Rugby League Academy
The VUSC Rugby League Academy program provides students with specialised and individual support in skill development and strength and conditioning in order to perform at the elite level required to access career pathways at professional sporting clubs.
The Academy is a select entry program available to Year 9-12 students.
How to Apply
Selection to the Academy is made via application and interview. New and current students are welcome to apply. Interested students should speak to Mr Tony Adam, Senior Rugby Coach and complete a Rugby League Academy Application Form.
New students who wish to enrol in VUSC must follow the enrolment process and can enquire at the general office.
Training Programs
Rugby League Academy students have access to elite level training programs, including field training where students refine technical skills, decision making skills, go through strategies and conduct performance analysis reviews to further student development. Students are also provided with strength and conditioning programs to enable excellent physical preparation and conditioning. Students are expected to fully commit to training schedules and competition events as well as maintain 90% attendance in classes and keep up to date with their schoolwork at all times.
Coaches
Rugby League Academy students have access to a variety of coaching staff, who have had experience working with rugby league teams across all levels. In particular, Victoria University Secondary College’s Senior Rugby League Coach is the current Australian NRL U/18 Schoolboys Coach and former Melbourne Storm Development Coach, Tony Adam. His knowledge, expertise and professional experience are instrumental in enhancing students’ development.
Important – First Aid
If a student is injured while playing rugby league, staff will follow the First Aid Policy attached to this webpage (copies are also available at the office). Parents/carers should familiarise themselves with this policy and their obligations in the event of a medical emergency involving their child.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students who demonstrate outstanding sporting skills in Rugby League and are interested in joining the VUSC Rugby League Academy at Year 10 or 11. Applicants will display positive behaviours and a commitment to doing their best not only on the sporting field, but also in their academic development. Personal qualities of sportsmanship and teamwork are important, together with a preparedness to participate fully in the life of Victoria University Secondary College.
Selection
Equality of opportunity underpins our Scholarships Program. Selection is based on a written application and interview. Students are also required to present a current school report and reference together with a portfolio of their work which best supports the scholarship they are applying for. Applicants are not required to sit an entry exam.
Application & School Tours
Rugby League Academy Scholarship applications for entry in 2024 are now closed. Applications for entry in 2025 will open in Term 3, 2024.
School tours are available by appointment – please call the Junior Campus on 9363 1155 or the Senior Campus on 8312 0200.
Academy Successes
The Senior VUSC Team currently competes in the NRL Schoolboy Cup – a Tier 1 competition with only 16 teams Australia-wide.
VUSC has experienced enormous success in Rugby League and Rugby Union competitions since the implementation of the Rugby Academy, including students being selected to represent Victoria and winning major competitions both locally and interstate:
VICTORIAN STATE CHAMPIONS
- U/18 Storm Cup Competition
2023 Representative Honours
- U/18 Rugby League squad: Lockyer Azile-Foliola, Philip Masalosalo, Elijah Po Ching, Jonathan Luafalealo
- U/17 Rugby League squad: Lawrence Raponi, Harvey Savage
- U/15 Rugby League squad: Anaias Jones-Teao
- U/12 Rugby League squad: Poasa Logova
- U/16 Rugby Union squad: Kyzen Galuega, Cueston Galuega, Velachanty Dominic, Rebekah Epa
- U/14 Rugby Union squad: Margaret Mika, Priscilla Manuelemalagaoma
- U/13 Rugby Union squad: Jesse Mika
STATE FINALISTS
- Competed in NRL Schoolboy Cup
2022 Representative Honours
- U/18 Rugby League squad: Jonathan Luafalealo
- U/17 Rugby League squad: Philip Masalosalo, Lorenzo Fifita
- U/15 Rugby League squad: Elijah Po-Ching, Lockyer Azile-Foliola
- U/12 Rugby League squad: Matai Okunuku
Congratulations also to Elijah Po Ching who was judged the Best Player in Pool B of the U/15 Australia Schoolboys Championships held in Redcliffe Qld.
STATE FINALISTS
- Boys U/14’s Robbie Kearns Shield Champions
- Competed in NRL Schoolboy Cup
2019 Representative Honours
- U/18 Rugby League squad: Derek Iva, Ramond Po-Ching, Jermaine Tui, Poasa Telepe
- U/18 Rugby Union squad: Rebecca Dominic
- U/16 Rugby League boys: Jake Fox
- U/16 Rugby League girls: Xrysian Pakoti
- U/15 Rugby League squad: Sitiveni Eli
- U/14 Rugby League squad: Moses Pakoti, Phillip Masalosalo
- U/16 Touch: Tarquin Damons, Shawn Ray Mauga
- U/16 Rugby Union squad: Samipeni Otukolo, Simon Fautuaali
STATE FINALISTS
- NRL Schoolboy Cup
- Boys U/16 Cooper Cronk Shield Runners Up
- Boys U/14 Cameron Smith Shield Champions
- Boys U/18 Rugby 9’s Runners Up
- Boys U/16 Rugby 9’s Runners Up
- Senior Boys VIC Touch Runners Up
- Senior Mixed VIC Touch Runners Up
2018 Representative Honours
- U/18 Rugby League squad: Filo Seigafo, Jermaine Tui, Simon Ahomana
- U/18 Rugby Union squad: Haloti Fonua, Challis Collier, Rebecca Dominic, Sarah Epa, Neisha Collier
- U/18 Touch: Payton Ozols
- U/16 Rugby League squad: Noah Natapu, Poasa Telepe, Freedym Matamaki, Xyrsian Pakoti
- U/16 Rugby Union squad: Simon Fautuaali
- U/16 Touch: Tarquin Damons, Shawn Ray Mauga
- U/14 Rugby League squad: Sitiveni Eli
- U/14 Rugby Union squad: Samipeni Otukolo
STATE FINALISTS
- Senior Boys Rugby League Melbourne Storm Cup Champions
- Senior Boys Rugby League GIO Cup – Tier 1 competition (top 16 schools in Australia)
- Junior Boys Rugby League Cameron Smith Shield Champions
- Junior Boys Rugby 9’s Robbie Kearns Shield Champions
- Senior Boys VIC Touch Champions
- Senior Mixed VIC Touch Champions
2017 Representative Honours
- Melbourne Storm U/18 squad: Uala Salia, Nikau Williams, Trent Toelau, Brandon Saena, Giovanni Kubik
- Australian U/18 Rugby 7’s representative: Haloti Fonua
- U/18 Victorian Schoolboys Rugby Union squad: Haloti Fonua
- U/17 Victorian Schools Rugby Union squad: Payton Ozols, Haloti Fonua, Sheniqua Taula
- U/16 Victorian Rugby League squad: Rebecca Dominic, Compton Fuatimau
- U/16 Victorian Rugby Union squad: Peter Halapio
- U/14 Victorian Rugby League squad: Noah Lewis, Titan Tiananga, Meni Fono
- U/14 Victorian Rugby Union squad: Samipeni Otukolo
- U/12 Victorian Rugby League squad: Matagie Punefu
- National Touch Rugby Competition: Payton Ozols, Brandon Saena, Trent Toelau
STATE FINALISTS
- Senior Boys Rugby League GIO Trophy – Runners Up
- Senior Boys Rugby League Country Cup – Runners Up
- Senior Boys Rugby League 9’s – Runners Up
- Senior Boys Rugby League Melbourne Storm Cup – Runners Up
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League 9’s – Runners Up
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League Cooper Cronk Shield Champions
- Junior Boys Rugby League Cameron Smith Shield – Runners Up
- Boys U/14 Rugby 9’s Robbie Kearns Shield Champions
2016 Representative Honours
- Melbourne Storm U/18 reps: Tiui Misi, Richard Wes Sisifa, Uala Salia, Trent Toelau
- Melbourne Storm U/16 reps: Mark Iva, Lloyd Tevita-Letalu, Brandon Saena, Iverson Fautimau
- Under 18 Victorian RL Schoolboys squad: Tiui Misi, Richard Sisifa, Uala Salia
- Combined Affiliate State Team Australian Schoolboys Championship: Tiui Misi & Uala Salia
- U/18 Victorian Schoolboys Rugby Union Squad: Masi Alohelei
- U/17 State Victorian Schools Rugby Union: Daniel Katoanga
- National Touch Rugby Competition: Payton Ozols, Junior Sandoval, Brandon Saena, Trent Toelau
STATE FINALISTS
- Senior Boys Rugby League (GIO Trophy) Champions
- Senior Boys Rugby League 9’s Champions
- Senior Boys Winners Melbourne Storm Cup
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League 9’s Runners-Up
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League Cooper Cronk Shield Champions
- Girls U/14 Melbourne Rebels Rugby 7’s State Champions
- Girls U/16 Melbourne Rebels Rugby 7’s State Champions
- Junior Boys Rugby League Cameron Smith Shield Runners-Up
- Junior Boys Rugby Union 7’s Champions
STATE FINALISTS
- Senior Boys Rugby League North West Division Champions
- Runners-Up in Canberra Raiders 9’s Tournament
- Runners-Up Senior Boys Rugby League
- Runners-Up Melbourne Storm Cup
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League Cooper Cronk Shield Champions
- Intermediate Boys Rugby League North West Division Champions
- Girls Rugby 7’s State U/14 and U/16 Champions
- Junior Boys Rugby League Cameron Smith Shield Champions
- Junior Boys Rugby 7’s Champions
- Robbie Kearns 8-a-side Rugby League Winners
- Joint Winners of the Melbourne Storm Cup (Senior Boys) against Hallam Secondary College 16-16 in the final after extra time played on AAMI Park before the preliminary final of Melbourne Storm vs. Newcastle Knights.
- Winners of 3 different age groups in the Melbourne Rebels 5 Star Shield 7s Competition, with the U/16 boys and girls as well as the U/18 boys being undefeated throughout the entire tournament.
- Defeating St Kevin’s College in the State Rugby 7’s final, 18-14 to represent Victoria in the Australian Rugby Union School Boys Tournament on the Gold Coast.
Individual students’ achievements in 2013:
- Melbourne Storm U/14 Tornadoes squad: Ralph Lafituanai, Tana Edgecombe, Kalvarne Fuatimau and Iverson Fuatimau.
- Melbourne Storm U/16 squad: Kingdom Kidwell, Langi Manusete, Michael Siologa.
- Melbourne Storm U/18 squad: Aaron Teroi, Jeremiah Leasi, Kurt Bernard
- Melbourne Storm U/20 squad: Aaron Teroi
- Victorian U/12 Schoolboys squad: Iverson Fuatimau
- Victorian U/15 Schoolboys squad: Richard Sisifa and Tiui Misi
- Victorian U/18 Schoolboys squad: Jeremiah Leasi and Aaron Teroi
Senior Rugby League Boys 2012
- Winners of North West ARL Cup
- Runner up State ARL Cup
- Inaugural winner of Melbourne Storm Cup
Intermediate Rugby League Boys 2012
- Winners of North West Cooper Cronk Shield competition
- Winners of State Cooper Cronk Shield competition
Senior Rugby Union Boys (under 18’s) 2012
- Cross Field 7’s West – Winners and Runner Up (Year 12 & 11)
- State Finalist (Year 11)
- State Champions (Year 12)
- National Finalist Gold Coast Schoolboys Rugby 7’s competition
Intermediate Rugby Union Boys (Under 16’s) 2012
- Cross Field 7’s West Winners
- State Champions Cross Field 7’s
- Victorian Schoolboys Rugby 7’s Champions (Year 10) and Runners Up (Year 9)
Individual students’ achievements in 2012:
- Henry Sang Yum and Aaron Teroi securing contracts with the Melbourne Storm U/20 Toyota cup team
- Aaron Teroi and Jeremiah Leasi being invited to the AIS as part of the AIS squad to complete a week of training and testing in order to be selected into the AIS team to travel to Europe
- William Afoa and Lateru Leota being selected in the Victorian Rugby Union Schools team to tour Europe
- Reuben Tooze, Chuckle Sae, Lateru Leota being selected to represent Victoria in the Victorian Rugby Union Team
- Henry Sang Yum, Aaron Teroi, Jonah Lolesio Pua, Xavier Siolaa and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad all representing Melbourne Storm in the U/18 competition
