Jackson Koina reflects on standout 2025 season after Australian schoolboys rugby league honours

Another goal ‘handwritten and stuck on the bathroom mirror’ has been ticked off by Sunshine Coast rugby league talent Jackson Koina who is now eyeing off the elite NRL level.

Sunshine Coast rising rugby league talent Jackson Koina has continued his stellar 2025 season with selection in the prestigious Australian Schoolboys under-18 team.

The Mountain Creek State High School prodigy, who is currently signed with the Brisbane Broncos but in talks to join the Parramatta Eels, had never been picked in a state schoolboys side prior to the tournament but stormed into contention and finished as Queensland’s MVP.

Koina’s call-up was nothing short of extraordinary after the 18-year-old initially came off the bench for Queensland’s opening two matches.

He was later promoted to starting prop for their semi and grand final victories, lifting his side to an undefeated campaign.

“When I heard my name I just felt excitement and joy, it was unreal,” he said.

“It was like a dream, you grow up with goals and watch it on TV as you get older so it’s still quite surreal.”

Rising Sunshine Coast rugby league talent Jackson Koina.

The Maroochydore Swans and Kawana Dolphins junior grew up playing in the halves before shifting to lock as a 16-year-old.

“I’d played front row once before for Sunshine Coast Falcons so I was just doing my best for the team and was lucky enough to make an impact,” he said.

“I wasn’t expecting to make the Aussie side just because I was coming off the bench originally and then after the final I was just so stoked with our win.

“I wasn’t really thinking about anything else but I was very happy to be named player of the tournament for Queensland and that made me think I had a chance but you never know with these things, we only got five boys picked which I thought was unlucky.”

Queensland's Jackson Koina during the ASSRL Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Courtney Thomson

The Australian Schoolboys team will take part in a training camp on the Sunshine Coast before travelling to Papua New Guinea in October to face their schoolboys side.

Koina’s selection is even more impressive after he spent seven months on the sidelines recovering from stress fractures in his back.

He returned to the field in late March for the Falcons Mal Meninga Cup side and more recently the Broncos under-20s.

“Since returning from injury I’m just taking it all one step at a time, I set a few goals while I was out but they gave me motivation and I’ve been lucky to achieve quite a few.

“The Broncos under-20s has been awesome, the physicality, speed and experience of being in that environment has been invaluable and I want to keep learning and improving each week.”

Sunshine Coast rugby league talent Jackson Koina. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Koina’s parents Nathan and Kim said they were extremely proud of their son.

“He hadn’t played a lot of footy this year but he had been training the whole time through his rehab and he was very dedicated with it all,” Nathan said.

“It’s a very tough team to make and I wasn’t sure how he was going to go but in the end his selection didn’t surprise me at all.

“He played very well, he’s sacrificed a lot already to get to this level, he eats the same food three times a day and is more professional than most professionals.

“He’s got his little list of goals handwritten and stuck on the bathroom mirror which he works very hard towards.

“I do smile and joke to him that two years ago he was a five-eight and now he’s a front rower in the Australian Schoolboys side.”

Koina’s efforts follow in the footsteps of former Caloundra SHS student Zac Garton who earned the same individual accolades in 2024 and was also named in the Australian Schoolboys side.

Originally published as Jackson Koina reflects on standout 2025 season after Australian schoolboys rugby league honours