10 FINEST PRODUCTS OF FOOTY FACTORIES
NORTH Queensland rugby league nurseries Kirwan State High School and St Brendan’s College Yeppoon have produced a remarkable array of NRL talent, and will continue to do so for many years to come.
Ahead of tomorrow night’s Aaron Payne Cup grand final between the two schools at 1300SMILES Stadium, the Townsville Bulletin looks at their combined top 10 products, ranked in order.
10) Aaron Payne (Kirwan High) to their first finals charge in 2004 and he did it again in 2005 when the Cowboys reached their first grand final.
Payne is now a Cowboys life member and is the head coach of the Townsville Blackhawks.
9) PJ Marsh dan’s)
Marsh played his NRL at the Eels, New Zealand Warriors and Brisbane Broncos and played 158 first-grade games at halfback and hooker. He represented Queensland four times in State of Origin and played in the 2002 grand final for the Warriors against the Sydney Roosters.
8) Corey Oates (St Brendan’s) dan s)
(St
Brenpremiership ambitions. He has so far played 138 games for the Broncos, scoring 95 tries, and is enjoying a patch of form heading into tomorrow’s NRL derby against the Cowboys.
7) Paul
Brendan’s) Bowman (St tionately nicknamed “Bull” during his time at Kirwan High, played 14 State of Origin games for Queensland and enjoyed a successful NRL career that spanned 265 games playing with the Cowboys, New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights.
5) Brent Webb (Kirwan High)
One of the first Kirwan High graduates to carve out a successful NRL career, Webb represented New Zealand 17 times at Test level.
He carved out a 268-game first-grade career at the New Zealand Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and Catalans Dragons. Webb was an exceptional goal kicker, and is also the player responsible for bringing in the goal kicking clock.
4) Ben Hunt (St Brendan’s) most highly rated playmakers during his 189-game career at the Brisbane Broncos.
Hunt has played six games for Australia and also seven State of Origin games for Queensland, and has become a marquee player at the St George-illawarra Dragons.
3) Matt dan’s)
Affectionately known as “Thumper” within rugby league circles, Matt Scott has become a legend at the North Queensland Cowboys and will retire a hero at season’s end.
He enters tomorrow night’s NRL derby against the Broncos on 267 first grade games, and also has 22 State of Origin and 22 Test appearances to his name.
Scott
(St Bren
2) Sam Thaiday (Kirwan High)
The retired Test and Queensland State of Origin forward will be remembered as one of the Brisbane Broncos’ favourite sons.
He played 308 games for the Broncos by the time of his retirement last year and also captained the club.
He won an NRL premiership in 2006 and played 32 Tests for Australia, and took to the Origin arena 26 times.
1) Jason Taumalolo (Kirwan High)
Taumalolo has become the NRL’S most destructive forward in a first-grade career that began as a Year 12 student.
Overcoming early hardship and a stint in Queensland Cup, Taumalolo has since won a Dally M medal and an NRL premiership, and in 2017 he signed a record 10year deal with the Cowboys.
He changed international rugby league forever ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup by choosing to play for Tonga over New Zealand.