Kirwan State High School Sam Thaiday Medal Night: Honouring school’s top 40 league stars of 2023

Kirwan State High School have unveiled its 40 major award winners, culminating in the Sam Thaiday Medal for Bears Best and Fairest Player.

Kirwan State High school rugby league players Vanessa Scarborough 18 and Ana Malupo 18 with Parramatta Eels NRLW player Kimberley Hunt (middle). Picture: Shae Beplate.

Experienced Parramatta outside back Kimberly Hunt has declared her intention to win a Cowboys NRLW contract upon returning to North Queensland.

The 30-year-old Hunt was a graduate of Kirwan State High School in 2010 and toured the school on Friday to meet the next crop of league-loving graduates.

Star fullback Ana Malupo was awarded Kirwan’s Best and Fairest women’s player while hooker Vanessa Scarborough took home the team’s Best Team Person award at Friday night’s ceremony, where Hunt was the guest of honour.

The Parramatta player, who scored four tries in seven appearances during her debut NRLW season, hoped she would one day call the young Grizzlies her teammates at the Cowboys.

“I envy a lot of the young girls coming through now because they have all these facilities, all the coaching staff at their beck and call. When we went to school we had absolutely nothing,” Hunt said.

“Since I’ve come home I’ve seen a few girls that actually go to the school play and I think they’re going to give us older girls a run for our money.

“Cowboys is my goal so fingers crossed I will get something here next year. It would be very exciting if the girls can, too, because they’ve got a lot of talent.”

Scarborough, 18, said hearing Hunt’s tale of perseverance through sport had made her appreciate how far the school had come to become a leader in the space.

“It was really good seeing how far she came, from Kirwan all the way to Sydney,” Scarborough said.

“We have a lot more opportunities than they used to have. Hopefully we can get up into the NRLW with the Cowboys.”

Malupo, also 18, said it would be “very cool” to share the field with Hunt if she got the opportunity.

Originally published as Kirwan State High School Sam Thaiday Medal Night: Honouring school’s top 40 league stars of 2023