Sport
Cochrane Cup Grand Final - here we come
St Paul’s College 14 Years rugby league team, pictured below, have made history at the College. On Thursday 14 August this team became the first rugby league team in the history of the College to make a NSW Catholic Schools rugby league grand final.
The squad travelled to Tuncurry Sporting Complex with an air of confidence instilled by the cool, calm and collected coach Mr Aiden Tolman. Our opponents, St Edward’s College, Gosford were ready for the challenge and the NRL supplied the referees and touch judges who officiated this absolute cracker of a game.
St Paul’s had a great start to the contest courtesy of outstanding lead up work from Jordy (The Jammer) Kirkman Dates who broke the defensive line in his own half then coolly offloaded to Cruze (After-Burner) Schubert who ran 50 metres and scored under the sticks. Ashton (Golden Boot) Swaine (The reason for this nickname will be very apparent later in the article) stepped up and slotted the conversion and a smiling Mr Robinson thought we were in for an easy afternoon.
How wrong he was, St Edward’s hit back in the next set after St Paul’s played a bit of dropsy and Eddy’s scored out wide with the conversion unsuccessful taking the score to St Paul’s 6 to St Edward’s 4.
St Paul’s bounced back to the half way mark and were still very confident they could get the job done. Unfortunately, Eddy’s had other ideas and began to make major inroads into St Paul’s defensive line. At the 15 minute mark, Eddy’s shifted the ball left and the number 12 broke through and was sprinting towards the try line. Ashton (Golden Boot) Swaine chased hard and captured the elusive 12 one metre from our tryline. Unfortunately, Ashton was then penalised for continuing with the tackle and dispatched to the sin bin for 10 minutes. (Oh no) Eddy’s scored an easy try with a shift to the right as Ashton was trudging off the field. Conversion unsuccessful and Eddy’s take the lead 8 points to 6.
St Paul’s look deflated, Super Coach Tolman fires off instructions to water boy Robinson for the players to keep their cool and stick to the task at hand. A nine minute period of dogged defence follows with Eddy’s dominating possession and finally breaking through for another try out wide to make it Eddy’s 12 - St Paul’s 6. The hooter blows for half time and the team and Mr Tolman give a collective sigh of relief. Super Coach Tolman takes control at the break delivering soothing reassurance to his charges. He is certain that St Paul’s can come back and the team is reinvigorated by their coach's quiet confidence.
The second half begins with a Jordy (The Jammer) Kirkman Dates shirt front tackle and the spectators can feel the impact on the sideline. St Paul’s have the better of the play early in the second half and after some solid running from Kirkman Dates, Thorman, Johnson and O’Donnell, Alastar (The Star) O’Donnell crashes over next to the posts and Ashton (Golden Boot) Swaine slots over the conversion to tie the game up at 12 points all with 16 minutes to go.
Coach Tolman exhorts Water Boy Robinson to encourage the players to keep their cool and he still has every confidence that they can get the job done. Unfortunately, not long after that sage advice Eddy’s bust open the St Paul’s defence and race over for a try smack bang under the black dot. The Eddy’s goal kicker slots the conversion to take the score to Eddy’s 18 - St Paul’s 12.
Cruze (The After-Burner) Schubert speaks quiet and reassuring words behind the goal line, the challenge is set and it’s all or nothing. The game sways from side to side and end to end. Schubert saves a try with eight to go and St Paul’s get a penalty in the next set on their 10 metre line. Coach Tolman exhorts Water Boy Robinson to let the team know that they have 4 minutes to score. Alastar (The Star) O’Donnell hits it up the middle on plays 1, 3 and 5. The ball then shifts left through Flynn Tolman, Harry Moffit and Hamish Davies who throws an immaculate pass hitting the flying Benjamin (The Saviour) Hiscock on the chest and he dives over in the corner for a well deserved try.
It’s suddenly very tense. Ashton (Golden Boot) Swaine (Hence the nickname) carries the ball back and sits it on the tee, 18 metres from the try line and one metre from touch. He is a study of concentration. He steps back the obligatory five metres and sizes up the posts. He moves in and that boot strikes the Steeden ‘as clean as a whistle’ and it sails over the black dot. There are scenes of jubilation from players, coaches and supporters alike as the game is tied up at 18 points all.
Eddy’s trudge there way back to half way harbouring thoughts of ‘victory being stolen from the jaws of defeat’ by the men of St Paul’s. The kickoff sails deep into St Paul’s territory and is again carted back up field by Alastar (The Star) O’Donnell and his forward cohort of Johnson, Kirkman Dates and Thorman. The ball shifts to Harry Moffitt who ploughs it down field as the hooter sounds. Archer McMurray cuts down the Eddy’s centre with another scything tackle and the ref blows the whistle for the end of regulation time.
The coaching staff of both teams at this point race to consult the NRL Ground Manager. Is it extra time? Is it Golden Point? Well, actually it is both.
It's time for more sage advice from Super Coach Tolman. He is now brimming with confidence and so are his charges. The soothing words of the coach reassures the team and they brace for the final minutes of this absorbing match.
Five minutes each way and St Paul’s lose if extra time is a draw. It is all or nothing. The game resumes and play goes set for set, each team testing the other looking for a weakness. Three minutes down and St Paul’s force an error via a block busting tackle from Tom (The Axe) Prior and receive a penalty from the ensuing play. It’s too far out for ‘The Boot’ to do his thing so Tolman calls for four hit ups after the penalty and to shovel it to ‘The Boot’ to take a shot at field goal. ‘The Star’ and ‘The Jammer’ take multiple hitups, the ball shifts to Ashton for the shot, too many blockers, Ashton shifts the ball left to Luke (The Saviour 2) Johnson who dummies outside to Hiscock (Saviour 1) then straightens and dives over carrying two defenders for the winning try. The referee points at the spot and awards the try. St Paul’s are victors and the team are jubilant beyond belief. Cochrane Cup Grand Final here we come!!
St Paul’s 14 Years rugby league team will now play in the Cochrane Cup Grand Final at Central Coast Stadium in week 10 of this Term. Our opposition is yet to be decided. Thank you to all the families who travelled to Tuncurry to support our students in today's great victory. Your presence really made a big difference.
NRL Player of the Match - Alastar (The Star) O’Donnell
2 Points - Jordy (The Jammer) Kirkman Dates
2 Points - Ashton (Golden Boot) Swaine
1 Point - Archer (The Scyth) McMurray
1 Point - Thomas (The Axe) Prior
Congratulations to the entire squad, every boy has represented our great College with passion and pride.
New Athletics Carnival Records 2025
Congratulations to both Amelia Wilson and Wilton Townsend who have broken two records at the 2025 Athletics Carnival. Each of these fantastic athletes continue to excel across school and community athletics and should be very proud of their achievements.
Wilton Townsend - 16 Years Boys 800m - 2.07.02, 16 Years Boys 1500 m - 4.23.00
Amelia Wilson - 15 Years Girls 800m - 2.43.03. 15 Years Girls 1500m - 5.24.12
Upcoming Events
- NSW Secondary Schools Rugby 7’s - Tuesday 19 August at Verge St Fields, Kempsey - 9 teams from St Paul’s competing.
- Netball Schools Cup Regional Finals - Wednesday 27 August - 8 teams from St Paul’s competing.
- Lismore Diocesan Athletics Championships - Tuesday 2 September - 33 students competing.
Mr Leon Robinson - Teacher and Sports Coordinator