New opportunity:

Ben moves south for the 2023 NRL season

Leaving school and joining an NRL club was a dream come true for Ben Condon (RGS 2017) when he graduated from Year 12.

This year Ben hopes to reignite his NRL dreams in Sydney with the Manly clubcoached by another former Rockhampton schoolboy rugby league star, Anthony Seibold.

Ben was a member of the RGS First XIII rugby league team that won the coveted Confraternity Shield in 2017, and was named in the Carnival’s Merit team. After school he travelled to Townsville to join the NRL’s North Queensland Cowboys squad, working through the junior ranks before making his NRL debut against the Penrith Panthers in Townsville in September 2020.

Ben said he really enjoyed his time in North Queensland.

“The laid back lifestyle of Townsville made things a lot easier to settle into,” Ben said. “Being a smaller city compared to Sydney really helped just coming out of school and into a new environment.”

The year Ben played his first NRL game it was also during Covid restriction times.

“It was a crazy experience having mates from school drive up to Townsville, and my parents being there, but it was strange not being able to actually see them with all the Covid rules,’’ Ben said.

The 2nd rower played 12 first grade

2022 Dux:

games before NRL playing opportunities became fewer at the Cowboys.

2023 marks the start of his three-year contact with the Manly Sea Eagles.

“The reason why I decided to move to Manly is because I want to be playing regular NRL week-in, week-out. Obviously it was disappointing not playing at all in 2022 after featuring in a few games in 2021,’’ Ben said.

“The process with changing to a new club is pretty similar to anyone changing jobs to another city.

“I had to pack up my belongings and get a removalist to ship them down to Sydney.

“Pre-season is always tough and this one has been to, the only real difference this time is the shirt I’m wearing.”

Ben said he was excited about playing at 4 Pines Park at Manly

“It just seems like a small suburban ground which could create a good atmosphere to play in,’’ Ben said.

Ben’s also looking forward to playing with Manly’s superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic. “Obviously he is an extremely elite player and it’s good to watch and train with him so far,’’ Ben said.

“Also meeting Anthony Seibold, another CQ boy, has helped as he knows where you come from and that helps him understand you better too.”

Millicent prepares for university studies in Melbourne.

RGS 2022 Dux Millicent Rayner returned to RGS in February to address the School’s current Secondary School students at the Foundation and Leadership Ceremony in Duggan Hall.

This year, Millicent will start studies at the University of Melborne in Science with a co-current diploma in Music. This will be followed by Medicine studies. Reflecting on last year, Millicent said Year 12 was a constant challenge that required many hours of study and hard work but she could honestly say it paid off.

“If you put in your best effort you won’t regret it and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment at the end,’’ Millicent said.

At the ceremony, Millicent thanked her RGS Primary and Secondary school teachers, and the School’s co-curricular programme.

“Whether it was playing in bands, going to cross country training or participating in athletics carnivals, this all helped me get through Year 12, keeping me happy and giving me enjoyable time off from my studies,’’ Millicent said.

Millicent encouraged this year’s Year 12s to stay on top of their workloads and learn the content throughout the term, not just before exams.

“Between formal, co-curricular, study, leadership positions and commitments outside of school, Year 12 is very busy so don’t procrastinate,’’ she said.

“It’s through the opportunities that RGS has provided that I’ve been able to achieve this goal (university).”

Millicent also received a Queensland Certificate of Education Distinguished Academic Achiever award. Of this award’s 41 recipients, she was the only graduate from outside south-east Queensland.