Westfields Sports High School will take on Keebra Park State High School tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) in the final of Australia’s premier rugby league schoolboy competition – the 2017 GIO Schoolboy Cup National Final.
The competition is one of the longest running schoolboy events in Australia, spanning the past 42 years, and has forged the careers of many current NRL players, including Jonathan Thurston, Benji Marshall, Darius Boyd, James Tedesco and Nathan Cleary.
More than 300 schools participated in the GIO Schoolboy Cup and Trophy competitions this year, with Westfields Sports High School and Keebra Park State High School qualifying for their second consecutive GIO Cup national final.
NRL General Manager of National Participation and Development, Luke Ellis said the competition was a strong and consistent pathway for emerging rugby league players and thanked major partner GIO, together with the convenors, parents, schools and players for their involvement.
“This is a competition with an enormous history and continues to attract the best rugby league players from across high schools nationally,” Mr Ellis said.
“It is one of several pathways programs and competitions that the NRL is committed to fostering to ensure that we have as many people playing the game they love, as well as providing an opportunity to continue to possibly forge a career at the elite level.”
The match will kick off at midday at Leichhardt Oval with the match to be broadcast on Fox League on Grand Final weekend.
A match preview can be found HERE.
