Players to watch: 2024 Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboy Trophy
We’ve broken down each school’s players to watch as the region’s top independent schools gear up for the 2024 Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboy Trophy. Read more about every team here.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Round 1 of the Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboys Trophy kicks off with two highly anticipated Anzac round clashes taking place in Townsville and Charters Towers this week.
Southern Cross Catholic College hosts Ryan Catholic College on Wednesday across three rugby league divisions at Bindal Sports Ground with opens kicking off at 6pm.
Thursday will see the annual Anzac Day game between historic Charters Towers schools All Souls St Gabriel’s School and Blackheath and Thornburgh College, where many of the schools’ rugby league and netball sides go head to head.
Keep scrolling to see our breakdown of all six schools contesting the opens title.
SEE EVERY BLACKHAWKS TROPHY FIXTURE HERE
COLUMBA CATHOLIC COLLEGE
2023 result: Champions
Captain: Max Campbell
The lead-by-example backrower will captain his side for the 2024 season and will again be one of the competition’s most dominant ballrunners.
Campbell was unlucky not to earn selection to the NQ Schoolboys side despite a very impressive trial.
Players to watch: Cooper Nibbs, Cooper Thomas and Jeremy Singleton
“Nibbs was one of our standouts in both finals last year and he probably doesn’t get the recognition because he does all the engine room work, he played lock for us.” coach Rohan Dixon said.
“Cooper Thomas likewise tackles his heart out. He’s only a little fella but he tries hard every week and tops the tackle count, always gets out players’ player.
“Singleton was one of our best last year and he’ll be very important to us again this season.”
Rising rookie: Tom Scholes
“I’m expecting big things from our halfback, he’s been around our system for a while but we want him to provide some direction this season,” Dixon said.
ALL SOULS ST GABRIEL’S SCHOOL
2023 result: Runners-up
Captain: Mickey Luke and Corey Musk
Luke is a tough-as-nails hooker who leads by example. Musk is currently out injured, he’s still a few weeks away from returning form a collarbone injury picked up during his first game of the season, requiring surgery.
Players to watch: Will Blennerhassett, Mickey Luke and Hunter McKellar
“They’re two front rowers and a hooker, senior players that are leading the way and they’ll hopefully be able to come up with the right plays at the right time,” said opens coach Adrian Guldbransen.
“We want to own the middle. We’ve got a new halves combination, young fellas both in grade 11. They’ve improved every game so far so if we can get our kicking game right.
Rising rookie: Ian Lamont
“He’s a boarder that’s new to the school, he’s going to be playing on the wing for us. He’s fitted in really well, a great young kid from down around Clermont, so not too far away. Really good athlete, he’s very light but runs the cross country extremely well so he’s fit.
“He’s never missed a training session and he’s quite a good touch player, so he’s pretty nippy. Overall he’s just a great kid to have in your team; he listens, learns and trains really hard.”
BLACKHEATH AND THORNBURGH COLLEGE
2023 result: Third
Captain: Jackson Curtis
Curtis takes the reins as Blackheath and Thornburgh’s captain again in 2024 after leading the side to third place in the inaugural competition.
This will be Curtis’ third year in the side. The inspirational captain has been part of the First XIII team since he was in year 10.
Player to watch: Tyrone Aliya
“He played at fullback last year but he’s moved to lock to strengthen that forward pack up,” BTC coach Toby Paynter said.
“He’s put on a lot of size over the past 12 months and the first couple rounds he’s been a really dominant forward and has set the game on fire a few times just using that pace around the ruck.
“He’s adapted really well and he loves contact, so it’s been a really good move for him.”
Rising rookie: Chase Tansy
“A second rower who is a highly talented footballer playing his first year in first.
“He’s just been starting to find himself and he played a really good game against Ryan, so hopefully that kicks off the rest of his season.”
RYAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE
2023 result: Fourth
Captain: Riley McIntyre
McIntyre plays in the halves and is a great game-managing half. His big frame (around 190cm and 75kg) allows him to break the game open with his running game too.
His experience playing for the Townsville Blackhawks Cyril Connell Cup side would have helped his development in 2024 as well.
Players to watch: Brad Pilchowski
The Cowboys-contracted five-eighth is a natural ballrunner with talent in spades. Pilchowski recently played for the Greenhorns (Cowboys under-16s) and will prove pivotal for Ryan this season.
Rising rookies: Cornell Moncrieff and Jai Trembath
Moncreiff is still in year 10 but is a naturally gifted sportsman that also excels in touch football and basketball. The Centrals Tigers under-16s player has been described as a rangy fullback.
Trembath is more of a workhorse style player who never gives up with his gritty determination. He’s another year 10 player in the opens team that will play lock.
SOUTHERN CROSS CATHOLIC COLLEGE
2023 result: Fifth
Captain: Finn Carroll
“He’s always been mature and he’s a sportsman through and through, he plays a few different sports and he’s always been a bit of a leader on the field,” coach Matt Roberts said.
Player to watch: Sebastian Richards
“It’s his first year playing rugby league as a senior, but he played a bit as a kid,” Roberts said.
“He’ll play in the front row, play pretty much the whole game and he’ll take every run like it’s his first.
“He’s quite a talented goalkeeper in soccer as well. He’s a physical ballrunner and he’s fearless.
“Teammates love playing with him and everyone gets a bit of extra confidence when he’s on the field.”
Rising rookie: Lincoln Burge
“He’s only in year 10 but he can play pretty much any position on the footy field. He’s still small but he’s a tough bugger – we played him at halfback in a trial, and he’s also played at centre and second row.
“He’s just a footy player in every sense of the word. He knows the game, he’s tough and he’s quite talented too.
“He’ll play second row for us (on Wednesday), he can run a good line and he’s tough so he won’t be found out.”
GILROY SANTA MARIA COLLEGE
2023 result: N/A
Captain: Jaia Poppi
Poppi is a strong second rower who played Confraternity for the school last year.
“He’s a big strong fella who will be playing a bit of senior footy for the Crushers this year,” coach Matt Spina said.
“He’ll be playing under-20s so I definitely reckon that will help him out coming back to schoolboy footy, I’m pretty excited to see how he’s going to go.”
Player to watch: Josh Venables
“He’s our halfback, he played Confro for us last year and being in year 11 he was a bit on the side last year but now he’s one of the senior boys he’s come out of his shell a bit and is proving to be a good leader of the team.”
Rising rookie: Shaun Devietti
“It’s his first year of seniors and he’s been a bit of a prospect for Ingham for the last few years. He’s been an NQ schoolboy pretty much every year since he was about 12 years old,” Spina said.
“We’ve been waiting for this crew to come through mainly because of him, he’s a lock forward and a big fella who goes pretty good.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Players to watch: 2024 Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboy Trophy
‘It’s been rapid’: Rising teen ready to take NRL by storm
One of the country’s most rapidly rising league prospects has put himself on the cusp of an NRL debut less than a year after playing underage footy. Discover why you need to know Mason Kira.
50 Qld prodigies you could be watching at 2032 Olympics
With the clock ticking down to the Brisbane Olympics, we’ve run our eyes over the state’s brightest young stars who could be centrestage come 2032.