Saints can’t be sinners

School prioritises off-field development

THE opportunity to honour the decades of hard work by former Australian winger Lionel Williamson will be a cornerstone of St Augustine’s College’s elite rugby league program.

The Cairns school already boasts a strong program, but the formalisation of a partnership with the North Queensland Cowboys and entry to the Aaron Payne Cup could take it to another level.

At the heart of St Augustine’s College’s goals on the field is to earn a chance at reclaiming a title they haven’t won in three decades – the Confraternity Shield.

Saints haven’t lifted the trophy since Cameron McNab captained the Williamsoncoached team to glory in 1993, and opens coach Kris O’Farrell said the school was driven to repeat the achievement.

But, O’Farrell made clear, this was not a program which revolved around rugby league and the development of future Cowboys or NRL stars.

While that is a desired outcome, the school and the Cowboys are more interested in the person off the field.

“The biggest thing in terms of this program being a success is that we’re not developing the player, we want to develop the man,” Farrell said. “It’s all about respect and manners, and on top of that we’ll give them professionalism to make sure they’re the best person they can be when they exit or graduate in Year 12.

“That’s what the Cowboys want as well – they want good, young men who can possibly go on and be part of their program.”

Officials from the NRL club visited Saints and Trinity Bay State High School last week to formalise the deals, which will provide both schools with the full backing of the Cowboys as they make major moves in becoming a home for the development of potential future elite athletes.

O’Farrell, Trinity Bay SHS program manager Shannon Riles and Cowboys recruitment manager Dane Campbell highlighted how the program’s greatest successes would be geared towards the development of good people.

And on the field, it makes for the further development of one of the great rivalries.

Saints and Trinity Bay are the leading rugby league schools in Cairns, and for the past few years they have traded NRL Schoolboys Trophy successes.

Trinity Bay holds the wood over Saints over the past five years, but O’Farrell is keen to see that change.

“It’s really exciting for the school, but for the town to have two schools affiliated with the Cowboys will be positive for rugby league in Cairns and district areas,” O’Farrell said.

“Having the Cowboys on board for that can only help the Pride and junior ranks.

“As a 13-14-year-old at Saints, hopefully they’re aspiring to wear the cerise and blue, and having the Cowboys emblem on the jersey will only help with that matter.”

Williamson spent more than three decades at Saints, and was heavily involved in the rugby league program, in particular with the Confraternity Shield.

The Innisfail-born winger played more than 100 games for Newtown in the NSWRL, and was named in the Jets’ team of the century.

Williamson represented both Queensland and NSW in interstate clashes, and Australia 11 times.