Barker held off a last minute raid by Waverley to claim a thrilling 28-26 victory at Queens Park and move within two wins of claiming the school’s first CAS title since 2022. 

Things were a little different for star fullback Charlie Poynton back then.

Now in his third season in the top squad at Barker, Poynton was a pup in a superstar Barker team that won the title in 2022 and is hoping to replicate that side’s effort in his final year at Hornsby. 

“I’ve been having a great time this year and I’m trying to really enjoy playing footy with my mates as much as possible during my final year at school and take it all in,” Poynton told Rugby News during the July school holidays. 

“It’s a different type of footy that you don’t really get to experience again once you finish.”

Poynton was a pint sized fullback with dynamic footwork in a Barker side filled with players that have gone on to play top level footy since graduating a few years back. 

“I was really lucky to come into a team with some pretty amazing footballers and they all took me under their wing,” he said. 

“Doug Phillipson, Lachie Hooper, Isaiah Katoa, Oniti Finau. Those boys really mentored me and I bordered with them as well so they helped a lot on and off the field. 

“They’ve all gone on to play at the next level and they’ve all remained really humble and haven’t changed at all so I’ve been lucky to be around them. 

“Doug and Isaiah really pushed me to back myself in my first few matches. They were the best players in the competition at the time so when they were telling me to have a crack, I think I grew the confidence to do it.”

Poynton impressed for the NSW U18s earlier this year and was named in a preliminary Australian U18s squad. He spent a week training with the NSW Waratahs and other Sydney-based Australian U18s squad members during the July school holidays and said he took plenty out of the experience. 

“Ball playing is an area of my game that I’ve worked a lot on over the last few years. When I came through the Waratahs 16s program, I got moved to the wing because my ball playing wasn’t quite up to scratch. 

“But the Waratahs coaches put a lot of time into me and I’ve really noticed the difference in my game this year. I’m a lot more comfortable linking with other players in the backline, instead of just trying to do it all myself.”

While Poynton hasn’t decided where he’ll play after finishing school, he said he loved the experience of training with the Tahs’ top squad and was focussed on earning selection in the Australian U18s by impressing for Barker in the final rounds of the CAS competition. 

“I’m a pretty cruisey guy and don’t really think too far ahead. For now I’m just trying to enjoy my footy and play well and then I’ll think more about it at the end of the year,” he said. 

“I got a lot out of training with the older Waratahs boys though and really enjoyed the challenge. 

“When you do something well, they really get around you and when you throw a bad pass, they don’t hold back and tell you it’s okay. 

“They get you to rep it again until you get it right and I’ve really liked the accountability they’ve put on us.”

Poynton and Barker travel to face Trinity this weekend and could set up a winner takes all ‘grand final’ against rivals Knox at home in the final match of the season on Saturday 10th August if both sides win this weekend.