St Peter Claver College excited for the future after impressive netball and rugby league results

Meet the young Ipswich sports stars, including a schoolboy rugby league whiz and several netball talents, who have a local school dreaming big for the future.

An Ipswich school has shown the future is bright for its netball and rugby league programs after an impressive showing at the QISSN and Confraternity Carnivals last month.

St Peter Claver College’s firsts netball team showed they were a school on the rise after jumping four divisions in three years while their firsts rugby league squad also showcased talent in Mackay with one young gun even selected for representative honours.

Claver netball has seen a massive resurgence, jumping from third in the fifth division in 2019 to fourth in the first division this year.

The Claver Firsts Netball team.

The team featuring Kirsten-Lupe Tanielu, Sophie Wilkins, Anahera Duncan-Semau, Armani Apelu, Ella Maseinawa, Molly Green, Saupo Toeleiu, Sienna Linnan, Grace Berry, Tia McGregor, Tianna Apelu was led in Mackay by coach Amy Fatialofa, who has overseen the program’s progression since returning as mentor in 2019.

Fatialofa said it was amazing to realise the progress the team has made.

“We needed a change of culture in 2019, which is exactly what the team provided,” she said.

“While we still have a way to go to compete with the very big netball schools, we feel confident that we can make these steps over the next few years.”

Claver students with their silverware

Fatialofa said the girls made progress in taking responsibility for their role and also believed the mutual support between the netball and rugby league team stood out in Mackay.

“The teams held each other up in tough times and cheered each other on in the great moments. It was true Claver spirit,” she said.

While it was a team effort, which brought about such a successful QISSN campaign, their captain Kirsten-Lupe Tanielu and Year 10 student Saupo Toeleiu had their prints all over the side’s performance.

Saupo Toeleiu (left) and Kirsten Lupe-Tanielu (right).

In her third QISSN tournament, Lupe-Tanielu led from the front not only with her on-court brilliance but with her off-court leadership and was selected as Claver’s MVP.

Toeleiu earned herself selection in the QISSN Rising Stars Team following her dominant defensive display throughout the tournament.

Claver head of sport, Sarah Cassin, had high praise for Toeleiu saying her strength and ability was a “combination few players of her age possess”.

QISSN Rising Star Saupo Toeleiu.

Toeleiu said the carnival brought the team closer together.

“I would love to see this year’s team play together one more time at the Vicki Wilson Championships,” she said.

“Expect we will come back better than ever.”

But the Claver netballers weren’t the only ones to turn it on in Mackay, with the school’s youthful rugby league squad showing glimpses of what is to come in an exciting future for the school.

The Claver Confraternity Carnival rugby league team.

Young gun Lachlan Stuart was a standout for the team at the carnival, earning a spot in the QISSRL honorary representative team.

Stuart, who was one of the Confraternity Carnival’s players to watch, was selected at No.7 in an the elite team, which has included some all rugby league’s greats such as Jonathan Thurston and Matt Bowen.

Firsts rugby league coach, Christopher Ash, said the next few years were exciting for the program.

Claver halfback Lachlan Stuart with his award.

“We have a young group that will move through to be the core of our squad next year,” he said.

“It was pleasing to see the growth of the young players on and off the field last week.”

Stuart, who idolises Darren Lockyer, said his tournament gave him him more confidence moving forward.

While his goal is to be scouted by an NRL club, Stuart said was not getting ahead of himself.

“I’ll just keep playing footy and see what happens,” he said.