WATCH THE REPLAYS: Phil Hall Cup, Karyn Murphy Cup grand final day
Palm Beach Currumbin outclassed St Brendan’s in a one-sided NRL Schoolboys Phil Hall Cup grand final, while Keebra Park were triumphant in the Kary Murphy Cup and St Augustine’s in the NRL Schoolboy Trophy. WATCH THE REPLAYS!
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The school rugby league season ended a bang today when News Corp Australia livestreamed three grand finals - including the Phil Hall Cup state final won by Palm Beach Currumbin SHS over St Brendan’s College.
WATCH THE DAY’S REPLAYS IN THE PLAYER ABOVE AND BY SCROLLING DOWN
Coverage stared at 9am with live-streaming of the Karyn Murphy Cup schoolgirl competition which was won by Keebra Park SHS, then continued with the NRL Schoolboy Trophy game won by St Augustine’s over Lockyer District SHS.
Then came the Phil Hall Cup grand final at 3.30pm - all streamed by The Courier-Mail, Gold Coast Bulletin, Morning Bulletin and News Corp affiliates.
PLAYERS TO WATCH IN WEDNESDAY’S GRAND FINALS
THE MATCHES
PBC SHS v ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE IN THE NRL SCHOOLBOYS PHIL HALL CUP GRAND FINAL
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS yesterday climbed to the top of Queensland schoolboy rugby league by claiming the Phil Hall Cup in a 62-nil grand final whitewash of St Brendan’s College.
With star centre Deine Mariner scoring three of his team’s first five tries, PBC SHS hit the ground running the never lost stride during a 60 minute onslaught. It was PBC’s first state grand final win since 2018.
St Brendan’s College were trapped in an avalanche as PBS SHS relentlessly went about its business.
It was like watching the Melbourne Storm in action, so complete was PBC SHS’s execution.
Firstly they rattled their opponents in defence to force turnovers, and with that possession it was poetry in motion as forwards ran decoys or turned into ball players in support of their halfback Tom Weaver.
Outside of Weaver, centre Mariner was simply stunning.
Watched by Brisbane Broncos champions Matt Gillett and David Stagg, the Broncos-signed Mariner gave the NRL club supporters a glimpse of what he is capable of during an all-star performance.
“That was something we were building toward,’’ said PBC SHS coach Tim Maccan.
“I had said to people we had not played our best game of footie yet.
“We had a motto at our school that it is all about the power of red.
“That jersey represents a lot to our school. They know about it, the culture and they use it and harness it and they turned into a really big super team today.’’
St Brendan’s coach Scott Minto said PBC SHS were far too good and PBC SHS centre Mariner was a special player, but he was still proud of his boys.
“They were really courageous,’’ he said. “We barely had the footie, the bounce went against us. It was a tough day out but I have know doubt they will be better players.
“We came up against some good sides. We got the job done the other week (against Kirwan SHS) but obviously today was a bit harder.’’
PBC’s precision was such that they led 14-nil after as many minutes, with centre Mariner scoring twice, and then 18 and 24-nil.
With big prop Cullen passing, not running, in the front line, play was twice swept from the left to the right through Weaver and five-eight Michael Roberts towards Mariner.
Mariner’s effort to score his second try emphasised why he is the best schoolboy league centre in the state.
It took 19 minutes before PBC SHS’s perfection was blotted - when halfback Weaver’s chip kick ran over the dead ball line.
At last St Brendan’s could draw breath - but for how long? For about two minutes because that is all it took for PBC SHS to score their fourth try, with Mariner again blazing away on the outside to put winger Jett Forbes over.
Weaver’s sideline conversion made it 22-nil and the match was as good as over despite still having 35 minutes to run.
Mariner then scored his third try - from a Weaver chip-kick - and the game was over by halftime.
Earlier, the scintillating Langer Trophy debut season of PBC SHS fullback Keano Kini continued at pace when he scored after just four minutes.
The dynamic Kini took on the line after PBC SHS had received a penalty following a long intercept run from Jeff Forbes.Weaver’s sideline conversion kicked PBC SHS away to 6-nil.
Kini then added a second, long distance try in the second half.
Scores: PBC SHS 62 (J Forbes 3, D Mariner 3, K Kini 2, M Roberts 2, O Bryant, R Foran, tries; T Weaver 5 convs) def St Brendan’s College 0.
KEEBRA PARK SHS V KIRWAN SHS IN THE KARYN MURPHY CUP
Keebra Park SHS’s Chantay Ratu and Skyla Adams played the house down to help their side to the Murphy Cup win over Kirwan SHS by 24-8.
Unbeaten Keebra Park SHS jumped out of the blocks with two quick tries before Kirwan SHS prop Theophelia Mosby-Mona spun her way over.
Keebra Park had opened the scoring with an enterprising effort by Faith Tutauha off a Ratu pass, then soon after the long striding Ratu reached out to score her own try.
Ratu hit the pass with the vigor of an edge backrower.
But Kirwan SHS, down 8-nil, worked their way back into the match.
With excellent ball control, they worked over the Keebra Park defence, leading to Mosby-Mona’s close to the line try.
However the killer blow came when Keebra left centre Hailee-Jay Ormund-Maunsell plunged over and the game was safe.
Keebra Park SHS coach Nathan Small said the win was a reward for the commitment the group had shown.
“And that is not only over the last 12 months, but the entire time they have been in the program,’’ Small said.
“Some of these girls have been at the school since year 7, so to see them finish state champions, best school out of 62 teams, is something to be very proud of.’’
Keebra dummy half Layne Northey also gave lovely service to aid her team’s performance.
Despite trailing, Kirwan did score late courtesy of Jairel-Ellan Martin-Savage.
REPLAY: LOCKYER VALLEY V ST AUGUSTINE’S IN THE QLD NRL SCHOOLBOY TROPHY FINAL
St Augustine’s College scored two tries in the last four minutes to beat Lockyer Valley 20-18.
The winning try came less than two minutes from the end, scored by second rower Lachlan Magill.
A booming sideline conversion by Billy Vincent - his second of the game - then carried his team ahead.
Lockyer Valley had led but Caiban Thaiday’s second try, then Magill’s try and Vincent’s conversion gave the FNQ side victory.
St Augustine’s College coach Chris O’Farrell said he was most proud of his team’s resilience throughout the season.
“And their determination to stay in the fight.
“They were their worst enemies pretty much the whole game but they dug deep in the last few minutes. They have shown that all throughout the season.’’
What a match it was.
Two intercept tries lit up the grand final, with first St Augustine’s Thaiday outlasting Lockyer Valley fullback Cooper Leston to score - and five minutes late Lockyer’s Caeleb Nagan sprinting 95m untouched.
Those two thrilling sprint tries saw Lockyer Valley lead 14-10, setting the scene for a bumper last 17 minutes.
Earlier, Lockyer Valley SHS seized the advantage - but only just - with a composed, constructive first half of football.
Enterprising centre Shoneton Karapen snapped a 4-all deadlock in the lead up to the break, outflanking the St Augustine’s defence which had given up a little too much room on the outside.
With five-eighth Mason Potter and fullback Cooper Listen providing slick service, and Lockyer District forwards Logan Hazard, Clayton Andrew and Connor Page driving ahead, Lockery District were in top.
Both No.4s traded tries in the opening 20 minutes of the grand final, with Hayden Dunn plunging over in the corner for Lockyer Valley after subtle ball play by Cooper Listen and Mason Potter in the lead-up.
Lockyer Valley had the better of the territory battle, with a fast moving defensive line contributing to keep St Augustine’s pinned.
But the first chance St Augustine’s had in attack zone, they scored, with right centre Kaleb Eaton crossing.
Late in the first half Dunn almost scored again, but was bent back by last ditch goal line defence.
REPLAY: IPSWICH SHS VS KEEBRA PARK SHS
REPLAY: SHALOM COLLEGE VS KIRWAN SHS
REPLAY: IPSWICH SHS VS KIRWAN SHS
REPLAY: SHALOM COLLEGE VS KEEBRA PARK SHS
REPLAY: SHALOM COLLEGE VS IPSWICH SHS
REPLAY: KIRWAN SHS VS KEEBRA PARK SHS
THE PREVIEW
Two of the great discovery players unearthed this season have been PBC SHS fullback Keano Kini and Tane Kiriona of St Brendan’s College.
Kini was signed by Gold Coast Titans before any of their talent scouts saw him play a league game live.
A year 11 student, Kini was actually signed after the Titans saw him playing tag (touch football) in his native Auckland.
The Titans were looking for a halve and had been tipped off about his ability, so the first chance talent scouts got to see him in the flesh was playing touch football - not rugby league.
The Titans had to move quickly, because two other NRL clubs were circling the then 15-year-old.
So the Titans sold their vision, and Kini signed which led him to coming to Palm Beach Currumbin SHS this season to “learn the Aussie way’’ and test himself in the elite Langer Trophy schoolboy environment.
“They (the Titans) talked to us about the pathways and we (the family) thought it was a good opportunity,’’ Kini said.
Kini said deciding to attend Palm Beach Currumbin SHS was made easier because PBC star centre Deine Mariner was a club mate of his at the Marist club in New Zealand.
In a late season master stroke by PBC SHS coach Tim Maccan, Kini reverted to a ball-playing extra half despite still wearing the No.1 jersey.
“They wanted me more involved on the line, basically another half on the line on the left side,’’ said Kini, the joint Justin Hodges Medallist player of the year alongside Chris Faagutu (Marsden SHS).
“I like five-eighth and will probably move into the halves next year, but I am enjoying both.’’
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Like Kini, St Brendan’s Kiriona was a relative unknown prior to this season.
A middle powerhouse, Kiriona first raised eyebrows playing with the Central Capras in the Meninga Cup under 18 competition in March and April.
His mid field dominance helped Capras into the finals, and he continued that form for St Brendan’s in the Confraternity Shield and Aaron Payne Cup campaigns.
“He is a big mobile aggressive middle forward,’’ said St Brendan’s coach Scott Minto.
“Kiriona will be that strong presence holding up the middle third of the field.
“Look for him combining well with his fellow forward sidekick Noah Corcoran.’’
WHERE TO WATCH BRONCOS CHALLENGE REPLAYS
OLD BOYS CUP, RENOUF REPLAYS HERE
HANCOCK, WALTERS CUP GRAND FINAL REPLAYS
THE TEAMS
St Brendan’s College: 1. Matthew Hill, 2. Kongasau Nona, 3. Blayden Dodd, 4. Blake Anders, 5. Mackenzi Nixon, 6. Jackson Miller, 7. Owen Pattie, 8. Tane Kiriona, 9. Quinn Stover, 10. Brock Hinds, 11. Benjamin Charles, 12. Kealhan O’Brien, 13. Noah Corcoran, 14. Hoani Harris, 15. Filipe Buli, 16. Harrison Gray, 17. Marley Wosomo
PBC SHS: 1 Keano Kini, 2 Hunter Ploegsma, 3 Reef Sommerville, 4 Deine Mariner, 5 Jett Forbes, 6 Michael Roberts, 7 Tom Weaver (c), 8 Kade Somerville (vc), 9 Oskar Bryant, 10 Jack Cullen, 11 Brock Priestley, 12 Ryan Foran, 13 Jayden Wright, 14 Tanu Nona, 15 Bailey Martin, 16 Reico Ratana, 17 Isaiah Scanlan, 18 Darcy Townsend, 19 Travis May, 20 Sam Sowery.
LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE
Wednesday (Redcliffe Dolphins)
Karyn Murphy Cup Final Series
9am – Ipswich SHS Vs Keebra Park SHS
9:30am – Shalom College Vs Kirwan SHS
10:30am – Ipswich SHS Vs Kirwan SHS
11:00am – Shalom College Vs Keebra Park SHS
12:00pm – Shalom College Vs Ipswich SHS
12:30pm – Kirwan SHS Vs Keebra Park SHS
NRL Schoolboy Trophy Qld Grand Final
1pm – St Augustines Vs Lockyer District
Karyn Murphy Cup Grand Final
2:30pm – Keebra Park SHS Vs Kirwan SHS
NRL Schoolboy Phil Hall Cup Qld Grand Final
3:30pm – Palm Beach-Currumbin SHS Vs St Brendan’s College
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