The ACU Confraternity Carnival breaks new ground when it returns to Brisbane this week with 72 teams to play in the famous schools rugby league gathering.
For the first time, Confraternity Carnival will be played at Marist College, Ashgrove with matches spread across seven fields close to the famous school.
A total of 56 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams from Catholic and Independent schools across the state will play in the Carnival staged by Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League (QISSRL).
It’s another step for a Confraternity Carnival that began in 1980, establishing its reputation as a statewide gathering of school rugby league teams that play in the “Spirit of Confraternity”.
The 46th “Confro”, sponsored by Australian Catholic University, with major support from Queensland’s Former Origin Greats (FOGS), will be played from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July. An Opening Ceremony and Mass will be held on Sunday 28 June.
It will be the 11th time that the carnival has been played in Brisbane.
About 400 schoolgirls and 1400 schoolboys will take part. The Carnival will be played across seven fields including five fields at Marist College and two at GPS rugby union grounds.
In its four decades, Confraternity Carnival has become one of the nation’s best rugby league nurseries. Lillian Yarrow this year became the first Confro girls’ graduate to earn selection in the Queensland women’s State of Origin team. Yarrow was the player of the carnival in 2022, representing Emmaus College, Rockhampton.
Four Confro graduates have been selected in the men’s Maroons’ State of Origin squad this year: Cameron Munster (Emmaus College, Rockhampton), Harry Grant (St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon), Lindsay Collins (Padua College, Kedron) and Gehamat Shibasaki (Ignatius Park College, Townsville).
In the last two seasons, Carnival graduates to reach NRL level include Owen Pattie (Canberra Raider), Tom Duffy (Cowboys/Broncos), Xavier Kerrisk (Cowboys) and Phillip Coates (Broncos).
Confraternity Carnival has been held every year from 1980 except for 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. The 2021 Carnival was cut short due to a Covid lockdown.
St Patrick’s College, Mackay is the defending boys’ Confraternity Shield champion, claiming last year’s final against Padua College. Last year’s host school The Cathedral College, Rockhampton, claimed the girls’ Confraternity Shield in a tense final against St James’ College, Spring Hill.
The arrival of new players each year makes it difficult to predict favourites in the boys’ Division 1. Ignatius Park College, St Brendan’s College and St Patrick’s College, Mackay have won every Shield final since 2019.
Southeast Queensland’s claims in the boys’ competition lay with the likes of Padua College and the host Marist College, Ashgrove, which recently played in their school rugby union seasons, along with Johnathan Thurston’s alma mater St Mary’s College, Toowoomba and Marymount College, Burleigh Waters.
The coaching ranks include many familiar faces to rugby league fans: former State of Origin players Cameron Smith (Marymount College, Burleigh Waters boys), Darren Smith (Clairvaux MacKillop College, Upper Mount Gravatt), Matt Geyer (Marymount College, girls), Steven Bell (Marist College, Emerald boys), Antonio Kaufusi (Shalom College), Dunamis Lui (St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe) and Brenko Lee (St James’ College, Spring Hill boys) along with NRL veterans Tony Martin (The Cathedral College boys) and Scott Minto (St Brendan’s College).
QISSRL president Peter Elmore said 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 schools and players who have contested this event over the decades. While there is a great list of former Confraternity players who have gone on to the game’s highest levels, we’re always just as proud of the manner the Carnival is played in. The Spirit of Confraternity underpins this Carnival.
“We are very much looking forward to Marist College hosting the carnival and we thank them for their efforts.”
Michael Newman, principal of Marist College, said: “It is our College’s pleasure to host the 72 teams competing this year. We look forward to welcoming all players, coaching staff, parents and friends to our College for a week that will create lifelong memories.”
The boys’ carnival is contested in four divisions of 16 teams (Divisions 1, 2 and 3) and eight teams (Division 4). Teams will play their three pool matches by lunchtime on Tuesday 30 June. Playoffs will begin on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Wednesday’s rest day and conclude with semi-finals and finals on Thursday and Friday. Each boys’ team is scheduled to play six matches regardless of results.
The girls’ competition will be contested between two divisions of eight teams in each division. Girls’ teams will each play two games on Monday 29 June and two games on Tuesday 30 June. Those results will determine the order for Thursday’s finals, during which each team will play one match. The girls’ Shield grand final will be held on Thursday 2 July.
Pool matches are played in 20-minute halves. All girls’ finals and all boys’ semi-finals and finals are played in 25-minute halves.
