St Patrick’s College champ Drew Mitchell thrilled with turnaround

When former Wallaby Drew Mitchell was playing at St Patrick’s College in the AIC system, it was nothing but bad news on the scoreboard – but that’s all changed now. Read the full profile here.

St Patrick's coach Josh Neilsen addresses his players at halftime against St Laurence's College.

• SEASON PREVIEW: Marist loses stranglehold

• OPENING WIN: St Laurence’s down St Pat’s

Former Wallaby Drew Mitchell is delighted with the rise in rugby fortunes at St Patrick’s College because he remembers the day when parents were photographing a losing scoreboard.

The college at Shorncliffe has never had the playing numbers of the big AIC schools yet has built pride in performing against those odds.

Drew Mitchell in action for the Wallabies.

Last year’s first premiership, a joint result with Marist College Ashgrove and Iona, was a high all old boys of the school could cherish.

“In my last year in the First XV at St Pats in 2001 we got as close to Marist as 13-7 and parents were taking photos of the scoreboard,” Mitchell said.

“It was a losing scoreboard but it was more a reflection of how far we’d come from being beaten heavily (by Marist 68-0 in 1999).

“There’s always been a lot of pride at St Pats that we punch above our weight and rugby at the school has got better and better from those days.”

Mitchell was a gifted young fullback in headgear in 2001 when he was spotted and tracked into the Australian Schoolboys side.

St Pats lock Taelyn Nukunuku soars for lineout ball during the 17-10 loss to St Laurence’s College at Curlew Park last Saturday.

It was all natural ability and when he was first turned up at the Reds Academy there were some shocks in store.

“I’d never lifted weights and when I started maxing out on 60kg, the other boys thought I was just warming-up.”

The 71-Test back is the finest of St Pat’s rugby products but three-Test Wallabies fullback Jesse Mogg, former Australian Schoolboys standout Lachlan Connors and Australian Sevens player Jeral Skelton have kept the production line rolling.

Mogg’s penalty goal in driving rain to beat Iona during his time is still recalled in awe.

“We beat Villanova in 2001 and (former Wallabies captain) Ben Mowen still shakes his head ‘how?’ whenever we bump into each other,” Mitchell said.

Lachlan Connors playing for St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe, in 2017.

Such stories are enacted throughout school life and in all grades.

Flashy flyhalf Sam Phillips booted a sideline conversion to put St Pat’s ahead with time almost up in the Third XV decider against Marist in 2011.

The bench had already started celebrating when Marist somehow retrieved the final kick-off and made one last raid.

Phillips went for an intercept, Marist scored and won the premiership. Hero-to-zero. Good mates still playfully rib him to this day.

A tall, lean red-haired kid named Dylan Napa made his mark in 2009 when picked for the AIC representative team at lock for the Queensland Schoolboys trials at Ballymore.

It’s rugby league at State of Origin level where he’s making his name in a far heftier frame.

St Pats only have a few boys returning from their 2018 premiership class but they are quality with hardworking backrower and skipper Morgan Prendergast leading the way. Taelyn Nukunuku has been re-assigned from the backrow to lock this season, prop Mitch Olley will steer the scrum and halfback Connor O’Regan will make his mark when back from injury.

In 2013, old boys from St Pat’s featured in the finals series of all three winter codes through Napa (Roosters, NRL), Mogg (Brumbies, Super Rugby) and Brendan Whitecross (Hawthorn, AFL).

“Not bad for that school on the front at Shorncliffe” spruiked the College newsletter and they are words that recur for the college.

ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE, SHORNCLIFFE

AIC Premierships: 1

Most recent: 2018 (joint)

EIGHT OF THE BEST: Drew Mitchell, Jesse Mogg, Lolo Fakaosilea, Jeral Skelton, Dylan Napa, Lachlan Connors, Jason Bukuya, Brad Kuyn.