SAINTS SPORTS

Around the Grounds

As the sports calendar begins to slow down, as the end of the year approaches, Saints teams are beginning to look towards the 2024 seasons. Our Cowboys Challenge and Aaron Payne Cup teams are beginning their preseason to build upon their successful 2023 seasons while our Year 7/8 Rugby League B team are participating in friendly games to gain experience for the coming season. Our 2024 rugby union squads also had a hit out against our Northern Rivals, Ignatius Park College. Mr McDonough has also organised games for our Years 7 and 8 Football players in preparation for our 2024 JSS and Bill Turner campaigns. We have also had our fair share of success in the sporting arena so far in Term 4 with all 5 of our JSS teams qualifying for the Grand Finals which will be played in Week 6. Mr Elliott’s Mountain Biking squad also managed to secure the overall trophy for the FNQ Mountain Biking Challenge. 

JSS

Saints JSS teams faced Woree State High School in the second cross over pool games of the 2023 season and the last fixtures before finals. Saints secured convincing victories in four out of five fixtures. Our touch team unfortunately conceded a late try in the final minute of the game to succumb to their first loss, 5-6. 

All 5 of our JSS teams qualified for the semi-finals in the Premier Division of the JSS competition. Our teams were coming off a bye week where they fine-tuned their skills ahead of the finals series. Saints teams were up for the occasion with all five teams putting forward dominant displays to claim a perfect 5 from 5 victories, ensuring that all of our teams will be featuring in the Grand Finals in Week 6. Good luck to our coaches and teams ahead of the Grand Finals. 

Round 8 vs St Mary’s

Semi-Finals

Saints v Ignatius Park Rugby Forges On

Over recent years Saints have formed a very solid rugby union relationship with Townsville’s Ignatius Park, meeting at least once a year, if not more to test who is the best in the North. 

This year’s event was held on Field 1 Jones Park, Mann St on a cracking day for running rugby. Our U14s were up first and were severely understrength with several key players out due to injury. It was a testament to the depth of the squad that we were still able to field such a competitive team. Iggy were too strong in the end but our boy gave a very brave account of themselves and can keep their heads high. We will get them next time fellas!

The First XV had been training impressively in large numbers into the clash and were well and truly ready. It was a great spectacle of rugby and real seesawing battle with both sides playing hard on the ball with plenty of weapons out wide. Saints drew to 17-all with only a few minutes to play but a couple of lapses saw Iggy score two late tries which flattered them and didn’t really give a true account of what a close match it had been. It was however, a game played in the right spirit with both sides exchanging gifts and kind words at the end of the game. 

We are travelling to Townsville in Term 1 for a return bout with both teams. The boys can’t wait. Thanks to Mr Anton Williams for his incredible work with the juniors and his efforts to keep schoolboy rugby alive in the Far North. 

FNQ Interschool MTB Challenge

Round 3 of the FNQ Interschool MTB Challenge was held at Smithfield Mountain Bike Park. Saints rode away from the enduro style event in a tie for first and ended the series as 2023 champions. Congratulations to the men of Saints and a student from Saint Monica’s who raced under the Saints banner, and to Finn Slade & Zahir Khan who finished with podium places. Photos by #PBHStudio.

Special Achievement

Wakeboarding

Cairns Wake Park recently held a wakeboarding event, and three of our Saints boys entered. Logan Stevens and Ashton Hopkinson took out podium spots and the three boys, with Oliver Lavis, brought the school into third overall. Well done!  

Patrick Maher 

Congratulations to Patrick Maher who was nominated for the Football Queensland 2023 Junior Player of the Year. Patrick has recently represented Queensland at the U15 National Youth Championships and is a key member of St Augustine's Bill Turner Football squad.