Representative Sport

Congratulations to the following students who have recently represented our school in the following Canberra Goulburn rep team.

Joey Gailey - Hockey

On Thursday the 4th May I travelled to Canberra to compete in the Mackillop Hockey trials in Lyneham to be held the next day. When we got to Lyneham it was freezing cold. At 8:00am on Friday morning we started to play, there was still fog on the pitch and the fog would not clear until 10:30 and our games were finished at 11:00am.

For warm ups we did a drill where the field players passed the ball to somebody in the corner of the field. The person in the corner then ran the ball along the baseline to the edge of the circle before they passed the ball to somebody at the top of the circle who then took a shot. The other goalies and I tried to save the ball. After this drill we swapped to a two on one drill with the goalkeeper, where two field players ran in and would pass it to each other and try to score.

Then we played the first game of hockey. For the first half I was on the sideline letting the other goalkeeper keep. For the second half I was keeping and one ball only just slipped through to the back of the net. At the trials after one person scores they get to do a run in. A run in is where the goalie and one attacker go one-on-one. The attacker starts on the quarter line with the ball. They have to try and score past the goalkeeper and they can try as many times as they like but they only get 8 seconds to score. I saved the run in because I listened to what my coach told me to do and run out past the dot and it worked. After I saved the run in my team got the ball and scored. Then we had a drinks break before the next game. The next game I played on field because they had already chosen the goalkeeper and I played as a back and I was marking a player that was two times my size in height and every time he got the ball I keep taking it off him, and I think I did all right but sadly I didn’t get chosen but some of my friends made it though and I am really happy for them.

Even though I did not make the team I am really proud of myself and grateful for the experience to try at a higher level.

Joseph Gailey

Chase Robinson - 11 years Rugby League

On May 5th Chase Robinson and Taite Johnson went to Canberra to trial for the MacKillop Rugby League team. At the trials the other teams that were there, were Parramatta,Sydney,Wollongong and Wagga Wagga. 

Each team did a warm up at 8.30 and then the first game was on at 9.00. Canberra Goulburn vs Sydney. Sydney beat us by three tries, but it was tough. When the game finished, our team (Canberra Goulburn) had a break. Then in the next game Parramatta vs Wollongong. Parramatta beat them by 2 tries. Then we played and we versed Wollongong. They beat us. After that, we went on to play. We won one game, but it didn't matter if we won or if we lost because they were looking for good players to represent McKillop and go on to play against the other diocese. They put us into lots of positions that we have not played, but they wanted to see where we could play.

After all of the games were finished and the judges had put in who they liked and thought was a great player.All of the teams started talking to their coaches. All teams met in the middle for the judges to then pick Possibles and Probables. Before they picked the teams, they told us that we had done really well  to make it to where we did and don't be disappointed if we didn't make it. After that everyone was quiet and they started to call Possibles first, then they called Probables. 

Taite Johnston and Chase Robinson didn't make the team, but for both of them, it was a great experience.

By Chase Robinson

Taite Johnson - 11 years Rugby League

On the 5th of May 2023 I went to the Mackillop Rugby League trials at Lyneham Canberra. Trialling with me was Chase Robinson, we both had made the Canberra Goulburn team. 

As we woke up on this day the weather was very dry. Let's say it was cold and yuk and the worst thing about it was that our first game was literally the first game of the day. In our team there were around 17 kids.

As Mum and I walked through the gates onto the oval there were kids yelling and footys flying through the air. We started to look around looking for my team. Slowly, my eyes fixed on a big NRL tent where I then saw my coach and my teammates, my team had been kicking the footy around. It was a bit harsh considering that our hands felt like icicles. As the time went on I heard a loud siren ringing in my ear, then out of nowhere the coach said game time boys. I started to take my jumper off. We were pumped. The ref walked out onto the field and blew his whistle it was time to face Sydney.

As I walked out onto the field everything became a blur for a tight second. I calmed myself down, it was just nerves, I then looked right at my opposition and just between you and me they were ginormous. We then went into kickoff. I took my last deep breath then set off, Sydney had to kick off to us first as they kicked, I saw Henry our fullback ready to catch, his eyes were fixed on the ball. With a blink of an eye he had caught it, he was already running, he gave us a lot of metres to get us to the 30. The forwards then got their chance, they ran it hard and then got tackled with a hard blow. Mathew was one of our forwards, our best in my opinion. He could run it hard and was pretty quick. 

On the day I was mostly playing centre. In the first half I was mostly tackling until my first run of the game. I had a good shot at it although I got a terrible pass. I still made a few metres. Minutes later the whistle blew it was halftime.Because it was so cold, I was gasping for breath, all of us were. 

Sydney were a hard side, they definitely gave it to us. Damien- Coach then was telling how we were going to play the second half, but I was totaled. I was so cold and I just could barely move. The siren blared out once again we were on, this time we were kicking off. They caught it and ended up scoring a magnificent try. The half was a long and tiring game. I didn't get to do much but we played awesome. After the game the coach then told us one thing, “It’s hard playing with people you don’t know.” We all nodded, then went off to our parents.

As I got back to Mum, she gave me a warm hug and said good game mate, but I was too cold to speak. We walked for a bit, until I had to go again. 

Now we had to play Wollongong. We started training a bit before the siren sounded. We walked onto the field, but I wasn’t on it, I was on the bench. We still played really well and our team was in top shape that game. We were defending and attacking well. In the second half I was on. I made a couple of amazing runs and my tackling was great. It was the best game I had played so far, one word to describe this game was magnificent. The best thing about this game was that we kept them niel and we were neil to win, win. Our coach was bursting with happiness, but he reckoned we could play better.

Our third game was against Parramatta. I didn't get to play much of this game, but it was definitely the best game of the day. The focus on my face said it all. I had adrenalin from the last game. I was ready. My running game was excellent. I even made a huge break but my tackling was even better. I might have stayed off for a half, but I felt like I had been in every tackle. Parramatta might have beaten us, but it was a lesson learned.

The last game of the day was against Wagga they were definitely the easiest team out of them all. We played so well that game and our forwards really rose up to the occasion. I was off again that game and when I got on, I really didn’t get to do anything but I did have a couple good tackles. This was a game to remember, one of the best games we played.

Now we had Possibles and Probables. Three people from our team made it. I didn't but I knew I played well and next year I will give it another crack. 

Taite Johnson