2025 Aaron Payne Cup live stream: Mackay SHS v Holy Spirit College, Round 4

A burrowing effort from heroic halfback Brody Moore in the dying minutes has kept Mackay State High’s finals dreams alive. Watch the full match REPLAY.

A burrowing effort from halfback Brody Moore has kept Mackay State High’s finals hopes alive in the Aaron Payne Cup.

Moore was a standout for the school side, scoring twice and having a hand in a couple of others as Mackay came from behind to topple local rivals Holy Spirit College 28-24.

WATCH THE FULL REPLAY ABOVE

But none of his moments were as important as the final one when the athletic talent scooped up the ball from dummy-half before powering his way between two defenders to score the match-winner with seconds left on the clock.

Holy Spirit were left to lament what might have been after the side weathered an early onslaught from their rivals before fighting back with a three-straight tries to take the lead.

When backrower Harrison Crockett managed to get his hand on the end of a fortuitous grubber from five-eighth Dean Nugent on the stroke of halftime it gave the Holy Spirit side a six-point advantage at the break.

The lead wouldn’t last long with Stephen Sandow hitting back for Mackay State High early in the second half before Jack Goodale helped Holy Spirit retake the lead with 20 minutes to go.

Moore had a chance to lock the scores up again five minutes later but when he missed his conversion of the Kaileb Krstic try, it left the visitors short by two points.

In the end the impresive halfback made up for the missed goal and then some, with his late effort sealing victory.

PREVIEW

When Mackay State High School and Holy Spirit College face off in the Aaron Payne Cup on Tuesday, there will be more than just school pride on the line.

The race for a finals spot was thrown wide open this week when St Augustine’s College was stripped of its round 1 win, awarding Holy Spirit a 40-0 forfeit victory which has had huge ramifications on the competition.

Watch the Mackay Aaron Payne Cup derby live and exclusive on KommunityTV as part of a massive triple header including the Cowboys Challenge (Year 10) and NRL Schoolgirls Cup.

Aaron Payne Cup match between Mackay Senior High and St Augustine's College at Townsville Brothers Leagues Club. Picture: Evan Morgan

Every school is now back in the running for a semi-finals berth and Mackay SHS coach Brett Watton said his squad was galvanised by the prospect of being a dark horse contender.

“It gives HSC something to play for now, because they’ve got a win, and it gives us a bit of a – if some results do go our way and we can pull out a win in term three – we could maybe sneak into fourth spot as well,” Watton said.

“This competition, because it’s only six weeks, it’s all about consistency.

“You can’t really switch off in any week, so we’re just taking it as another game for us, and just preparing like normal.”

Aaron Payne Cup match between Mackay Senior High and St Augustine's College at Townsville Brothers Leagues Club. Picture: Evan Morgan

Tuesday won’t be the first time the two Payne Cup minnows of Mackay have met in 2025.

The two schools carried lofty ambitions into the North Queensland schoolboy competition after meeting in trial match, and Watton said the rivalry was ever-present.

“We want to hold on to being one of the top two schools in Mackay. That drives our boys, even with a reduction in the number of teams through the years, it’s really good to hold on to those top two spots,” Watton said.

“Also just for our boys and our confidence, it does them a world of good.

“But in saying that, usually Holy Spirit are always up for the games against us, because of that same reason; they want to make that top two as well, and they’ve got a really good program out there.”

A Holy Spirit win could see the school finish round 4 inside the top four, despite only crossing for one try in three games this season.

Originally published as 2025 Aaron Payne Cup live stream: Mackay SHS v Holy Spirit College, Round 4