It was a whitewash at TRL Stadium this week as the MacKillop Saints marched into the NRLNT 9s Schools Gala Day and walked away with every piece of silverware on offer. Across two blistering days of action in Mararra, four Saints teams laced up, laid down the law, and proved that rugby league well and truly lives at MacKillop.

It all began on Tuesday with the u13 Girls, who found themselves in a gritty, four-round heavy-metal throwdown against Haileybury Rendall School. Debutant Ella Sayle immediately set the tone in game one, slicing through the middle for a double to secure an opening 20–8 victory. Year 7 rookie Mary Balino then provided the instant replay of the tournament, taking a 50-metre tap-and-go straight to the house in game two.

Haileybury fought back in a tight 12–4 Game 3, but the Grand Final was all Saints. Wing prodigy Pricilia Makwala put on a clinic, crossing twice to seal a dominant 20–4 championship win.

“The girls showed up with relentless energy that absolutely blew us away,”

cheered Saints Trainer and Hydration Virtuoso, Mrs Jane Marshall.

“Elise Love and Tammy Unwin took some brutal high tackles and just kept driving forward. That’s classic MacKillop grit. Plus, our elite recovery protocols meant while other teams were melting in the heat, our girls were running on pure high-octane fuel all afternoon!”

By Wednesday morning, the air at TRL Stadium was thick with anticipation as the boys took the field. The Under-17s kicked off their campaign against Sanderson High, grinding out two tense pool wins before finding themselves trailing early in the Grand Final.

Fresh off writing a Biology exam, Captain Alex Liddle traded his pen for a Steeden, busting over the line to equalise after Sanderson opened the scoring. Sanderson hit back again, but Vice-Captain Cooper Moore alongside supersubs Jyles Boulton and Luke Knight steadied the ship. Late tries from Year 10 dynamos Gopal Mutanda and Franco Barbajo put the game on ice, snatching the trophy.

“To watch the boys respond under pressure was incredible,”

remarked Under-17s Coach Mr Stephen Hoare.

“Special mention goes to Sonny Watkinson. The players voted him player of the day, and what a legendary way for him to sign off in his final outing in the Saints jersey.”

The u13 Boys kept the momentum rolling, cruising through their pool matches undefeated. Rookie Dax McGilivray was virtually uncatchable on the wing, breaking ankles with high-speed footwork, while Colton Brooks, Clancy Legg, Eric Burarrwanga, Quincy Carter, and Leyland Mati-Leifi bossed the park.

In their Grand Final rematch against Sanderson, Eli Buckland smashed through beneath the posts in the first two minutes. Nas Lockwood and Burarrwanga quickly added to the tally, before McGilivray pulled off a highlight reel try on the back of a crossfield kick. Burarrwanga slammed down his second of the match to wrap up a 20–4 victory.

“The sheer talent coming through our junior pipeline right now is very encouraging,”

smiled Under-13s Coach Mr Oren Tyler.

“The future of MacKillop Rugby League is very bright.”

The grand finale belonged to the u15s division. Saints Ochre turned heads early with an 8–0 physical victory over returning rivals St John’s, thanks to tries from Angus McLaren and Kruze Mitchell. Despite a heartbreaking 4–0 loss to Rosebery and a heroic 8–4 bounce-back against Sanderson, Ochre narrowly missed the final on points differential.

That left Saints White to finish the job. Captain Tyler Heikkinen was an unstoppable wrecking ball, crossing five times during an unbeaten pool run. In the Grand Final against Rosebery, winger Bryce Anderson stole the spotlight, bagging a sensational hat-trick on the right flank to power White to a 24–12 triumph. The highlight of the tournament came off a wild circus play when Year 8 sensation Josh Roberts made a weaving break and booted the ball ahead, allowing forward unit Lachlan Kiernan to toe it forward again, regather, step the fullback, and slide over for his third try of the tournament.

“White carried the heavy weight of being favourites and delivered like true professionals,”

said Coach Sharp.

“At the same time, Ochre pushed everyone to their limits and proved how vast our squad depth is this year. Massive credit also goes to Haileybury, Dripstone, St. John’s, and Sanderson for bringing incredible heart to the tournament. That’s what grassroots schools rugby league is all about.”