressure.”

While Wilson remained modest, there was no doubt Kirwan’s round one display sent a message to the rest of the competition.

There were strong performers all over the park with five-eighth Manua Dau starring while Trent Martin and Clarvarn Oth reformed their Cubs connection on the right edge.

The Bears battered St Patrick’s College in a strong outing. Picture: Evan Morgan

St Augustine’s meanwhile are certainly another side to watch, fresh off a dominant 64-6 win over Holy Spirit College.

Wilson said there would be no underestimating the Cairns school from his perspective.

“We’re expecting a really tough game out of them,” he said.

“That Peninsula side went really well at state champs and St Augustine’s was well represented.

“The way they’ve kicked off their season against Holy Spirit, we’re expecting a tough game.”

Live stream coverage of Kirwan against St Augustine’s will begin with the Cowboys Challenge at 11.30am on Wednesday before the Payne Cup gets underway at 12.30pm, all broadcast exclusively here on KommunityTV.

Originally published as 2025 Aaron Payne Cup live stream: Kirwan State High v St Augustine’s College