Brisbane State High School hasn’t won a GPS First XV premiership since 2016 yet one thing hasn’t changed…the underdog persona that helps inspire them.
A season climax between two unbeaten teams happens rarely as a quirk of the draw but when it does, it is a “grand final” in every sense.
Saturday’s match-up between Nudgee College and State High at Ross Oval pits two schools on glorious 7-0 winning streaks to decide the 2024 premiership.
So much goes into a school rugby season of friendships, memories, highlights, turning points and, yes, drama that many players vividly recall those moments 20 years later.
Their athletic days are well in the rearview mirror by then but a fresh debate or tale, that has grown exponentially down the years, is great fodder beside a backyard barbecue.
Two-time World Cup Wallaby Jordan Petaia was the star when State High last won at Ross Oval in their 2016 premiership run.
Never did his star shine brighter than in that clash. Nudgee lost a lineout at the death and State High turned it into a match-turning try for Petaia on full-time.
Former Wallabies Steve and Toutai Kefu have coached the State High boys to the decider this year.
Standout No.8 Roman Siulepa, flanker Trent Picot and skipper Eli Langi are amongst those leading the way in the pack.
Anyone with an ear to the GPS season this year has heard of Siulepa. He’s the 2.01m athlete who put a temporary freeze on joining the National Basketball League pre-season so he could play with his mates.
“Roman just tells you how important it is to play with your school mates. He loves the team aspect and his commitment has been awesome,” Steve said.
A new coaching gig in Japan has taken Toutai to Japan but he’s still coaching the forwards by Zoom calls into team meetings.
“The forwards respect him so much. They know what he wants and they know what to do,” Steve said.
“At the start of the season, we spoke with the boys about what State High meant.
“The boys have embraced that underdog role and the identity of talented kids of medium to low-income parents. We are the only State school in the GPS system.”
The message has been magnified on every Friday of the season by a rugby old boy joining the boys at a sausage sizzle after their captain’s run to tell them what playing for State High meant to them.
Petaia, former Brisbane Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough, Samu Kerevi, Peter Hynes, Jacob Rauluni, Andy Muirhead and this week’s guest Mark Bartholomeusz are amongst those to speak to the boys.
Muirhead, a fixture on the wing for the ACT Brumbies, hit the mark with his story of perseverance.
He never made junior rep teams and started work as a tradie on power lines out west before the knockbacks finally turned into a training contract offer in Canberra.
Even rugby league royalty dropped in at the school this week when old boy Wally Lewis, a member of the famous 1977-78 Australian Schoolboys rugby team, did his tips for Channel Nine from the training field with the boys.
Over at Nudgee College, there’s one significant figure who knows exactly what drives State High and how hard they will be to topple.
Nudgee College First XV coach Andrew Scotney is a State High old boy and part of the school’s shared GPS Premierships of 1992-93. His mum Glenise was even a State High school captain back in 1962.
“I know what it means for State High but I also know what it means to Nudgee College,” Scotney said.
“Half our team started together in Grade 5 so many of them would have been watching in 2018 when the season also came down to the last game, Nudgee v TSS (The Southport School) on Ross Oval.
“Yes, there’s a bit of legacy to live up to but what a great way to finish your rugby journey at the college. I just say, enjoy it all.”
The back three of Jacob Johnson, Nick Conway and Oliver Patterson are among those boys on the journey together since Grade 5 in short pants.
Hooker and captain John Grenfell is a boarder from Yeppoon who grew up in the Northern Territory. His strong ball carries, defence and set piece skills have already won him a spot in the Queensland Under-19s squad.
Latham, Kasprowicz and Rauluni. You might recognise those significant Queensland sporting surnames.
Backrower Adam Latham is the son of former Wallaby Chris, lanky lineout-winning lock Ed Kasprowicz can bowl a good outswinger like father Michael and prop Isaac is one of the rugby playing sons of former Queensland Reds halfback Jacob Rauluni.
You'll hear a lot about Nudgee being the big dogs of GPS rugby. They have won or shared four First XV titles since State High's 2016 title.
School rugby glory is cyclical. All schools go through highs and troughs. After Paul McLean and Mark Loane steered Nudgee to the 1971 First XV premiership (photo above), the college didn't win again until 1986.
It’s about this time of the week, we will also hear “there’s going to be 10,000 there.”
That's rarely the case although many, many more would like to be. You can be sure the school grapevines of both schools will be buzzing. Past students will be eager to discover the final score and relive a vivid memory of their own.
