Sport News

Marist enjoyed a successful Round 1 of the winter codes last weekend. 1400 students were involved in activities across both Friday afternoon and Saturday. The rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm or spirits of any of the students as we started the AIC season.

We kicked off with the chess on Friday night. In a fantastic battle of strategy and composure, unfortunately our boys went down in a close, hard-fought encounter to Iona 9-7. Thanks to Mr Humphry and Mr Manson for your leadership of our chess program and for the growing number of students representing the College. Thanks also to the coaches for continuing to develop and support the students.

On Saturday, we saw outstanding participation across the football program, with 37 of our 38 teams taking to the field. It was a strong start to the season, with the program winning 10 of 12 aggregate games, along with one draw and just one loss. Congratulations to the 1st XI on their impressive 6–2 victory, continuing their strong trial form and opening the season with real intent. While this aspirational group will continue to strive for improvement, they can take confidence from such a dominant performance. Well done to Mr Whitlock, our Football Coordinator, and thank you to all coordinators and coaches for their commitment and support across the weekend.

Rugby union also enjoyed a strong start to the season, with the Opens teams leading the way. The Opens won eight of their nine matches, with the only loss seeing the 8th XV go down narrowly to St Laurence’s 5th XV. All 34 teams scheduled across the day took the field, playing with clear intent and a willingness to work hard for one another. The 1st XV opened their campaign with a 43–21 win in an entertaining and physical contest. Thank you to our rugby union coordinators and coaches for their continued support of the students on Saturday.

Congratulations to our newest Term 2 participants and to all boys who debuted for the firsts in their chosen sport on the weekend. I have no doubt that it will be something they will look back on with many great memories and pride in the years to come.

Well done to all teams on a successful start to the AIC season. It was a great start to the season! This weekend sees us hosting St Peters College in what will provide a different challenge for all our teams, which we will need to prepare well for this week.

Please check the draw carefully as we are playing a very large number of different schools in supplementary matches.

Save The Date | Super Saturday

Super Saturday – 13 June, Round 7

This year Super Saturday is 13 June. Mark the date in your calendar!!.. This is the day you play and stay. There will be activities and games going on as well as plenty of exceptional football and rugby action to keep you entertained all day.

Student Achievements

Met North Rugby Union | 14-15 Years

The following students have been selected in the 14-15 years Met North rugby union team:

Jameson McGahan
Harvey Pye
Isaac Mastenbroek
Will Hutchinson

Congratulations to the four boys on a fine achievement and we wish them well our full support and best wishes.

Marist Student Referee | Reds Rugby

Congratulations to Balthazar Caesar (Year 8) for his fine refereeing performance on Saturday night as part of an initiative by Queensland Rugby Union and the Referees Association.

Balthazar was appointed the match referee for a 7-a-side match at half-time and delivered a top-class performance at Suncorp Stadium.

Balthazar is part of the growing numbers of student referees at Marist doing an exceptional job each Saturday.

Thanks to Mr Daniel Mangin (QRU Match Official Development Officer) and Mr Drew Meehan for continuing to support our referees, and creating these wonderful opportunities.

Met North Rugby Union | 11–12 Years

We are pleased to acknowledge the selection of the following students in the 11–12 Years Met North Rugby Union team:

George Thomas
Perry Ballinger
Harry Somerville
Will Barden

This is a terrific achievement and a reflection of their effort and commitment. We congratulate all four boys and extend our full support and best wishes as they represent the College.

Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Marist Rugby Union | Round 1 vs Iona

After a wet and windy week leading into Round 1, the weekend started in similar fashion. However, with all schools wanting to get full rounds of fixtures in, every scheduled rugby union game went ahead.

The 2026 AIC Rugby Union season kicked off in impressive fashion, with Iona College hosting our Year 9–12 age groups, while our Year 5–8 teams played at the College.

There was a strong sense of anticipation leading into Round 1, and our teams delivered consistent, high-quality performances. With a mix of showers and blue skies throughout the morning, it was wonderful to see the bumblebee jerseys continue to produce fast and highly skilled displays across all fields.

The 1st XV match was a physical and entertaining spectacle. The 1st XV claimed a strong victory 43-21, displaying some excellent catch pass skills and efficient breakdown work. Whilst the team will need to improve as they move deeper into the season, an outstanding demonstration of connection, resilience and desperation when the team was down to 13 players is something to build upon. Scoring one try and conceding none during this period is a credit to the entire group.

Congratulations to the Opens cohort who went through the day undefeated in the 1st XV to 6th XV games against Iona College, and losing only one (MCA 8th XV vs SLC 5thXV) across the day, highlighting the depth of talent and the excellent culture being built throughout the Opens’ rugby program. This is an outstanding achievement, especially given the strength and depth of the Iona College program. Some results include:

The 1st XV to 6th XV recording 287 points for and only 33 points against.
The 7th XV overcoming Padua’s 5th XV
The 9th XV defeating SLC’s 6th XV

The Year 10 teams delivered some strong performances in a number of even contests. The 10A’s played well, however we beaten on the buzzer 22-20, whilst the 10B and 10C teams both had good wins. To round out the Year 10 fixtures, the 10D’s recorded a 17-17 draw against Iona’s 10D’s.

Our Year 9 teams showed great form, winning four out of five matches, with only the 9E team falling short in a tough 27-15 match against Padua College’s 9C team. Congratulations to the 9A (53-5) and 9B (43-0) for winning their AIC aggregate games, and starting the season strongly. Thanks also to the staff and students in the 9D team who travelled in isolation to St Pat’s College and the 9E team who travelled to Padua College.

On a very wet McMahon Oval, the Year 8 teams suffered some close losses in three of their four games. After missing out of the trial round against Villanova, all teams understandably looked short of a game. The 8A team will be disappointed giving up a 19-0 lead, however it will also provide some sharp focus moving forward. Congratulations to the 8C’s who recorded a 29-12 victory in a high-quality match.

While the Year 7 teams fought with grit and determination, Iona proved too strong across the year level. The 7A’s were down 19-0 at halftime and rallied together with an improved second half to just fall short 19-17. The 7B and 7C teams also played some excellent rugby, however both teams were beaten. Congratulations to Iona College for their consistent performances in these matches.

While the scoreboard reflected the outcomes of the day, the most pleasing aspects were the attitude and humility shown by our players. There was a clear commitment to team-first rugby and pride in wearing the bumblebee jersey.

The primary school also delivered some top shelf rugby to begin the season. In an attempt to continue getting fixtures for all teams, a number of three-way games were played. Thanks to the Marist students for approaching this with a positive mindset and looking forward to overcome some unique challenges.

Congratulations to all players, coaches, and supporters for a memorable and positive start to the 2026 season.

Marist vs St Peter’s College | AIC Round 2

Round 2 of the AIC Rugby Union season presents a unique logistical challenge, with Marist scheduled to play fixtures against six different schools in order to ensure every student has the opportunity to take the field.

With matches spread across multiple venues and opponents, we ask all families to carefully check Parent Orbit and College emails for the most up-to-date information regarding this weekend’s schedule.

A sincere thank you to Mr Matt Millward in the Sports Administration Department for his outstanding coordination behind the scenes, and to Mr Eddie Wallace, AIC Executive Officer, for his continued support.

Team lists for Round 2 will be released on Friday morning.

Best of luck to all teams for another great weekend of rugby.

Marist Rugby Union Year Level Coordinators – please contact your year level coordinator for all non-selection matters such as lateness, unavailability and timings.

Year Level Coordinator

Opens - Mr Peter Gaiter - gaiterp@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 10 - Mr Michael Abbott - abbottm@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 9 - Mrs Liz Walsh - walshe@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 8 - Mrs Sharon Davidson - davidsons@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 7 - Mr Damien Nelson - nelsond@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 6 - Mr John Lambourne - lambournej@marash.qld.edu.au

Year 5 - Ms Ella Graham - grahame@marash.qld.edu.au

Marist Rugby Union | Wet Weather Plan

Rugby Union training will rarely be called off due to bad weather. If rain is forecast, students are asked to place their school bags and formal hats under cover.

Parents dropping students at Des Connor Fields are asked to use the canteen end, where the gear shed and canteen balcony provide shelter.

Thank you for your support.

Marist Rugby Union – Social Media

@marist_ashgrove_rugby

In 2025 the College consistently delivered some wonderful rugby memories through our social media pages. From the smallest bumblebees in Year 5 through to the biggest bumblebees in Year 12, all of it was captured in wonderful colour.

To stay connected with Marist rugby and with all the program’s achievements, please follow our Instagram page @marist_ashgrove_rugby.

Football

Mr Blair Whitlock - Football Coordinator

Round 1 vs Iona College

It was a wet week leading into Round1 of the AIC football season which saw our juniors playing at home and the seniors head out to Wynnum for their matches. After weeks of training and preparation it was great to see the boys take the field in competitive matches and adjust well to the conditions. The aggregate teams (Years 7-10 A/B teams and 1st - 4th XI) led the way with a strong 10 wins from 12 matches which led the way for many teams throughout the grades who put in strong performances. Well done for your efforts in Round1 and we look forward to taking on St Peter’s this coming Saturday.

ISSA Cup and Bill Turner Cup

This week sees the ISSA Cup get underway with our U14 team playing their first pool match against Ambrose Treacy College on Wednesday afternoon while the Bill Turner Cup (U15) team head over to Churchie for their knockout match on Churchie’s main oval which promises to be a great challenge for our boys. Good luck to both teams!

Wet Weather and Cancellations

Any training cancellations due to wet weather will be communicated through the Parent Orbit App by 6:00am for morning trainings and 2:30pm for afternoon trainings. We have such a short football season and training will only be cancelled if absolutely necessary.

Year Level Coordinators

Year 5 – Mr Blair Whitlock (whitlockb@marash.qld.edu.au)

Year 6 - Ms Sharon Davidson (davidsons@marash.qld.edu.au)

Year 7 – Mr Damian Volker (volkerd@marash.qld.edu.au)

Year 8 – Ms Maddie Henry (spannm@marash.qld.edu.au)

Year 9 – Mr Marcus Schrader (schraderm@marash.qld.edu.au)

Year 10 – Mr AJ Gray (graya@marash.qld.edu.au)

Opens – Ms Kathryn Badini (badinik@marash.qld.edu.au)

Football Registration

If any students have missed trials due to sickness/injury or have recently decided you would like to give Football a crack this term – please reach out to the Football Coordinator (whitlockb@marash.qld.edu.au) and we’ll see if there is a team available that is the right fit for you.

Swimming

Mr James Boyce - Director of Swimming

As we move into Week 3 of Term 2, it has been fantastic to see so many of our older athletes returning from their break. These scheduled breaks are an important part of the program, giving athletes valuable time throughout the year to recover, reset and prepare for the next phase of training.

Over the coming weeks, our focus will shift back to skills and technique development, a crucial part of building throughout the year. Winter is an incredibly important time for swimmers, as it provides the opportunity to develop the strong foundations needed leading into the AIC Swimming season. The work done during these months often gives boys a significant advantage, whether that means making the team for the first time or improving on previous performances.

I have been particularly impressed by the commitment shown by those boys balancing rugby and football this term while still dedicating time to swimming over winter. We understand that this often means a reduced training schedule to allow for weekend games and team commitments, but maintaining consistency in the pool during this period can make a tremendous difference.

We also understand that winter sport training schedules are still being finalised. If you are waiting for these commitments to be confirmed before returning to swimming, that is absolutely fine. Once schedules are finalised, please email Jade at swim@marash.qld.edu.au so we can help your son continue building on the skills developed in Term 1.

Rugby League

Mr Cam Mabey - Rugby League Coordinator

AIC Rugby League Sign Up

Sign-on for Rugby League 2026 is now available via the "Extra-Curricular Sign-On" tile within Parent Orbit.

All Boys wishing to trial for and play Rugby League need to be signed up to receive relevant communications and be eligible to play. Sign up will close at the end of Week 7 this Term (Thursday 5 June). Trials will begin in Week 9, Term 2. 

Basketball

Mr Matt Millward - Basketball Coordinator

Welcome to the new season of AIC Basketball at Marist Ashgrove College. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make the 2026 Basketball season enjoyable and beneficial for all participants. There is already a significant amount of interest in the season with a large number already registered!

Sign On

2026 Basketball Season sign-on is now available on Parent Orbit and Student Cafe.

All students interested in playing basketball in 2026 are encouraged to sign-on ASAP, so you do not miss any information surrounding the season ahead.

Thank you to those who have already done so.

Coaching Positions

We are in a very healthy position in relation to coaching appointments for 2026 and expect them to be announced in the next week. We do have some vacancies available for anyone interested in coaching. To receive more information, please click the link below and complete the form.

Marist College Ashgrove Basketball Coach EOI – Fill out form

Key Documents

The 2026 handbook, selection policy and key dates calendar can be accessed via Parent Orbit, here you will be able to find key information regarding the upcoming season!

2026 Basketball Trials

A Squad Trials

Trials for A squads (Years 7-11) will commence in Week 5; these will run for two weeks and will provide these teams with a squad to begin preparation for the upcoming AIC season. The A squad trial schedule will be circulated later this week. Boys who wish to be involved with this trail process must:

have played in an A or B team in the previous AIC season.
be new to the school or the sport
if not either of these, contact Mr Millward to register your interest!

Remaining team trials will commence in Week 8, Term 2. Further information regarding all trials will be circulated in the coming weeks.

CBSQ Sophomore Trials

Selection of the CBSQ Sophomore (Years 7-8) squad will be based off of the Year 7 and 8 A squad trials that are taking place in Week 5 and 6, with a squad being selected to train for and play in the CBSQ Sophomore Wildcard tournament in Brisbane on 16 and 17 June.

Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

Marist Track and Field | Sunday Sessions

For those students wanting to get a head start or start the season strongly, Mr Rob Martin will continue to run his usual Sunday sessions. The Sunday sessions are an excellent introduction. We have some exceptional coaches leading these sessions, and creating an environment of learning and enjoyment.

Some benefits include:

Improvement in technique and speed.
Technical development for throws.
Improved repeat speed / conditioning.

WHEN: Sunday afternoons

WHERE: Hayden Oval

TIME: 3:15-4:45pm

DRESS: Marist sport shirt, Marist sports shorts, white or blue socks.

Marist Track and Field | Sign On

Parents - please find the Extra-Curricular tile on Parent Orbit to find information regarding sign on. Students who wish to be involved in the Track and Field program, you are able to sign up via the Student Café. Once your son/s have signed up all parents or caregivers MUST approve the signup and edit or update any medical details.

This assists the College in organising the appropriate number of coaching staff and to deliver the necessary resources, and ensures all relevant information is forwarded to you via communication channels.

Marist Track and Field | Camp (SAVE THE DATE)

Following our success at the 2025 AIC Primary and Secondary Championship and win at the National Schools Challenge (Intermediate Division), the Track and Field program continues to provide excellent opportunities for students to be involved in a high-quality program.

The Track and Field Camp is a vital component of the team’s preparation for the AIC Championship. Over 2½ days, students will receive high-level coaching and mentoring from an exceptional team of specialists including National and Olympic-level coaches across various track and field disciplines.

Attendance at the camp is by invitation only and invitations will be sent to selected students in late August. Selection is based on a range of factors, including performance, attitude, attendance and team composition.

This camp provides an outstanding opportunity for students to refine their skills, build team camaraderie, and gain valuable insights from elite-level coaches as we prepare to defend both our AIC Secondary and AIC Primary Championship trophies.

Camp Information

Dates: Thursday 17 – Saturday 19 September 2026

Venues: Sleeman Sports Complex (Accommodation) / UQ Track and Field (Training and Performance)

Marist Track and Field – Social Media

@marist_ashgrove_sports

Marist College has continued to showcase incredible moments in Track and Field again this year, from Year 5 victories to exceptional feats by our Year 12 students, all vividly captured on our social media pages.