On Wednesday, 7 May, the St Edward’s College Under 14’s and Open’s Rugby League teams delivered an outstanding performance at Gumbayah Oval, Doyalson, securing a clean sweep in their respective competitions — the Cochrane Cup (Under 14) and the City Cup (Opens).

Both teams remained undefeated throughout the day, showcasing exceptional skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Their dominance on the field was evident in every match, as they outplayed their opponents with a combination of disciplined defence and powerful attacking play.

Open’s

With limited preparation due to exams, work placement and wet ovals the team did a tremendous job gelling across their three games. A simple game plan and encouragement to ‘play what was in front of them’ saw our team post three comfortable wins.

We played St Peter’s Catholic College in our first game, and it didn’t take long for St Edward’s to gain ascendancy, winning comfortably 28-0. We then played Green Point Christian College who seem to be able to get under our skin, however, we again ran out winners 22-4. Our final game was against MacKillop Catholic College, who started strongly but soon gave up the fight as we ran away with the game 36-3.

Strong runs through the middle with Toa, Brooklyn and Brendan laying a powerful platform. From there our speed men took advantage with tries to Cooper, Logan, Kye, Owen, Ryan and Flynn. Nixon, Jaxon, Luca and Ryder were crafty in the middle and led our defence. Will and Caleb controlled our attack and field position, as Noah, Blake and Lachlan challenged the edges. A fantastic team performance.

Team:  Owen Bell, Noah Best-Minto, Flynn Carson, Benjamin Geddes-Brown, Cooper Jones, Ryder Kasun, Nixon Lavin, Jaxon Macintosh, Will McClelland, Kye McIntosh, Luca Norris, Lisitoa Paea, Lachlan Park, Caleb Peterson, Brendan Ratay, Brooklyn Roberts, Ryan Smith, Blake Teasdale, Logan Treble, Kyan Werner

Under 14’s

The Under 14 team’s efforts in the Cochrane Cup were particularly impressive, with strong communication and consistent pressure allowing them to control the pace of each game. Meanwhile, the Open’s team proved their experience and depth in the City Cup, executing strategic plays and maintaining composure under pressure.

The day began with a commanding performance against St Brigid’s Catholic College. From the opening whistle, the St Edward’s side dominated both in defence and attack. Their aggressive running and disciplined defensive structure saw them keep a clean sheet, running in 4 unanswered tries to claim a convincing first-round victory.

In the second match, the boys faced their toughest challenge of the day against a physically imposing St Peter’s Catholic College. However, the St Edward’s side rose to the occasion with an exceptional defensive effort, holding firm against repeated attacking sets. Their determination paid off with a 3-try-to-0 win, once again keeping their opposition scoreless.

The final match of the day was against MacKillop Catholic College. Full of confidence and momentum, the team played with flair and control, dominating all areas of the field. The boys cruised to victory, comfortably sealing the final match and finishing the day undefeated.

Standout performers on the day included:

• Beau McKeon, who, despite being the smallest on the field, was fearless in defence, throwing himself into every tackle and showing incredible heart.
• Alex Winner, whose powerful runs consistently broke the line and carried defenders with him, setting the platform for attacking plays.
• Sean Mahoney, who was St Edwards Player of the Day, was electric with ball in hand, breaking the line almost every time he touched the ball and scoring multiple tries across the three matches.

Team:  Fraser Boake, Finn Close, Lincoln Craig, Ashton Hubbard, Saint Levae, Harry Lowbridge, Sean Mahoney, Beau McKeon, Riley Nebauer, Jacob Piper, Ambrose Plunkett, Max Portass, Tyler Preston, Rocco Roycroft, Tobi Ruhl, Nicholas Smith, Kody Teasdale, Alexander Winner

Thanks to their convincing victories, both teams have now qualified for their respective finals, which will take place later in Term 2. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the commitment of the players and coaches involved.

Congratulations to all the boys who took part — your hard work, determination, and school spirit have made the St Edward’s community proud. We wish both teams the best of luck in the finals!

Open’s Rugby League Team

Under 14’s Rugby League Team