The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys has extended its long-term development partnership with Townsville rugby league powerhouse Kirwan State High School, with a renewed three-year commitment running through 2026.
The new agreement will see the Cowboys and Kirwan SHS entering a 12th consecutive year of a partnership which has helped to develop numerous NRL stars and for the first time includes Kirwan SHS’ female rugby league program.
Kirwan SHS is one of six schools with development partnership agreements with the Cowboys, joining fellow Townsville juggernaut Ignatius Park College, Cairns’ Trinity Bay State High School and St Augustine’s College, Mackay’s St Patrick’s College as well as Rockhampton’s The Cathedral College.
Kirwan SHS has been the school of choice for numerous Cowboys stars including Dally M winner Jason Taumalolo, Life Member Aaron Payne, current General Manager of Football Micheal Luck, Jacob Lillyman and Ray Thompson as well as current NRLW player Sareka Mooka.
The current Cowboys NRL squad contains four Kirwan alumni including Taumalolo, Jeremiah Nanai, D’Jazirhae Pua’avase and Kaiden Lahrs.
As a result of the new partnership, Kirwan SHS players and coaches will continue to be provided development opportunities through the Cowboys.
Both Kirwan SHS’ Aaron Payne Cup team and Open Girls will have the opportunity to train at The Hutchinson Builders Centre with input from Cowboys Elite Pathways Coach Steve Sheppard and NRLW Head Coach Ben Jeffries.
Kirwan SHS coaches will have access to selected Cowboys Young Guns and NRLW training sessions and one on one mentoring with Cowboys Head of Elite Pathways Glenn Hall as well as Sheppard and Jeffries.
“Our club has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Kirwan State High School and we look forward to continuing to grow our partnership over the next three years,” Luck said.
“Kirwan’s rugby league program is at the top echelon of the high school level and provides an excellent development pathway for our school-age contracted players before they make the step up to our senior programs.”
Kirwan SHS Executive Principal Heather Murry said the school was excited to extend its partnership with the Cowboys.
“This agreement sees us entering our 12th year in partnership with the North Queensland Cowboys. There wouldn’t be many schools in the country that have such a long standing and valued partnership with a professional sporting organisation,” she said.
“The inclusion of our female students into the partnership was a natural evolution with the progression of NRLW.
“The value in our partnership is in the professional development of our staff, access to elite high-performance facilities and keeping North Queensland kids in North Queensland.
“North Queensland kids, both boys and girls, can attend Kirwan High and participate in our Rugby League Academy and go all the way through to NRL and NRLW with the North Queensland Cowboys.”
