Eight young rugby league players from Ipswich State High School are set to make their debut with the NRL in 2021.
Of those, five are graduating year 12 students who have already moved interstate to begin training and playing with the teams that have signed them.
Director of the western Brisbane school’s Rugby League Excellence program, Joshua Bretherton, said it had been a tough year for their players.
“A lot of our players missed an opportunity to play representative football through the club system and through the school system as everything got shut down due to COVID-19,” he said.
“Our season was compressed into a much-shorter season so it was much busier during the second half of the year.”
For students with ambitions to play professional rugby league, each representative football tournament is an opportunity to impress talent scouts from the NRL.
‘Buzzing out’ with excitement
Many students taking part in the program have moved to the school specifically to play rugby league.
They come from across Queensland and the Pacific region, with some students even crossing the ditch from New Zealand for their chance.
Eighteen-year-old Evander Tere-Rongotaua grew up in Wellington but moved to Australia at 16, far from his immediate family.
This year, despite suffering an injury, he signed a two-year contract with the Sydney Roosters.
“I’m a bit nervous and excited at the same time so, a mix of emotions really, but I’m excited, buzzing out really,” he said.
Evander said the move to Australia had been tough and he felt he had “sacrificed his childhood” at times but ultimately, he agrees it has been worth it for the opportunities he has received.
“I know most people don’t say this but I was quite scared coming to a new school [and] thinking of what people were going to think of me, how was I going to fit in,” he said.
“I’m such a family-oriented person so to move here by myself and experience life on my own at quite a young age was a big step for me.
“It was a bit hard but I got through it and I have learnt more and grown more as a person and as a player.”
Preparing for the future with school program
Evander said the school had helped him take his sport seriously, but also to prepare him for life outside sport and he has a back-up plan for life after the NRL.
“The school has really taught me a lot [like] the importance of a plan B,” he said.
“I got on a personal training course here just to help me with life outside of footy.”
Fellow player Deijion (DJ) Leugaimafa has signed a two-year contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
DJ said as more and more tournaments were cancelled due to COVID-19, the pressure was on for him to play his best in any remaining games.
“Everyone’s momentum was down,” he said.
“We were hoping the Super-Six tournament wasn’t going to be cancelled and when we got the green light, we just didn’t want to waste the opportunity.
Culture of footy setting up future success
Mr Bretherton said working with the boys was rewarding and seeing them achieve their sporting goals was “extraordinarily exciting”.
“They give up a lot of time and our staff give up a lot of time, so one of the rewards we get is seeing the boys take their next step in football,” he said.
In addition to the five boys off to Sydney to train and play with NRL clubs, three more from Year 11 have also signed contracts while continuing their high school education.
This year, the school had its first alumni player in a Queensland State of Origin side since Allan Langer played in 2001, with Phillip Sami playing two games in the 2020 series.
Mr Bretherton said the eight young players had worked hard to develop their work ethic and the culture at the school around opportunities.
“For our little kids — 12-year-olds and up — for them to see that pathway is really, really important,” he said.
Within two years, the school hopes to also have a full senior rugby league program for female students.
Ipswich State High School is at the forefront of innovative programs to help their students achieve goals.
Their Young Families Connect, a flexi-school program where teenage mums can bring their babies to classes, has been running for five years.
