REVEALED: Northern schoolboys team + Kirwan State High School v Ignatius Park College trial hub
The 2024 U18 Northern schoolboys rugby league squad has been selected with a few big surprises. See who made the cut and catch up on the Kirwan v Ignatius Park trial with a 74-picture gallery.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Kirwan State High School has re-established itself as North Queensland’s premier rugby league talent factory after outnumbering Ignatius Park College by nearly five to one in the Northern Under-16 to 18 team.
Kirwan players made up 14 of 18 names in the squad for the schoolboys state championships, including 12 of 13 starters.
Ignatius Park and Blackhawks under-17s prop Sitiveni Afu was the sole player from outside Kirwan’s halls to crack the starting team while College teammates Lincoln Baker, Joe Briskey and Sean Weir were named on an extended bench.
“To have those selections is a great achievement for them and we’re very proud to have that many boys get the opportunity to represent North Queensland at a state championship,” Kirwan coach Todd Wilson said.
Selectors were left with little choice after Kirwan romped home 26-18 in Wednesday’s trial match, with Kirwan players backing up in a possibles-v-probables match later in the afternoon.
The scoreline flattered a well beaten Iggy Park team that had few answers for Kirwan’s fearsome forward pack and surgical kicking game that sparked multiple tries.
No players were drawn from outside the Kirwan-Iggy Park duopoly, a disappointing development given the growth in the NQISSRL competition involving teams from Charters Towers and Townsville.
A season ago Columba Catholic College fullback Assariah Lenoy and Ingham State High halfback Lachlan Erba played their way into starting positions for the Northern Under-16-18s but that feat went unmatched in 2024.
Wilson said he believed the trial system had given players from across the region a fair opportunity to press their cases for selection.
He backed the selected players to perform on the state championship stage, where their chemistry from the school team and through the Blackhawks would give Northern an edge as the district hunts for its first Queensland title since the 2017 season.
2024 U18 NORTHERN SCHOOLBOYS RUGBY LEAGUE SQUAD
1. LOGAN BROOKES – KIRWAN SHS
2. HEATH BETHEL – KIRWAN SHS
3. COHEN DITTMANN – KIRWAN SHS
4. TAAKOI BENIONI – KIRWAN SHS
5. DAVIDSON BENIONI – KIRWAN SHS
6. MARLEY PROCTOR – KIRWAN SHS
7. RILEY CARBONE – KIRWAN SHS
8. KYLE BADER – KIRWAN SHS
9. COOPER COX – KIRWAN SHS
10. SITIVENI AFU – IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
11. WIL HOPE – KIRWAN SHS
12. ZANE BETHEL – KIRWAN SHS
13. DIESEL TAYLOR – KIRWAN SHS
14. LINCOLN BAKER – IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
15. ENELIKO SAVELIO – KIRWAN SHS
16. DANE RANSOM – KIRWAN SHS
17. JOE BRISKEY – IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
18.
19. SEAN WEIR – IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
Kirwan State High School claimed first blood in the latest instalment of Townsville rugby league’s greatest rivalry with 26-18 victory over Ignatius Park College.
Kirwan’s classy backline were too talented as Taakoi Benioni and fullback Logan Brookes ran riot in the five tries to three rout.
Ignatius Park missed the impact of their fearsome middle forwards but can take solace in the performances of halfback Kynan Purdy and hooker Kyhnaan Kennedy who shined behind their beaten pack.
KIRWAN HIGH:26 (Davidson Benioni, Marley Proctor (2), Taakoi Benioni, Diesel Taylor tries; Marley Proctor (1) Logan Brookes (2) goals)
IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE:18 (Bruce Baudu, Kynan Purdy, Cooper Reinders tries; Nayte Essery, Kynan Purdy (2) goals)
TOP 7 PERFORMERS FROM KIRWAN V IGNATIUS PARK
LOGAN BROOKES – FULLBACK, KIRWAN HIGH
Brookes backed up incoming coach Todd Wilson’s decision to move the livewire into the No.1 jersey with a standout attacking performance.
Brookes proved hard to tackle as he roamed the field, inserting himself into the backline to create overlaps and displaying good decision making.
A second-half Brookes linebreak came agonisingly short of the tryline when Iggy Park middle Sitiveni Afu brought him down with a great cover tackle, but Marley Proctor was still able to crash over to score on the next play.
TAAKOI BENIONI – CENTRE, KIRWAN HIGH
The powerful centre had a number of strong carries that matched his bruising defence, causing havoc in the wider channels.
Benioni pounced on a loose ball to score just before halftime after Ignatius Park winger Mason Saltner was smashed by Heath Bethel following a perfectly weighted Proctor chip kick.
Benioni also took plenty of tough carries out of his own half.
KYNAN PURDY – HALFBACK, IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
The Iggy Park half took some time to warm into the game but was one of his school’s best in the closing stages.
Purdy never gave up on the play and took the game to Kirwan with a brave running game.
Purdy cut through the Kirwan defence and used his deceptive footwork to get around Brookes to score a late try and his two kicks at goal each sailed through the posts.
SITIVENI AFU – PROP, IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
The shining light in the Ignatius Park pack – with an honourable mention to big backrower Suafai Reupena – was relentless in the middle against a surging Kirwan high side.
Ignatius Park were outmuscled but Afu never took a backwards step.
Racing back 50 metres to cut Brookes down just before the tryline was a highlight of the prop’s great showing.
HEATH BETHEL – WINGER, KIRWAN HIGH
The big winger was physical and impressed on both sides of the ball and was equally good running out of his own half as he was in attack.
Bethel always put in great kick chases which helped his five-eighth Proctor shine on the right edge.
Two massive tackles forced errors from his adversary, including one that led directly to his school’s third try.
DIESEL TAYLOR – LOCK, KIRWAN HIGH
Perhaps the hardest worker on the field, Taylor was constantly putting himself in position to take the ball into heavy contact or run a support line.
A fantastic middle forward performance that had already been noteworthy even before he crashed over to score his side’s match-sealing four-pointer.
KYHNAAN KENNEDY – HOOKER, IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE
Alongside Purdy, Kennedy was his school’s brightest spark in attack. The small but strong hooker was often searching around the ruck playing heads-up footy and he can be proud of his persistent and potent defence.
Kennedy used his size to his advantage against Kirwan’s big forwards, tackling under the ball and driving up to dislodge the ball on at least one occasion.
A first-half linebreak gave his side an opportunity to attack from inside the 20m, leading to Ignatius Park’s first try.
PHOTO GALLERY
More Coverage
Originally published as REVEALED: Northern schoolboys team + Kirwan State High School v Ignatius Park College trial hub
Paul Pink Shield Taverner’s Team of the Season after Wests GF win
The U16 female Team of the Season is revealed here after Western Suburbs won the Paul Pink Shield Taverner’s grand final over local rivals Valley.
8 Next Gen 7s rugby rookies to black book for the 2032 Olympics
A former Wallaby centre has likened one of Queensland’s best unsigned rugby teens to All Blacks World Cup-winning fullback Ben Smith.