Cathedral College in Rockhampton to host largest Confraternity Carnival

Five new teams this year join the annual rugby league competition, which has been the launching pad for some of the NRL’s greatest players. See what other changes are in store for the 2025 event.

Ignatius Park beat Padua College to take out the 2024 Confraternity Shield in Townsville. Picture: Evan Morgan

The Cathedral College in Rockhampton will play host to the largest ever Confraternity Carnival this year.

The Queensland Independent Secondary School Rugby League has confirmed 72 teams will compete in four boys and two girls’ divisions from June 30 to July 4.

That includes four new boys’ teams - Good Counsel College (Innisfail), Burdekin Catholic High School (Ayr), Good Samaritan Catholic College (Bli Bli) and Siena Catholic College (Sippy Downs) and - one new girls team - St Patrick’s College (Townsville).

The record nominations will see more than 220 schoolgirls and more than 1100 schoolboys in action.

The girls competition will be split into two divisions for the first time, with eight schools in each division.

St Patrick’s College, Mackay, took out the girls division at the 2024 Confraternity Carnival in Townsville.

The boys will play in three divisions of 16 teams (Divisions 1, 2 and 3) and one division of eight teams (Division 4).

In another first for 2025, the carnival will be played across seven fields at once, the venues being Kettle Park and Saleyards Park.

QISSRL president and Padua College Rector Peter Elmore said the extra teams would add to the excitement of Confro this year.

“The carnival has grown in size since it was first contested in 1980 but, regardless of how many teams play, it remains an event in which fair play, respect and fellowship are most highly valued,” he said.

St Patrick’s College, Mackay, is the defending girls’ champion while Ignatius Park College, Townsville, will defend the boys’ title it won in its hometown last year.

St Brendan's College, Yeppoon, has won a record 14 Confraternity Shields, their last being in 2023.

St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon, is the most successful team in Confraternity history, having won 14 Shields, their last in 2023.

Confraternity has provided a launching pad for some of the NRL’s greatest players.

Seven Confro graduates were in the Maroons squad for Game II of the 2024 men’s State of Origin series - Daly Cherry-Evans (St Patrick’s College, Mackay), Valentine Holmes (Ignatius Park College, Townsville), Ben Hunt and Harry Grant (St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon), Lindsay Collins (Padua College, Kedron), Xavier Coates (Marymount College, Burleigh Waters) and Felise Kaufusi (Shalom College).

A number of future NRL stars have played at Confro, including Melbourne Storm skipper Harry Grant. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

This will be the fifth time the carnival has been in Rockhampton.

It was first played in the city in 1994, before returning in 1999, 2008 and 2016.

Future stars to have played in Rockhampton carnivals include Matt Bowen (St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie), David Shillington (Padua College, Kedron), Kyle Feldt (Ignatius Park College, Townsville) and Michael Morgan (Ignatius Park College).

Originally published as Cathedral College in Rockhampton to host largest Confraternity Carnival