Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) schools will feature in every division of rugby league’s famous Confraternity Carnival, kicking off on Monday 26 June in Brisbane. A total of 18 BCE schools will feature in “Confro”, as it’s known, which brings together 52 boys’ teams and 12 girls’ teams from Catholic and Independent schools across Queensland.
The carnival began at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday 25 June when host school St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane, and Villanova College, Coorparoo, met as a curtain-raiser to the NRL clash between Brisbane and Gold Coast.
The carnival proper started on Monday 26 June at St Laurence’s College’s playing fields at Runcorn.
In its four decades, Confro has become one of the nation’s best rugby league nurseries.
Seven Confraternity Carnival graduates featured in the Maroons men’s squad for the recent second match of the 2023 State of Origin series including former BCE students Xavier Coates (Marymount College, Burleigh Waters) and Lindsay Collins (St Joseph’s Primary School, Bracken Ridge).
Organised by Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League, Confraternity Carnival was first held in 1980 when Aquinas College Ashmore won the first two Shields.
BCE Deputy Executive Director and former QISSRL president Durm O’Riordan said Confro was about more than winning football matches.
“The Carnival has always been an event in which fair play, respect and fellowship are most highly valued,” Mr O’Riordan said.
“The carnival is underpinned by its name ‘Confraternity’ which means that we’re united by our Christian faith and what it means to display the spirit of Confraternity on and off the field.
“We are proud of the many Brisbane Catholic Education 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 in which the Carnival is played.”
The Confro lineup for BCE schools is as follows, including two schools fielding teams in the girls’ and boys’ competitions:
- Girls: Marymount College, Burleigh Waters; Mt Maria College, Mitchelton
- Boys’ Division 1: Marymount College; St Peter Claver College, Riverview
- Boys’ Division 2: Aquinas College, Ashmore; St Michael’s College, Merrimac; St Columban’s College, Caboolture; St Thomas More College, Sunnybank; Clairvaux MacKillop College, Upper Mt Gravatt.
- Boys’ Division 3: Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay; Mt Maria College, Mitchelton; Unity College, Sunshine Coast; St Patrick’s College, Gympie and Good Samaritan College, Bli Bli (combined team); St John’s College, Nambour; St Augustine’s College, Augustine Heights; Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia; Emmaus College, Jimboomba; Trinity College, Beenleigh; McAuley College, Beaudesert.
Marymount College will defend its inaugural title as the girls’ Confraternity Shield champions alongside Mt Maria College, Mitchelton, which will play in the girls’ event for the first time.
In the boys’ competition, Marymount College, coached by teacher and former NRL premiership winner Matt Geyer, will again be among the strong contenders.
The boys’ carnival is contested in three divisions of 16 teams (Divisions 1 and 2) and 20 teams (Division 3).
Teams can play up to two matches each day.
The girls’ teams played two games on Monday 26 June and two games on Tuesday 27 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 at 11am on Thursday 29 June. The Trophy grand final will be held for the first time at 10am on 29 June.