SBC kicks off big year in rugby league with Brisbane hit-out

It’s a College renowned as a rugby league nursery for many current and past NRL stars, and in 2018 St Brendan’s College coaching staff are determined to leave no stone unturned and will kick start the rugby league year with a Brisbane tour for their First XIII and U15 rugby league squads.

The teams will play Marsden High School, finalists in the GIO Cup in 2017 on Friday 16 March before they attend the NRL Cowboys vs Broncos Game at Suncorp Stadium, and will tour the new $26 million Broncos Centre of Excellence Training facility on Saturday 17 March before games against Beenleigh State High at 3pm.

St Brendan’s College Director of Sport Mr Dallas Williams said the Rugby League Tour was an excellent opportunity to play against strong opposition and to demonstrate to the boys the history and culture of rugby league at St Brendan’s College.

“For a number of boys on this trip they will attend their first NRL game, and with past St Brendan’s College students like Matt Scott, Jake Granville and Corey Oates playing at this highest level and Paul Bowman involved as an Assistant Coach for the Cowboys on Friday night, it is a chance for them to see the real possibilities in rugby league,” Mr Williams said.

At the same time First XIII Coach Mr Terry Hansen is looking at the Tour as an opportunity to observe the performance, work ethic and attitude of the boys, as he works to scale the squad back from 28 to 20 for the start of the official rugby league season in Term 2.

“It will be a good chance to have a couple of tough games and see where we’re at as a team, and see where we have to improve,” Mr Hansen said.

“It’s not all about the performance of the boys this weekend, but about their commitment, how they work as a team rather than as an individual, and the attitude they have to the game and to the year ahead,” Mr Hansen said.

The final First XIII team will be chosen ahead of the first Aaron Payne Cup game to be held on Tuesday 24 April 2018 in Yeppoon against Rockhampton Grammar School, before a big season of rugby league including the schoolboy competition in Rockhampton, as well as the highlight of the year, the annual Confraternity Shield in Charters Towers in July.