Class of 2024: Where North Queensland’s top rugby league schoolboys and girls will play in 2025

As the school year comes to a close, North Queensland’s top year 12 schoolboy and schoolgirl rugby league stars have set their sights on the future. See where they’re heading to play in 2025.

Patrick Woods

@PatWoods321

3 min read

October 27, 2024 - 5:37PM

News Sport Network

Kirwan State High School captain Logan Brookes will spend the pre-season with the Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg (under-21s) squad. Picture Lachie Millard

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As the school year comes to a close, North Queensland’s top year 12 schoolboy and schoolgirl rugby league stars have set their sights on the future.

More than 40 local players have already aligned themselves with NRL or state league clubs for the 2025 season, some of them moving as far as the New South Wales South Coast for their next opportunity in the sport.

While the Townsville Blackhawks junior sqauds are usually stacked with talent from Townsville’s two major schoolboy nurseries – Kirwan State High School and Ignatius Park College – there are 11 players in the under-19s squad for next year that graduate in 2024.

Exciting Kirwan Bears fullback Logan Brookes will make the trek to Sydney to join Wests Tigers for the Jersey Flegg under-21s pre-season.

Brookes finished the year playing for the Charters Towers Miners A-grade side which made it through to Rugby League Townsville and District’s preliminary final, proving he has what it takes to match it on the field with grown men despite not turning 18 until December.

Kirwan Bears 2024 captain Logan Brookes. Picture: Courtney Thomson / Kirwan SHS

The livewire outside back will have his chance to impress head coach Leon Latulipe before possibly moving down to the Wests Magpies or Balmain Tigers SG Ball team for the under-19s season.

Brookes could join Bears teammate Dane Ransom at the famous Magpies of the inner-west, where Kirwan’s imposing middle forward has agreed to play in 2025.

The pair or two of five Sydney-bound players from Kirwan; Cohen Dittmann returns to the Sydney Roosters, Wil Hope will head to Newcastle to join the Knights and Grizzlies forward Maryanne Tuitavake will play for the St George Dragons in the Tarsha Gale Cup.

Wil Hope Kirwan at St Patrick's College vs Kirwan State High School 2024 Aaron Payne cup. Northern Conference. Thursday 15 August 2024 Picture:Michaela Harlow

KIRWAN STATE HIGH SCHOOL

Kirwan Bears brothers. Left to right: Heath Bethel, Taakoi Benioni, Davidson Benioni, Zane Bethel. Picture: Courtney Thomson / Kirwan SHS

Taakoi Benioni (North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns)

Davidson Benioni (North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns)

Cohen Dittmann (Sydney Roosters – SG Ball)

Logan Brookes (Wests Tigers – Jersey Flegg U21s)

Dane Ransom (Wests Magpies – SG Ball U19s)

Wil Hope (Newcastle Knights)

Maryanne Tutavake (St George Dragons – Tarsha Gale Cup U19s)

Marayah Taylor (Wests Tigers – Tarsha Gale Cup U19s)

Heath Bethel (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Zane Bethel (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Marley Proctor (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Ben Roebuck (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Ryan Van Zanden (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Kyle Bader (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Bryce Fincham (Townsville Blackhawks / Northern Pride – Mal Meninga Cup)

Zaleah Mosby-Nona (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

Sari Ericson (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

Lyriah Kelemete (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

IGNATIUS PARK COLLEGE

Connor Sadler at the 2023 St Patrick's College versus Ignatius Park College at Leprechaun Park Mackay Tuesday 30 May 2023 Picture: Michaela Harlow

Connor Sadler (Illawarra Steelers – SG Ball U19s)

Patrick Krause (Ipswich Jets – Mal Meninga Cup)

Khynaan Kenndy (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Bruce Baudu (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Chase Sheppard (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Kynan Purdy (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Jayden Ryan (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Sean Weir (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

ST MARGARET MARY’S COLLEGE

St Margaret Mary's College's Taya Bowie. Women's game between Kirwan High and St Margaret Mary's College at Kirwan High. Picture: Evan Morgan

Ana Ahmat (St George Dragons – Tarsha Gale Cup U19s)

Ebony Sotheren-Hatton (St George Dragons – Tarsha Gale Cup U19s)

Taya Bowie (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

Breht Whyke (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

Olivia Fletcher (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

Jakaia Collett (Townsville Blackhawks – Under-19s)

RYAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE

Blackheath and Thornburgh College host Ryan Catholic College in the opening round of the 2024 Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboy Trophy. Ryan’s Landon Meres tackles BTC's Baeden Hynds. Picture: Blackheath & Thornburgh College.

Landon Meres (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Darcy Poole (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

COLUMBA CATHOLIC COLLEGE

Blackhawks Trophy Schoolboys Football game between Ryan Catholic College and Columba Catholic College at at Ryan Catholic College. Captains Max Campbell and Riley McIntyre. Picture: Evan Morgan

Max Campbell (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

ALL SOULS ST GABRIEL’S SCHOOL

Students from All Souls St Gabriel's School and Blackheath and Thornburgh College prepare to play their annual Anzac Day games of rugby league and netball. Team captains left to right: Jackson Curtis and Mickey Luke. Picture: All Souls St Gabriel's School media.

Mickey Luke (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)

Corey Musk (Townsville Blackhawks – Mal Meninga Cup)