Revealed: The Unsung Heroes of AIC First XV schoolboy rugby
AIC First XV rugby: Who were the unsung heroes moving mountains for their respective teams? Over 25 hard working schoolboys revealed here ahead of Rd 6.
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Here they are, the quiet achievers of the AIC First XV competition who have helped make their side click over the first five weeks of the competition.
Every side needs them, blokes who may not get a best player vote when teammates file back into the dressing room, but footballers their teammates just love playing beside.
AIC RUGBY RD 5 TEAM OF THE WEEK
From hookers to halves, locks to flankers, we present the unsung heroes of this season’s competition.
UNSUNG HEROES OF AIC FIRST XV RUGBY
Luka Smith (St Laurence’s)
The hulking loosehead prop has been the mastermind behind St Laurence’s premiership charge over the last two seasons.
Last season the powerful front rower took St Laurence’s through undefeated with his scrummaging and pick and drive play.
In 2024, bigger and stronger but equally as mobile, Smith has again been hard to stop from close range.
Will Kartelo and Lewis Blaikie (St Laurence’s)
How good have these boys been this season?
For those that haven’t seen St Laurence’s play, their midfield pairing of Kartelo and Blaikie have been elite.
They are players with a sprinkle of x-factor, but don’t overplay their hand.
With Finn Mackay the conductor, Kartelo and Blaikie have consistently played well with their footwork, speed and anticipation the perfect combination for Mackay to tap into.
Liam O’Callaghan (St Laurence’s)
He might come away with a Doubles Daley medal or a high five but seriously this bloke deserves even more.
Hard on the ball and tireless on defence, the rangy open side flanker is consistently giving 110 per cent for his side, working to force an error or win a penalty.
His performance against St Edmund’s where he challenged the breakdown with determination said everything about his work ethic.
Xavier Santos (St Laurence’s)
The Met East selection has been a staple of St Laurence’s First XV side for two years, a calm and collected fullback with sharp footwork, high IQ and a big kick.
Santos, the First XI cricketing ace, would be a coaches dream and has been an extra threat in the backline, adding another dimension to the attack.
Paul Deeb (St Peters)
In a tough season for the school, Paul Deeb has been a pillar of strength at loosehead prop.
The key to the Saints set piece, Deeb has made a tremendous impact taking over the lineout throwing duties over the last fortnight which has enabled St Peters to attack freely.
In trying times, he never wavers.
Johnny Nona (St Peters)
On the outside Nona is a selfless pass first run second midfielder with good hands and power.
But when you delve deeper, he is a flanker who has spent the last nine months transforming himself into an outside centre.
“He has been critical for our spine in both attack and defence,’’ St Peters coach Cameron Wright said of the headgear wearing left edge threat.
Pat Albion (St Edmund’s)
A First XI cricketer of note, Albion has been St Edmund’s halfback, someone who has led by example. He is a young player who does not get the accolades he deserves given his control and exceptional cover defence.
Will Tatt (St Edmund’s)
Tatt is the definition of an unsung hero, St Edmund’s most constant player who is always in the group’s top three players each week. He leads by example.
Nate Pearce (St Edmund’s)
A member of Eddie’s young player brigade, the No.8 or flanker is a year 10 student who has been doing on the job First XV training by playing every match this season. He has come along in leaps and bounds and is an influential player on both sides of the ball. He is very much a future leader in the group.
Sebastian Gardner (Ashgrove)
From New Zealand stock, this flanker has been the model of consistency for Marist College Ashgrove this season. Knowing the game inside and out as he does, Gardner would have known the first two things he needed to get right this season were the two Cs - consistency and being competitive. He has achieved both.
Lachie McCall (Ashgrove)
This bloke is just a very good footballer. He is not a pure rugby halfback, but is a gutsy leader, someone who gives the side energy. McCall is the type of kid who plays for the crest on his jersey.
Charlie Hanssen (Iona)
Iona had Will Lane last season, and this year they had Hanssen at No.8, a footballer who just works his backside off at every training session and in matches where he drifts onto the left edge. There has to be a picture of Hanseen in the dictionary next to the word dependable.
Blaze Mohi (Iona)
Blaze has stepped up to the plate to wear the same jersey his brother Topaz wore in 2023. A year 11 student, Blaze has natural skills but was learning on the job. He also has bravery which belies his physique.
Keanu Bothma (Iona)
Iona’s future is right here, with halfback Bothma another young player on a step learning curve. He has an amazing all around game and has arguably the most consistent pass from a halfback in the competition. Despite being a junior member of the side, like all good halfbacks he is prepared to make himself heard. He is a real old school terrier as well.
George Noone (Padua)
Padua were co-competition leaders for a good reason, and one reason is this underrated hooker Noone. While six of Padua’s eight forwards get regular praise, both he and his lock Jacob Moesbergen have flown under the radar. But not now. Noone gets a gold star for his effort areas and one per cent plays.
Jacob Moesbergen (Padua)
A back rower or lock, this super fit athlete has had to work really hard for his position in the Padua First XV pack, and he has never dropped his intensity after scaling a personal mountain to make the side. It is time for him to take a bow.
Jesse Daly (St Patrick’s)
Daly’s got something, that’s for sure. His pack has not always delivered possession on a player, but he has successfully scrambled to get the job done while also displaying a touch of individual brilliance. Matt Condon and Riley Horn were another two committed to the cause, with outside centre Condon a solid defender as well.
Will Gallagher (Villanova)
In his first year of First XV rugby, the Year 12 student has been one of the best on ball flankers in the competition.
An aggressive tackler with a great engine, Gallagher is a genuine 70 minute performer who has kept Villanova in games this year with his effort.
Max Rakitovszky (Villanova)
The Year 10 fullback has come into the fold and proved one of the strongest ball runners in the competition.
His versatility playing fullback, winger and outside centre, for a Year 10 student, has been very impressive.
He has been prepared to play all three positions and do it well as one of the babies of the competition.
Jackson Connor (Villanova)
Moving from outside centre into No.8 was a big change but he has taken to it wonderfully.
None have been more consistent than the mobile Connor, Villanova’s best option to get over the advantage line.
Sam Binney (Villanova)
The Year 11 tighthead prop does his job well every week. At the scrum, in the breakdown and rucking the ball up, he regularly makes inroads.
In 2025 he is going to be a problem after a stellar debut season in the front row for Villanova.
Round 6
Iona v Villanova
St Peters Lutheran College v Padua
St Patrick’s v St Edmund’s
Marist v St Laurence’s
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