NRL Schoolboy Cup: Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown vs St Dominic’s College
Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown have knocked St Dominic’s College out of the NRL Schoolboy Cup with a powerful display at Windsor. Watch the FULL REPLAY and check out the pics.
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Keep it simple - that was the advice Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur had for his son Jakob, ahead of the NRL Schoolboy Cup clash between Patrician Brothers Blacktown and St Dominic’s College.
The words must have resonated, as the 17-year-old halfback steered Pats to a dominant 26-4 victory to knock out Doms at Windsor Leagues Club on Thursday.
“He just said to make my tackles, compete and to keep it simple,” Arthur said.
WATCH THE FULL REPLAY OF THE GAME IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
“All our forwards gave it a real go, Bailey was really good out of hooker,
“It’s good that the NRL and our school have got the competition together, it’s a privilege, getting to do what we love every week.”
After losing last year’s NSW grand final to Westfield Sports High, Pats centre Sean Russell said the school is determined to take home the Cup in 2020.
“Losing last year was pretty tough, we thought we could have done better, so we’re hoping to turn it around this year.”
St Doms might have lost the Round 1 clash, but there was plenty to like about the young side.
Fullback Liam Ison was a constant threat and scored a brilliant second half try.
“It was a good feeling, I played with a bunch of champions, didn’t get the result that we wanted but we’ll keep our heads high,’’ 16-year-old Ison said.
“Keagan Russell Smith and Mason Teague stood up, they just kept working the whole game and led us everywhere.”
Pats struck in the opening minute, as speedy centre Sean Russell cut through on the left edge.
Russell - an Eels junior who took the field briefly with the club’s senior side this year during a trial match against the RabbitohS - couldn’t convert and the boys from Blacktown led 4-0.
Dom’s responded instantly with great pressure, winning multiple sets deep within opposition territory.
Ison threatened to break through and Ryley Smith was dangerous at dummy half, but the kids from Kingswood struggled to convert possession into points.
After the drinks break, Pats’ front rower David Langi barged over to remind us all why he earned selection in the under 16’s NSW side.
Pats fullback Sunia Taruva followed suit, stepping multiple defenders to boost his school to a 16-0 lead at half time.
After a strong second half start, Doms were finally rewarded when Ison crossed over, off the back of a scrum in the 43rd minute.
A superb cut out pass from Russell Smith saw winger Ethan Hutchings dive over on the right edge, but Doms were denied by the touch judge.
In the end, Jecii Pritchard and Tauvao Falaniko were simply too strong for Doms’ left edge defence and crossed over to seal the deal for their school.
St Edwards College has also progressed to the next stage of the competition, after knocking out Farrer MAHS in Tamworth.
The Daily and Sunday Telegraph’s exclusive coverage of the 2020 NRL Schoolboy Cup continues next week, as eight more schools battle it out on Wednesday afternoon.
TEAMS:
Patrician Brothers Blacktown
1. Sunia Turuva, 2. Maxwell Pritchard, 3. Siotame Hansen, 4. Sean Russell, 5. Sione Lino, 6. Isaiya Katoa, 7. Jakob Arthur, 8, Tyreece Tonga, 9, Bailey Nouredine, 10. David Langi, 11. Blake Martin, 12. Uinitoni Mataele, 13. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, 14. Tauvao Falaniko 15. John Sagaga, 16. Lafaele Tauapai, 17. Jecii Pritchard, 18. Ethan Sanders, 19. Samuel Loizou
Coach: Greg Beacroft
St Dominic’s College: 1. Liam Ison, 2. Ethan Hutchings, 3. Jaiden Hanson, 4. Declan Quirk, 5. Isaac Bartolo, 6. Matthew Rossetto, 7. Keagan Russell-Smith, 8. Campbell Fisher, 9. Ryley Smith, 10. Lachlan Whitehouse, 11. Lachlan Blackburn, 12. Dylan Hodson, 13. Mason Teague, 14, Luke Hanson, 15. Aden Lehn, 16. Jack Hyde, 17. Ashton Cini, 18. Kobi Borthwick
Coach: David Mackinnon
Preview: Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown vs St Dominic’s
By Amanda Lulham
St Dominic’s College coach David Mackinnon might have installed NRL Schoolboy Cup opponents Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown as favourites to win the knockout event but his charges will battle hard to prevent it.
The school, a nursery for some of the hottest league talent in the country with old boys including Brad Fitler and Nathan Cleary, has strong ties to the Penrith Panthers and numerous former student now playing in the NRL.
Mackinnon said St Dominic’s will be fielding a young side when they take on Patrician Brothers’ in the second game of the Schoolboy Cup delayed and with its format altered due to the coronavirus.
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“Last year we won one of our pool games, beat Bass but lost to Holy Cross and St Greg’s,” Mackinnon said.
“Our team last year and this year, most of the kids are still young. Next year will be our peak year.”
The school has a number of players to watch who are already affiliated with the Panthers junior programs.
“Lachlan Blackburn, a second rower, he’s a real game breaker,” Mackinnon said “He can turn a game, is a good defender and with the Panthers.
“Ryley Smith, he’s a hooker, a really tough defender and super quick out of dummy half.
“Campbell Fisher, a front rower, a real hard worker who goes about his business. He’s solid and pretty quick.
“Fullback is Liam Ison, a young kid, only 16, a real talent for the future. He is lightning quick, a fullback. We have put him up since he’s so good.
“Mason Teague, he’s a lock, another one who has a really big engine, super fit, a great defender and Keagan Russell-Smith, a halfback, good organiser and good kicker, fit and fast.
“Ethan Hutchings, our winger, he’s only 16 but a bigger boy and super quick and Lachlan
Whitehouse, he’s a frontrower, hard working, not overly big but fit and quick.”
Patrician Brothers’ also has strong ties with the Parramatta Eels and the Panthers, the latter through coach Greg Beacroft who worked at Penrith as a school development officer in the past.
“We have five of our previous students playing for the Panthers - Stephen Crichton, Jarome Luai, Brent Naden, Tyrone May, Spencer Leniu,” Beacroft said.
He also has a number of current young players sparking interest from clubs.
“Jakob Arthur, he’s the son of Brad . He is a halfback and he is good. He played NSW Catholic Schoolboys last year and is with Parra,” Beacroft said.
“Samuel Loizou, played schoolboys as a 16-year-old, he’s a centre signed with Parra.
“There’s Sean Russell going into Parra NRL development squad next year and Uinitoni Mataele, he is with Newcastle next year in their junior squad. He’s a second rower.
“The fullback is Sunia Turuva, he is signed with Penrith.”
Originally published as NRL Schoolboy Cup: Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown vs St Dominic’s College