The stage is set for another chapter in one of the Territory’s fastest-growing school rugby rivalries, as the MacKillop Saints Year 7/8 Boys Rugby League team gear up to take on Katherine High in the second annual Ross-Bryers Bowl this coming Monday of Week 3.

The inaugural Bowl clash in 2023 saw the Saints’ current Year 9 squad charge to a dominant halftime lead before a resurgent Katherine High stormed home to claim victory on their own turf. This time, however, the Saints are determined to flip the script.

After a stellar 2025 campaign featuring a clean sweep at the NRL NT 9s Gala Day and two gritty wins over Taminmin College in the Academy Cup, the boys in navy blue are unbeaten and hungry to keep it that way.

Head coach Matthew Sharp says the squad is primed to win back the Bowl for the first time in College History.

“It’s a strong line-up that we’ve been able to name, and they’ll be up for the challenge of winning back the cup that carries the name of the great Mr Bryers, who left us in 2023,” Sharp said. “Notes for the event will be distributed tomorrow during the Academy class.”

The Ross-Bryers Bowl squad is stacked with talent across the park:

  • Bryce Anderson
  • Eric Burrarwanga
  • Andrew Mutanda
  • Jordy Lynch
  • Solomon Grigg
  • Tre Tauariki
  • Harry Liddle (C)
  • Zaiden Smith
  • Lachlan Kiernan
  • Tyler Moore
  • Jack Angeles
  • Gabriel Walsh
  • Josh Roberts
  • Byron Goodwin
  • Darby Luong
  • Ojja Pitia
  • Michael
  • Angus McLaren
  • Knox Waqa
  • Cooper Fraunefelder

Adding to an already action-packed week, the Saints will also play their third and final Academy Cup match against Taminmin College later on Friday. A win there would seal an undefeated season for the 7/8 Boys, a feat not seen since the Senior Boys’ golden run in 2023, when they claimed the Eels Cup championship and toppled Palmerston, SEDA, Taminmin, and O’Loughlin colleges.

Momentum is on their side, belief is building, and the chance to reclaim the Ross-Bryers Cup looms large. One thing’s for sure — the Saints are marching into Katherine with unfinished business.