Kaiya still plays part for Bears

THE Kirwan State High School rugby league team is once again riding a wave of emotion towards a possible national title win.

The Bears scored an upset win over Brisbane powerhouse Marsden State High School on Wednesday to advance to the national final of the NRL Schoolboys Cup in Sydney next week.

Yesterday, team members and staff said they were motivated by the health battle of someone who should have been on the field with them on Wednesday.

Kirwan student Kaiya-gene

Kerekere, 16, could not be at the game as he was undergoing his latest round of chemotherapy.

Kaiya has been battling the rare cancer synovial sarcoma for more than a year.

He is based in Brisbane for treatment and paid an emotional visit to the team at their training run ahead of Wednesday’s game.

The unannounced visit had a significant emotional impact on the team.

Yesterday, players said they were inspired by Kaiya, saying no matter how hard things got on the field it did not go anywhere near comparing with the struggle their friend was enduring.

Four years ago, Kirwan carried the spirit of former principal John Livingston with them to a national title win – the first time a team from regional Queensland had achieved the feat.

Mr Livingston, a long-term principal at the school and staunch supporter of its rugby league program, lost his battle with cancer less than six months before Kirwan won that national title.

Before taking the field, the team shouted “Livo” in his memory.

Next Wednesday the team faces another tough task, against Sydney’s Westfields Sports High.

But they have shown that by displaying the “110 per cent” spirit the team is famous for, anything is possible.

Go Bears!