Ground-breaking Pathway Opens for AIC Schools in Dolphins Cup

South-east Queensland’s Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) have been granted a formal pathway to the NRL Schoolboy Cup national championship.

A landmark realignment of the Dolphins Cup will allow AIC private schools to compete for a spot in the main draw of the national competition, challenging the traditional dominance of elite rugby league state schools.

The announcement actively expanding its talent identification network into the private school sector to secure its long-term player pipeline in the Moreton Bay and Brisbane regions.

Since the AIC formally adopted rugby league as a full competition sport in 2019, participation has surged. The league now hosts over 80 teams and approximately 1,400 players competing weekly during Term 3.

 Expressing his enthusiasm, deputy chairman of AIC Sport and Principal of Villanova College, Paul Begg, said: “This is one of the biggest week-to-week schoolboy Rugby League competitions in Australia.”

“The Dolphins Cup provides another development pathway into professional sport and the chance for our students to fully grow and understand their potential.” Begg said.

Dolphins CEO, Terry Reader, noted that the NRL has invested in the AIC system for seven years, and this realignment is the natural next step to allow these athletes to “compete at the highest level.”

Former Queensland Origin player and Padua College alumnus, David Stagg, highlighted the significance for current students.

“I went to an AIC school at Padua College, and this was a chance we never got.”

“I now have a son at Padua and he and his schoolmates will get the opportunity to compete against the best schoolboy players in Queensland,” Stagg said. 

New Competition Structure

Previously, the Dolphins Cup was contested exclusively by schools from Central Queensland and Wide Bay, with the winner advancing to a state semi-final against the North Queensland champion. Under the new 2026 format:

• The Repechage Entry: The top-rated AIC school will now earn a place in the Dolphins Cup finals.
• The Pathway: The AIC representative will face off against the winners from Central Queensland and Wide Bay. The victor of this play-off progresses to the state semi-final.
• The Goal: This provides a direct gateway for AIC schools to qualify for the national championship, where they could potentially be crowned the top schoolboy team in Australia.

The participating AIC institutions include Iona College, Marist College Ashgrove, Padua College, St Edmund’s College, St Laurence’s College, St Patrick’s College, St Peters Lutheran College, and Villanova College.

The 2026 Dolphins Cup competition is scheduled to begin on 2 June, with the finals series, including the inaugural AIC crossover matches, to be played in August.

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