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St Brendan’s College – Where Maroons Legends Begin

Sport • Monday, 16 June 2025

St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon, proudly celebrates the selection of Old Boy Kurt Mann to the Queensland Maroons for Game Two of the 2025 State of Origin series, to be played this Wednesday in Perth.

Mann’s Origin debut marks a significant personal and professional milestone — and continues the College’s proud tradition of producing rugby league greats. Hailing from Winton, Kurt graduated from St Brendan’s College in 2010 and has built a respected NRL career with the Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, and now the Canterbury Bulldogs.

On Wednesday night, Mann becomes the ninth Old Boy from St Brendan’s to wear the maroon jersey — joining a legacy of elite players who began their journey on the College’s fields. He will run out alongside fellow Old Boy Harry Grant, further cementing the College’s reputation as a nursery of Origin-calibre talent.

Kurt Mann runs onto the field in green and gold during the 2010 Confraternity Shield in Brisbane. A pivotal player in St Brendan’s championship-winning team that year, Mann’s schoolboy success laid the foundation for his journey to the Queensland Maroons, where he will make his State of Origin debut in 2025.

A Legacy of Origin Greats from St Brendan’s College:

Julian O’Neill

  • Graduated: 1990
  • Origin Debut: 1993, Game 2
  • Career Highlights: A versatile goal-kicking fullback or five-eighth, O’Neill played for the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and Wigan Warriors. He won two NSWRL premierships, a Challenge Cup, and represented Queensland and Australia.


Paul Bowman

  • Graduated: 1993
  • Origin Debut: 2000, Game 1
  • Career Highlights: A one-club player with the North Queensland Cowboys, Bowman captained the team and played 12 games for Queensland, becoming known for his outstanding defence.


PJ Marsh

  • Graduated: 1997
  • Origin Debut: 2002, Game 1
  • Career Highlights: A crafty hooker who played for the Parramatta Eels, New Zealand Warriors, and Broncos, Marsh featured in four Origins for Queensland.


Matt Scott

  • Graduated: 2002
  • Origin Debut: 2006, Game 1
  • Career Highlights: Widely respected as one of Queensland’s greatest front-rowers, Scott played 16 years with the Cowboys, winning a premiership in 2015. He earned 22 Origin caps and played 22 Tests for Australia.


Dave Taylor

  • Graduated: 2006
  • Origin Debut: 2010, Game 1
  • Career Highlights: Nicknamed The Coal Train, Taylor played for the Broncos, Rabbitohs, and Titans, earning eight Origin caps and international honours with Australia.


Ben Hunt

  • Graduated: 2007
  • Origin Debut: 2017, Game 3
  • Career Highlights: A skilful halfback and hooker, Hunt has starred for the Broncos and Dragons and has been a regular in the Queensland side since 2017. He has also represented Australia.


Corey Oates

  • Graduated: 2011
  • Origin Debut: 2016, Game 1
  • Career Highlights: A fan favourite at the Broncos, Oates scored 121 tries in 216 NRL games and played nine Origins before retiring in 2024.


Harry Grant

  • Graduated: 2015
  • Origin Debut: 2020, Game 3
  • Career Highlights: Now the captain of the Melbourne Storm, Grant is one of the game's elite hookers. He has become a mainstay for both Queensland and Australia.


Kurt Mann

  • Graduated: 2010
  • Origin Debut: 2025, Game 2
  • Career Highlights: A resilient and versatile utility, Mann has played with the Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, and Canterbury Bulldogs. His selection for the 2025 Origin series is a tribute to his consistency and hard work over more than a decade in the NRL.
A glimpse of what was to come — Kurt Mann showcases his athleticism and game awareness during the 2010 Confraternity Shield in Brisbane.


With Mann’s inclusion, St Brendan’s College now proudly holds the distinction of producing more Queensland State of Origin players than any other major rugby league school in Queensland.

As the 2025 Confraternity Shield approaches, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the College’s deep rugby league heritage — and the many great journeys that begin in schoolboy footy. 

In fact, photos of Kurt Mann in the Confraternity Carnival of 2010 serve as a powerful reminder: the path to the Origin arena often begins in a St Brendan’s jersey.

Nulla Nulla Boomerang!