AIC league Team of the Season; Padua’s quest to join Villa as premiers

The AIC First XIII rugby league team of the season can be revealed ahead of Padua College’s tilt at joining Villanova College as joint premierships hots up this Saturday.

The Villanova College premiership winning side.

Villanova College has claimed a historic First XIII rugby league premiership, but will it be a shared title win?

Villanova College got the job done last weekend to ensure they finished first despite an early season loss. Coached by Michael Cahill, Villa defeated Iona College.

Villa’s season is now over because they have a bye.

But they can be joined at the top by Padua College if Padua beat St Laurence’s in the final round on Saturday.

This weekend’s final round at Banyo:

Padua v St Laurence’s

St Patrick’s v Iona

St Edmund’s v Marist

Villa’s premiership win last weekend was driven by captain Cameron Bukowski, centre Roman Dunne, prop Riki Taylor and second rower Edison Murnane.

Taylor was one of the first players chosen in our Team of the Season below because of his consistency.

AIC CRICKET TEAM OF THE SEASON

AIC AUSSIE RULES TEAM OF THE SESAON

AIC RUGBY TEAM OF THE SEASON

Padya College student Layden Solien was outstanding.

TEAM OF THE SEASON

1. Tyler Pereira (Iona College)

The fleet-a-foot outside back was a constant threat with the ball and busy off the ball. He was an easy choice in this side.

Marist College Ashgrove player Jude Knapp. Picture, John Gass

2. Jude Knapp (Marist College Ashgrove)

Knapp played several positions across the backline and didn’t actually play wing, but he was a First XV fullback and we needed to fit him into our top side.

He could score a try and set them up.

3. Roman Dunne (Villanova)

Dunne garnished a strong season with a length of the field try from an intercept last weekend. It was hard to split him and Aiden Jackson for the centres, so we picked both of them.

4. Jackson Connor (Villanova)

He played in the forwards and even fullback but the athletic Connor has been named in the centres in order to get our best players in the top 20.

Iona players charge onto the field. Picture, John Gass

5. Aiden Jackson (Villanova)

A selection bolter, Jackson played centre by we named him on the winger here. He played the team game to perfection across the competition and was at home on the wing.

6. Larry Clark (Villanova College)

Clark threaded together Villa’s premiership winning effort expertly from No. 6 and that comes as no surprise.

7. Jayden Solien (Padua College)

Solien has been a revelation, taking control of the side while also retaining his running threats.

Shone bright this season after bursting onto the rugby scene last term.

Leon Karena, left, of Ashgrove had a strong season. On the right is a college legend Peter Anderson.

8. Leon Karena (Marist College Ashgrove)

The middle forward was always going to be in our squad after carrying on his grand form from the Confraternity Carnival when he was a Player of the Carnival selection.

9. Cameron Bukowski (Villanova College)

The premiership winning captain was a great leader this season, along with making a ton of tackles and scoring tries.

Cameron Bukowski leads Villanova on. Picture, John Gass

10. Riki Taylor (Villanova College)

Here he is, the first prop chosen in our side. Was there a more consistent middle forward in the competition this season than Taylor. That’s why selecting him was an easy choice.

11. Jasper Barry (Marist College Ashgrove)

Barry was great on both sides of the ball, a handful with every carry and strong defensively.

A brute.

12. Jack Tuite (St Laurence’s College)

He had a huge First XV season and backed that up with an All-Star back rower effort.

He was the best player for his school in this competition.

13. Mitch Rogers (Padua College)

Padua College ace Mitch Rogers on the move.

The elite hooker was named at lock so we could get both he and Bukowski, mentioned earlier, the two best players in the competition, into the one side.

Rogers was in his element playing the 13-a-side game.

14. Jack Chandler (St Edmund’s College)

The Ipswich Norths Tigers junior made our rugby Team of the Season as a flanker and makes this team as an elite hooker.

He was energetic, caught defendings napping out of the ruck and was on another level.

He was full of confidence and it showed.

15. Ben Puller (St Edmund’s College)

Boy did he challenge rival defences.
A five-eighth, Puller was dynamic with his running and consistent with his performances.

At the weekend he scored a try and set one up.

16. Isaac McCarthy and Liam Wilson (St Edmund’s)

These two second rowers come as a packaged deal.

Ruthless, brutal with their contact and tireless, the pair of them worked themselves to a standstill week-in-week-out.

17. Ned Bradley (St Laurence’s College)

Bradley deservedly makes our side for his fabulous defence which repelled countless attacking raids all season long.

18. Finn Dalton (Padua College)

Dalton was a top notch No. 13, Mr Reliable and a big reason for Padua’s success this season.

What a year it has been for Padua’s rugby union and rugby league program.

Iona College prop Cooper Benvenuti also played for the Tigers.

19. Cooper Benvenuti (Iona College)

It has been a big season for Year 10 student Benvenuti at his new school, winning places in both the Connell Challenge Team of the Year when he played for Brisbane Tiges, and now the AIC League Team of the Season.

20. Sasha Adam (St Patrick’s College)

Adam has been a tower of strength for Paddies, leading the way with his no-nonsense style. He was Mr Consistency.

21. Calef Johnson (Padua College)

This towering, mobile middle forward was fabulous for Padua with his driving runs and defensive line speed for a big bloke. He troubled opponents playing First XV rugby and he was a nightmare to handle again in the league season.

22. Ben Addley (Villanova College)

Workhorse forward Addley was a glue player who helped tie the Villa side together when he came off the bench.

Ben Addley of Villanova

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Damon Humphrys (Padua College)

Jackson Connor (Villanova)

Nate Roberts (Marist)

Connor Moloney (Villanova)

Ollie O’Regan (Padua College)

Roman Dunne (Villanova College)

Edison Murnane (Villanova College)

Jack Chandler (St Edmund’s)

Iona College AIC First XIII rugby league. Picture, John Gass

Meanwhile, St Patrick’s had some fine performers last weekend, including:

Henry Armstrong, just 16, who plays above is weight in attack and finds solutions when defending shape.

Centre Matthew Condon who has come on in leaps and bounds in both attack and defence. He also makes good decisions.

Taj Leis who worked really hard to get the team around the park, was courageous in defence and connected with his teammates.

Originally published as AIC league Team of the Season; Padua’s quest to join Villa as premiers