Sport
20 February, 2026
New school league academy
FOLLOWING last year’s successful partnership with the Liverpool FC International Academy, Good Counsel College is strengthening its reputation as a leader in delivering top-tier sporting opportunities for students and the wider community.
In late 2025, the college launched the Brisbane Tigers Rugby League Academy which started this term.
This partnership is part of the Tigers’ ongoing commitment to grassroots development, providing local youth with structured pathways in rugby league.
While the Tigers have expanded their pathways to six secondary schools, Good Counsel is the first partner school in Far North Queensland.
Good Counsel College principal Paul Melloy travelled to Brisbane where he finalised a three-year memorandum of understanding with the Brisbane Tigers.
Mr Melloy said “this exciting partnership will involve the club sharing their professional coaching knowledge, structured coaching development sessions and support, as well as access to their outstanding facilities.”
While the academy is based at the college, the Confraternity team will have the opportunity of training and competing at the Tigers’ stadium in this year’s Confraternity Cup in Brisbane.
Players will have access to one of Brisbane’s premier grounds, regularly used by the Brisbane Broncos, as well as their gym, change rooms, bicycles and recovery facilities, such as ice baths and saunas.
The college is especially grateful to Brisbane Tigers CEO Mitch Cook, and former pathways manager Ryley Jacks for supporting this exciting initiative to nurture sustainable rugby league talent in Far North Queensland.
In term two, academy coach Ken Edwards, who has connections with Parramatta Eels and English super league teams Catalans Dragons and Huddersfield Giants, will visit the region for a week.
He will bring with him former Melbourne Storm and West Tigers player Mahe Fonua and work with academy players, the Confraternity team and Innisfail Leprechauns.
Next term, another new academy coach will start, who has previously worked with the Melbourne Storm, Sydney Rabbitohs, Queensland under-17 and under-19 teams and the Ipswich Jets.
In August, when the Brisbane Tigers teams face the Northern Pride in Cairns, coaches will run a morning session in Innisfail with players then having the opportunity to watch state league action at Barlow Park.
Good Counsel College has secured a place in the prestigious Townsville and Districts Mendi Blackhawks schoolboys trophy for 2026.
This competition features leading schools from across the Townsville diocese, with Good Counsel College proudly becoming the first school from the Cairns diocese to take part.
The tournament, which includes under-13, under-15 and open divisions, provides students with a clear and direct pathway to the NRL Schoolboys Trophy and higher representative opportunities.
The competition will run weekly throughout term 2, with Good Counsel College launching their campaign against St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie at Callendar Park in Innisfail on 22 April.