St Mary’s takes in Confra Shield win
RUGBY LEAGUE: St Mary’s College has had the chance to reflect on its history-making victory.
The Toowoomba school was victorious in the Confraternity Shield earlier in the month, besting 47 other schools gunning for one of school rugby league’s most prized possessions.
Prior to its demolition of St Peter Claver College, St Mary’s hadn’t tasted victory since 1998 during a golden era of the sport for the school, which saw it claim three shields in the space of five years.
Coach Rob Anderson said the chemistry of the team heading into the week was a huge plus.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who have played a lot of football at club and representative level in key positions so that certainly did help,” he said.
“We took 20 boys away representing four or five different clubs across Toowoomba, and to bring them all together into one team has been a feat.”
The school was rewarded for its efforts with Jake Simpkin, Jordan Lipp and Tate McCormick earning merit honours, and Simpkin being named player of the carnival.
“Obviously Jake Simpkin is a marquee player. He’s away at the moment with the Queensland Secondary Schools team at the nationals, and we’re hoping he comes back with an Australian jersey,” he said.
“He’s contracted with the Broncos, and there’s boys here who are on the horizon of NRL clubs and certain scouts
around the place.
“There’s certainly talent here in this particular group that can go on. The ball is probably in their court if they want to do that.”
“For the school it’s been enormous. The social media outreach has been huge,” he said.
“We had old boys, board members, staff members watching from every corner of the country and the globe from Japan to Alaska to New Zealand.
“The last time we won social media wasn’t around. The response has been enormous and I think that demonstrates how much it means to the community.”
Cory Haywood played a big part in the success of St Mary’s, booting seven conversions in the 42-6 scoreline.
He was a member of last year’s team that finished seventh, and credited the experience as crucial to their success this time around.
“I was there last year, but this year as one of the senior boys, we just love being together and it showed on the field,” Haywood said.
“We had our hardest game in the semis against Iggy Park. They really gave it to us. They were a similar team to us - big, tough and fit - we matched it with them though.
“Going into the final we just had to get one more job done, that was the message through the days.
“The memories are going to last forever, the mates you make and these boys will be forever in your mind knowing we won in 2018.”