Ranked: The top FNQ sporting schools rising athletes and alumni
Battling out on the field and on our list are the athletes and alumni from the top sporting schools across Cairns. Meet the rising stars and the legends that came before them
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Schools in Far North Queensland have a rich history of local, national and international sporting success.
We’ve looked at the historic success of schools, their future pathways and rising stars to rank our top sporting schools in FNQ.
St Augustine’s College
Founded: 1930
Top sports: Rugby league, hockey, AFL
It’s hard to be as dominant as St Augustines has been in the league space in Cairns.
Under the guidance of Innisfail league legend Lionel Williamson, the school’s program has produced trophies and NRL stars to boot during his tenure.
The 1993 Confraternity Shield winners finished top four in 2016 after routing the local competition, and finished top eight in the 48-team national Catholic tourney last year before Covid halted the series.
The school has also proved it can mix it with other league notables in the Sunshine State, winning the 2021 Queensland Schoolboy Trophy final over Lockyer District SHS 20-18.
SEE ALSO: The top sporting schools in Cairns in 2021 revealed
St Augustines’ under-13, under-15 and opens teams all took out the top spots in the peninsula competition last year under the mentorship of 2013 CDRL player of the year, Brothers’ Kris O’Farrell.
“We have a solid foundation in our team this year, with a strong spine that includes experienced players; fullback Kalen Marr, hooker Gabe Wood, five-eight Will England, and year 11 student – halfback Kaleb Eaton,” O’Farrell said.
“Wood and England (captain) are on the comeback trail from injuries, and I am excited to see Gabe control the middle of the field, he is a player with natural ability and good instincts.”
The school’s most notable league alumni include Rod Jensen (Cowboys), Nate Myles (Bulldogs, Storm, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Titans) and James Sgeyaro (Sharks, Cowboys, Panthers).
As for the program’s future, O’Farrell said he was confident in the first XII program, with grade point requirements and student expectations improving players.
“The squad trains before and after school which includes gym, field sessions and a captains run,” he said.
“We are currently implementing a College League Program from year 7 – opens with consistent defensive and attacking structures so each year is a stepping stone.
“We have our goals for the local competition and for the Confraternity which we have won for over 30 years, and we acknowledge there is a way to catch up to the top echelon schools who are involved in Aaron Payne, Langer of Dolphin Cups.”
As well as league, St Augustine’s AFL program has produced much success over the years.
AFL alum include Gold Coast Suns player Jack Bowes as well as Jacob Heron (Suns), Sam Michael (Lions, Bombers) and Peter Yagmoor (Magpies).
SEE ALSO: St Augustine’s College wins three titles in two days
The school’s success in Aussie rules has had them well represented in the AFLQ Schools Cup, making back-to-back appearances in 2019 and 2021 as a result from dominating FNQ and North Queensland opponents.
St Augustine’s has been a force on the hockey field recently.
The school has produced a number of state-calibre players, most notably Cade Coghlan who helped Queensland secure a bronze in the under-18 nationals in Cairns earlier this year.
The school’s senior hockey team also won the MSG Invitational Hockey Tournament in Melbourne.
Other notable sporting alumni:
Brad Beven – triathlete
Frank Farina – Socceroo
Nathan Jawai – Taipans and former NBA player
Jimmy Maher – Australian cricketer
Frank Reys – Jockey and Melbourne Cup winner 1973
Cairns State High School
Founded: 1917
Top sports: Basketball, football
Cairns High’s basketball program has acted as a magnet for many of the region’s young ballers for a very long time.
Since the establishment of the institute’s basketball program in 2001, Cairns High boys has won 20 of 22 Cairns school titles.
This included a 15-year undefeated streak in FNQ, failing to lose a single game.
In 2003, the Cairns High’s season culminated in a state championship title.
They were also runners up in 2004 and 2018, with top 10 finishes in most of the other seasons.
Former basketball director and sports co-ordinator Bradley Burdon said the school had worked closely with pro franchises such as the Cairns Taipans, Marlins and Dolphins to ensure an elite experience for students.
Burdon – a former Marlins and Dolphins coach – said many juniors gravitated towards the school to play under their coach.
“There’s years where the entire Cairns Marlins under-16 and under-18 teams were all from Cairns High,” he said.
“We certainly had a lot of quality kids … a lot of things they were running at a semi-pro level, we were replicating through the school program.”
Cairns High can name a plethora of ballers who have gone on to play at collegiate, semi-pro, pro and global levels.
Most notable of which is bearded Boomer bronze medallist Aron Baynes, who last played for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
Taipans assistant coach and former player Kerry Williams, as well as WNBL rising star Shaniece Swain are also products of Cairns High’s illustrious hoops program.
Cairns High’s next spate of rising stars can be found in the form of state reps Noah Kirk and Leah Pearson-Pitt, as well as young star Izzy McCarthy.
Cairns High’s basketball nursery has grown from strength to strength in recent years, with the inclusion of WNBL star Amy Lewis and Cairns Dolphins’ Connie Finlay, as well as Taipans veteran Damon Heuir heading up the girls and boys programs respectively.
SEE ALSO: Cairns’ 26 best up and coming basketballers revealed
It’s been hard to top the success Cairns High’s senior girls football team has had since the launch of its Bill Turner Trophy team six years ago.
The team had been to Brisbane four times as finalists in the competition, coming third in 2019 after being the first NQ football team to make the finals.
Under the watch of Josh Purton, and Martin Fehlburg before him, Cairns High’s girls program has produced a number of top tier players.
These include but aren’t limited to Brisbane Roar talent Aleeah Davern and Matildas and Melbourne City star Winonah Heatley as well as other players heavily involved in the Queensland Academy of Sport.
But the tap of talent has not stopped flowing, with young talented players Alana Hill, Tanay Martin and Payton Rose among a loaded squad earmarked to have bright footballing futures ahead of them.
The girls’ stellar program is paralleled by equally top-tier boys teams that include rising stars Timothy McCarthy, Ryan Ikeda and Trent Finta.
Both Cairns High’s football and basketball programs have centre of excellence programs, benefiting from a recent $11 million sports facility upgrade to the indoor courts and outdoor fields.
Other notable sporting alumni:
Cam Cairncross – Major League Baseball player
Charlie Dixon – Port Adelaide and former Suns AFL player
Trinity Bay State High School
Founded: 1960
Top sports: Rugby league
Arguably FNQ’s top league nursery, Trinity Bay boasts plenty of current and former NRL guns.
This includes Cowboy second-rower Jeremiah Nanai and fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow as well as Raiders winger Xavier Savage.
Former Roosters player Bernard Lewis and ex-Cowboy Gideon Gela-Mosby also once graced the halls of Trinity Bay. Both are currently contracted with the Pride.
The school has also produced NRLW stars – Broncos winger Hagiga Mosby and Jordii Mahendrarajah (BMD Cowboys).
Broncos greats Gavin Allen, Justin Hodges as well as Cowboys winger Ashley Graham also fuel Trinity Bay’s rich tapestry of former talents.
Naturally, the league nursery’s trophy shelf is lined with plenty of silverware from Cairns competitions.
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Trinity Bay has won three of the last four under-18 boys comps in Cairns, and took out the NRL Schoolboy Trophy against Bundaberg SHS in 2019.
In 2021, the school was named Karyn Murphy Cup district champions, but were unable to compete in the NQ finals due to Covid.
Rising stars among the Trinity Bay ranks under-18 players Liam O’Brien, Ma’Taeo Benioni as well as under-15 guns Taakoi Benioni, Elsiyah Suavai-Laumatia, sister Elishama Suavai and Xavier Savage’s sister Gabby.
Given the plethora of players at the Trinity Bay, it’s naturally been drawn upon as a feeder to many southern institutes with larger league programs and connections.
However, the school has recently announced the launching of its own school of excellence to keep talents at home in FNQ.
The long-term project has already started to get the wheels turning where nominations are concerned.
The unisex academy will help bolster the school’s goal to join the Aaron Payne Cup in 2023.
Mareeba State High School
Founded: 1960
Top sports: Rugby league, futsal
Mareeba’s slogan of ‘small town, big heart’ can be felt well and truly in their rugby league program.
The regional town school’s rugby league bats well above its weight when it comes to league culminating in its selection for the Aaron Payne Cup – the first and only FNQ program to get the call up.
The Cup will pit Mareeba High against Townsville and Mackay powerhouses such as Kirwan State High School.
This accomplishment can be attributed to the many talents who represent and have represented Mareeba High on the field.
The school produced the likes of Cowboys utility Ben Hampton as well as fellow former cowboy and Northern Pride legend Chris Shepperd, who spearheads the school’s program.
A notable current student going down a similar path is Cain Hastie – a second-rower with a bright future ahead of him as he takes part in the Cowboys Academy.
SEE ALSO: REPEAT SET: Suluvale’s drive, Tabuai’s rise to ADF honour
He’s joined by rising stars Kyan Sheppard and Tyrone Williams – who have shown to be up and coming talents for the Northern Pride under-18 team.
Principal Scott Whybird said Mareeba High was focused on delivering specialist rugby league programs.
This included out of school skill-based and gym training paired with academic success.
This will be done with the town’s junior and senior rugby league club.
Other notable sporting alumni:
Aron Baynes (until year 10)
St Mary’s Catholic College
Founded: 1986
Top sports: Touch football, AFL, athletics
St Mary’s has produced many pro athletes in its time, but its most recent success has been found in touch football.
A regular at the NQ All Schools Touch Football tournament since 2013, the institution has had many top footy players come through its doors.
The school’s junior mixed team finished runners up in 2021.
Most notable of which is NRLW player Tahlulah Tillett, whose prowess on the turf in high school led to her selection to the Newcastle Knights as well as the NQ Stars in the BMD premiership.
She and sister Indianna Tillett have represented Australia in touch football during their time at St Marys.
In the JSS, St Mary’s won both boys and girls finals in 2021.
Boasting a quality grouping of AFL alumni, including former Gold Coast Suns player Kitara Whap-Farrar, St Mary’s has also yielded success in its AFL program.
The school’s girls senior team were named Cairns region’s AFL Schools Cup winners back-to-back in 2019-2021.
Currently, the school has a number of students finding success in the pool and track and field.
This includes swimmer Joel Mundie, whose already collected a swath of state and national silverware.
The young gun also has the ambitions – and the backing – to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games.
The school also sent several athletes to the National Athletics Championships in Sydney on behalf of Queensland.
Kiera Jackson (triple jump), Sophie Jackson (80m, high jump, long jump), Kaelan Callaghan (100m, 200m), Piper Devine (800m and 1500m) and Aria Lavis (200m, 400m).
The school’s sporting future is heavily invested in its sports academy that focuses on preparing athletes for their sporting futures through trainings throughout the year.
Sports included in this academy include touch football, rugby league, running, football (soccer) and netball.
Other notable sporting alumni:
Jayden Hodges – Northern Pride player and listed NQ Cowboys hooker.
Jake Roach – Queensland Country player of season 2022 and CFN batting supremo
St Andrew’s Catholic College
Founded: 2001
Top sports: AFL, netball
The young school may not have the historic pedigree other schools have on this list, but St Andrew’s has grown its program quickly.
This is particularly evident in the school’s senior women’s Aussie rules team, who have been unstoppable at a regional and state level in the last two years.
Under the watchful eye of Centrals Trinity Beach player-coach Luke Morgan, St Andrew’s represented North Queensland at the AFLQ Schools Cup in 2021 where they were defeated by Kedron SHS on the Gold Coast.
In 2022, the team has already punched its ticket to the North Queensland Championships after sweeping the All Schools in FNQ.
After wiping out their Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton counterparts last year, they’ll look to do the same en route to another Schools Cup appearance.
St Andrew’s boys footy team also took out the JSS title in 2021.
The school hopes to bolster its AFL program through working with the Gold Coast Suns Academy and Cairns TAFE to establish coaching courses, as well as pathways for year 11 and 12 students to pursue the sport further past high school.
SEE ALSO: CDRL RD 4, Mareeba v Kangaroos REPLAYS
Under the management of Queensland league legend Jo Kerr, the school has also had success at a regional level.
St Andrews has been back-to-back CISSA netball champs in 2019-2021. In TCN, the school has been hard to beat in cross country and athletics, claiming the top spot numerous times in recent years.
Other notable sporting alumni:
Elisha King – AFLW player for North Melbourne
Simon Borger – Australian under-21 hockey player
Libby Cook-Black – Jillaroo player
St Monica’s College
Founded: 1890
Top sports: Track and field
St Monica’s has experienced success across a number of sports including surf lifesaving and volleyball, but consistency has been found in the school’s athletics program.
The school’s longevity has naturally yielded plenty of success in track and field.
Most recently, St Monica’s – along with St Augustine’s – took the top of the podium in TCC track and field.
This performance was highlighted by the then St Monica’s sportswoman of the year and Cairns speedster Emma Henley.
A rising star among the school’s athletics crop this year is Hannah Edwards.
Edwards – a talented thrower – represented St Monica’s and Queensland at the Australian Track and Field Championships in under-18 shot put, discus and hammer throw.
She took out three silvers for the Sunshine State.
The success on a national level will be furthered through representation of Regional Australia at the Oceania Championships.
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