THIS year’s Confraternity Carnival – recognised as a nursery for future Queensland rugby league greats – has kicked off at Brisbane’s Iona College, with the addition of a girls competition for the first time in the carnival’s 41 year history.
The Confraternity Carnival brings together more than 1000 schoolboys and almost 200 schoolgirls – almost all from Catholic schools – to play for one of the most cherished trophies in Queensland school sports.
History was made in the girls competition on Monday morning (June 28) as Marymount College, Burleigh Waters defeated South Cross Catholic College 32-0, and St Patrick’s College, Mackay defeated Trinity College 34-0.
In the boys competiton Townsvilleʼs Ignatius Park College – the home of some of North Queenslandʼs greatest players – will aim to break a drought and defend the Confraternity Shield that it won in the last tournament in Bundaberg in 2019.
COVID-19 forced the cancellation of last yearʼs carnival – the first year “Confro” hadnʼt been contested since the inaugural competition in 1980 brought six teams and future Queensland great Bob Lindner to Bundaberg.
This year, the competition run by Queensland Independent Secondary Schoolsʼ Rugby League from June 28-July 2, bringing together 48 schools – almost all Catholic schools – from across Queensland for the boysʼ competition and nine Catholic schools for the girlsʼ competition.
Over the years Confro has continued to throw up graduates who become NRL stars.
The current Queensland State of Origin squad includes former Confro players Cameron Munster (Emmaus College, Rockhampton), Valentine Holmes, Coen Hess and Kyle Feldt (Ignatius Park College), Felise Kaufusi (Shalom College, Bundaberg), Daly Cherry-Evans (St Patrickʼs College, Mackay) and Ben Hunt (St Brendanʼs College, Yeppoon).
The arrival of new players each year makes it difficult to predict the winner of the Confraternity Shield but teams from the north including Ignatius Park College, St Patrickʼs College, Mackay, The Cathedral College, Rockhampton, and St Brendanʼs College, Yeppoon will be competitive.
Southeast Queenslandʼs claims lay with the likes of Johnathan Thurstonʼs alma mater St Maryʼs College, Toowoomba and Xavier Coatesʼ former school Marymount College, Burleigh Waters while a strong contingent of schools from the Associated Independent Colleges across greater Brisbane and beyond will also prove difficult to beat.
The participating schools for the inaugural girlsʼ competition are Clairvaux MacKillop College (Upper Mount Gravatt), Trinity College (Beenleigh), Shalom Catholic College (Bundaberg), St Josephʼs College (Toowoomba), Emmaus College (Rockhampton), The Cathedral College (Rockhampton), St Patrickʼs College (Mackay), Marymount College (Burleigh Waters) and Southern Cross Catholic College (Townsville).
The competition is a positive sign for the development of girlsʼ rugby league in Catholic schools. In the 2019 Karyn Murphy Cup – a 233 team state-wide girlsʼ competition – all nine school finalists across the three age divisions were from state schools.
QISSRL president and Padua College Rector Peter Elmore said the Confraternity Carnival brought together teams united by a Christian background.
“The Carnival has grown in size since it was first contested in 1980 but it remains an event in which fair play, respect and fellowship are most highly valued,” Mr Elmore said.
“We are proud of the many Catholic schools and players who have contested this event over the decades.
“While there is a great list of former Confro players who have gone on to the gameʼs highest levels, weʼre just as proud of the manner in which the Carnival is played.”
Iona College Rector Fr Michael Twigg OMI and Principal Trevor Goodwin said: “After the cancellation of last yearʼs Carnival, this Confraternity presents us with a renewed commitment to build upon respectful relationships between individual athletes and school communities.”
“Our Carnival welcomes female athletes as competitors for the first time and this greatly enriches the dynamic of the competition.”
We have no doubt that it will provide many girls with representative opportunities as well as friendships that will last a lifetime.”
All matches from Iona College, Lindum, are being livestreamed at www.confraternitycarnival.com.au
