By Casey OÇonnor
Brock Patti and Ky Rashleigh are best mates from childhood but on Saturday at Clive Berghofer Stadium they put friendships aside when they came together on opposing teams in the Hastings Deering Colts clash between the Western Clydesdale and the Ipswich Jets in Toowoomba.
The two Stanthorpe boys are carving a name for themselves in Rugby League both playing in the Hastings Deering Colts competition which is one rung below the Queensland Hostplus Cup.
The pair has played rugby league together since they began playing in under 8’s for the Stanthorpe Gremlins.
Ky eventually went to college in Brisbane and continued to play league for Marist Ashgrove. Brock meanwhile continued to play a few more seasons for the Gremlins before joining the Warwick Cowboys Under 18 and Under 19 teams.
In 2022 Rashleigh signed with the Ipswich Jets while Patti, at the end of the 2022 season, accepted an offer to join the reformed Western Clydesdale’s Colts.
Saturday was the first time the pair had faced off against each other in this senior comepitition.
Brock Patti playing at lock while Rashleigh, who captains the Jets, played hooker.
It was Patti’s team that came away with the honours scoring a 42-34 win after trailing 16-10 at half-time. Although Patti was pleased with the win he was concerned after the game when his best mate was taken to hospital after suffering an injury during the game.
Ky’s mother Vanessa said earlier the week, he was released from hospital on Saturday but had suffered a cracked sternum during the game. He will miss several weeks as he recovers from what is a painful injury. Of course the injury has not dented his enthusiasm for the game as both he and Patti who are now 19 aspire to move to the next level of the competition.
In the main game the Hostplus clash between the Western Clydesdales and Ipswich Jets, former Cowboys player Mitch Watson, who signed with the Western Clydesdales Hostplus side at the end of last season, turned on an amazing try scoring blitz.
Watson, playing on the wing scored five tries. Team mate and former Wattle’s player Matt Duggan also got in on the action slotting five goals. The Clydesdales won that game 46-10.
