Teams from south-east Queensland’s AIC private schools now have a pathway to the rugby league national schoolboys’ championship for the first time in history.
A ground-breaking change to the Dolphins Cup will allow the Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) – Iona College, Marist College Ashgrove, Padua College, St Edmund’s College, St Laurence’s College, St Patrick’s College, St Peters Lutheran College, and Villanova College – a chance to enter the main draw of the national competition.
Currently the winner of the Dolphins Cup, which is contested by Central Queensland and Wide Bay schools, faces the North Queensland champion in the state semi-final.
Now the top-rated AIC school will earn a place in the Dolphins Cup finals against the Central Queensland and Wide Bay schools, with the winner of that repechage to progress to the semi-final.
It essentially provides the first chance for an AIC private school to play the best rugby league schools in the country, and one day maybe even possibly be crowned the top schoolboy team in Australia.
Dolphins create new pathway for AIC schools
Deputy Chairman of AIC Sport and Principal of Villanova College Paul Begg said the move into the Dolphins Cup was a wonderful opportunity for young players at AIC schools.
“With over 80 teams across our AIC schools, this is one of the biggest week-to-week schoolboy Rugby League competitions in Australia,” said Mr Begg.
“The Dolphins Cup provides another development pathway into professional sport and the chance for our students to fully grow and understand their potential.
“Many of our schools have a long history and relationship with Rugby League.
“In 2019 the AIC welcomed Rugby League as a new full competition sport option for our boys with 1400 boys playing week to week across Term 3.
“It has just been an outstanding success story for participation and growth. The next step is this Dolphins’ schoolboy pathway and a new gateway for our boys to challenge elite rugby league programs from across Queensland and the nation. “
Dolphins’ chief executive Terry Reader said the move was all about opening opportunities for young players to compete at the highest level.
“The NRL have previously invested in the AIC system by establishing rugby league competitions for them seven years ago,” said Reader.
“Now this realignment into the Dolphins Cup will give them the chance to play against some of the best schools in the state, and ultimately a pathway to the national championship.
“The Dolphins Cup provided that pathway for the Central Queensland and Wide Bay schools back in 2023, and now the AIC schools will get that chance.”
Former Queensland Origin player and Padua College alumni David Stagg said this competition was an exciting development for AIC players.
“I went to an AIC school at Padua College, and this was a chance we never got,” said Stagg.
“I now have a son at Padua and he and his schoolmates will get the opportunity to compete against the best schoolboy players in Queensland.”
The Dolphins Cup competition will begin on June 2, with the finals series to be played in August.
