The John James Medal is the pinnacle of the St Patrick’s College football calendar, celebrating the College’s proud football tradition and recognising its highest individual honour.

Named in honour of legendary Old Collegian John James, who attended St Patrick’s College from 1948-52 before going on to play for Carlton and win the Brownlow Medal, the evening provides an opportunity to celebrate not only individual achievement, but the collective contribution of every player, coach, volunteer and supporter.

A special guest with a familiar connection

This year’s event was made even more special with former St Patrick’s College student and North Melbourne and West Coast AFL great Drew Petrie (SPC 1995-2000) returning to the College as guest speaker.

A 332-game AFL veteran, Petrie reflected on his journey from a young footballer watching the senior games at St Patrick’s to establishing a distinguished career at the highest level.

He spoke fondly of his time at the College, recalling his desire as a Year 7 student to one day wear the famous St Patrick’s football jumper.

“I just loved watching the firsts and I always wanted to play in it,” Drew said.

For Petrie, the impact of his time at St Patrick’s extended well beyond football. He reflected on the friendships, values and experiences formed during his school years and the lasting influence they have had throughout his life.

“Don’t forget where you came from,” he told students. “Your family environment, your schooling environment, your community environment is where you will form so many of your values and experiences as a kid that’ll hold you in good stead for the rest of your life.”

He also spoke about the enduring friendships formed during his time at the College.

“My best mates are SPC boys. They’re my best mates and they still are.”

��

More than a game

Petrie encouraged the young men in the room to recognise that football is about far more than what happens on the field.

“Sport is such a great platform and vehicle for friendships and learning within sporting environments,” he said. “They helped me later in life.”

“What you’re learning here and the experiences that you’re having at St Pat’s, you’ll carry them for the rest of your life.”

His message of resilience and personal growth also resonated with the students, particularly when reflecting on his own development as a leader throughout his AFL career.

“I grew as a leader through learning the hard way, and that’s okay. As long as you’re learning, and you’ve got good people around you to help point you in the right direction.”

��

The famous colours of the famous school

Principal Steven O’Connor said the evening was an important opportunity to recognise the contribution of every student who had represented the College.

“This evening provides us with the opportunity to recognise the commitment, perseverance and achievements of the many young men who have proudly represented the green, white and blue throughout the 2026 season,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Every player who has worn the famous colours of St Patrick’s College has contributed to a tradition built over generations through hard work, courage, teamwork and humility.”

Mr O’Connor said the strength of the College’s football program extended well beyond its results on the field.

“Our football program continues to be one of the great strengths of the College, not simply because of the success achieved on the field, but because of the values it develops in our young men,” he said.

“Throughout the season, our students have demonstrated resilience, discipline and a willingness to place the team before themselves. These qualities will serve them well long after their football careers have concluded.”

Reflecting on the significance of the green, white and blue, Mr O’Connor referenced the words of former Principal Brother O’Malley, who famously described them as the ‘famous colours of the famous school.’

“They continue to unite generations of Old Collegians and current students, creating lifelong friendships and an enduring connection to our College community,” he said.

��

A second John James Medal

The evening also recognised the outstanding individual contributions made throughout the season, with Year 12 student Cooper Beseler taking out the ACC 1st XVIII Best & Fairest Award and teammate Ethan Drever claiming the prestigious John James Medal for the second consecutive year.

In doing so, Ethan joins an esteemed group of St Patrick’s footballers whose names have become part of the College’s rich sporting history.

“It’s a great honour to be awarded such a prestigious award and something I don’t take for granted,” Ethan said.

For Ethan, the strength of the football program extends well beyond the opportunities to compete.

“My favourite part of the football program at St Pat’s is the opportunities we’re given to train and play with some of our best mates, and all the coaching resources we’re able to use to develop our footy,” he said.

Ethan thanked all coaches and staff involved in the football program, as well as his parents for their support.��

He encouraged other students to��“never lose the fun and passion for the game”.

“Ultimately, that’s why you started playing footy in the first place so always enjoy playing and having fun,” he said.

2026 Award Winners

Juniors

Year 7������������������������������������

SPC Keniry Best and Fairest: Brody Bauska

SPC Ryan Best and Fairest: Gus Fenwick & Jed Hynes

SPC Galvin Best and Fairest: Lenny Palmer

SPC Nunan Best and Fairest: Ned Hines

Year 8

SPC Blue: Best and Fairest: Charlie Clarke

SPC Gold: Best and Fairest: Aidan Speechley

SPC White: Best and Fairest: Tom Howard

SPC Green: Best and Fairest: Max Edwards

Intermediate

SPC Blue Best and Fairest: Harvey Gittins

SPC Gold��Best and Fairest: Isaac Thomas

SPC White��Best and Fairest: Charlie Toohey

Jim Toohey Perpetual Trophy: Charlie Toohey

Seniors

2^nd XVIII White (Year 9 & 10) Best and Fairest: Jack Ward and Tyson Green

2^nd XVIII SPC Green Best and Fairest: Angus McNamara

Greg Dowd Trophy: Angus McNamara

1^st XVIII

BAS SPC 1^st XVIII Best and Fairest: Nash Armstrong

Year 10 Most Promising Player: Dex Rizzoli

2026 John James Medal (Best on Ground in Respect Cup)��Ethan Drever

ACC Team of the Year: Cooper Beseler and Noah James

2026 W.T. O’Malley ACC SPC 1^st XVIII Best and Fairest: Cooper Beseler

Introduced for Year 10 students in 2026, the subjects are the only dedicated AFL and Basketball curriculum offerings of their kind in Ballarat. Demand has been so strong that the application process was highly competitive, with the College already exploring opportunities to expand the program in 2027 and beyond.

The AFL subject builds on the success of the Liam Duggan Academy, established at the College in 2023, while the Basketball subject was developed following the success of the College’s United States Basketball Tour in December 2024 and the continued growth of basketball within the school community.

Led by Head of Sport Jason Lappin (AFL) and VCE Physical Education teacher Jarrod Fryar (Basketball)—both highly credentialed former players and coaches—the subjects combine practical skill development with classroom learning, covering areas such as sports psychology, performance analysis, leadership, strength and conditioning, recovery and wellbeing.

Students embrace Specialist Sport program

Mr Lappin said the early success of the program reflected by the enthusiasm of students and the College’s commitment to innovation.

“This program has given students a genuine opportunity to learn the game at a deeper level while also developing as people,” he said.

“We are seeing students engaged in analysis, training methods, leadership and preparation in a way that goes well beyond traditional sport participation. The standard of effort and application has been outstanding, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how quickly the students have embraced it.”

Deputy Principal – Academic Culture Carol Roberts said the programs were designed to support students in an area many are deeply passionate about.

“So many of our boys love their sport and we developed this program as a way of further supporting their passion through a curriculum dedicated to sporting excellence,” Ms Roberts said.

“The program helps students lift the bar in terms of their skill, performance and gameplay, while also recognising that many are interested in pursuing post-school pathways in the sporting industry.

“It is a way of nurturing their passion for sport while opening their eyes to the many career opportunities that exist within such a dynamic and exciting field.”

Holistic learning experience for students

Importantly, selection is not based solely on sporting ability. Students must demonstrate strong effort, behaviour and commitment across all aspects of College life to earn a place in the classes.

For Year 10 student Jules Stephen, the AFL subject has been one of the highlights of the year.

“I absolutely loved the AFL class,” he said.

“We came together as a team and learned so much more than just football skills. We studied sports psychology, analysed game footage, learned recovery techniques and trained in the gym like footballers.

“It has definitely strengthened my game, but it was also a lot of fun. I’d encourage younger students to give it a go because you learn a lot and really enjoy the experience.”

Providing pathways for elite athletes

Mr Fryar said the Basketball subject reflected the growing success of the College’s elite basketball program, which competed at the NBA Rising Stars Qualifiers earlier this year.

“The recent success of St Patrick’s College basketballers such as Lucas Byrne and Ned Renfree, who have represented Australia at junior level, has also encouraged the creation of the specialised basketball curriculum,” Mr Fryar said.

“These subjects are not only pathways for elite athletes but also provide valuable insights into the world of elite sport and the many career opportunities available within the sporting industry.”

Learn more about the Specialist Sport program here.

The evening recognised the outstanding football achievements across junior, intermediate and senior levels and featured former Geelong footballer and Old Collegian Josh Cowan (SPC 2009) as guest speaker. The celebration also included the presentation of the ACC and BAS 1st XVIII guernseys.

A highlight of the night, emceed by Wes Cusworth, was the presence of Michael James, son of College great and 1961 Brownlow Medallist John James, who proudly presented the 2025 John James Medal to Year 11 student Ethan Drever. The John James Medal is awarded to the player deemed best on ground in the Respect Cup. Ethan was also awarded the W.T. O’Malley trophy after polling the most votes in the 1^st XVIII Best and Fairest count.

“It’s a great honour to be the recipient of the John James Medal and O’ Malley B&F for 2025. They’re such prestigious awards and looking at the past players that have received these awards, it was truly inspiring and is certainly something I don’t take for granted,” Ethan said.

Ethan said wearing the 1st XVIII guernsey was a privilege and thanked his teammates and staff for their efforts this season.

“Not everyone is given an opportunity to wear this prestigious guernsey and to be able to run out with 23 of my closest mates representing the school was an honour,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the finals this year but we loved every bit of being around one another and driving each other to become better football players.”

SPC 1st XVIII coach Jason Lappin said while 2025 wasn’t the year we had hoped for, results don’t always tell the full story.

“This group has shown resilience, growth, and spirit. And our best performance came when it mattered most — in the Respect Cup against our archrival, St Joseph’s Geelong,” he said.

“That match was a true contest, a dour struggle where every possession counted. You showed grit, teamwork, and belief. That win was about more than football — it was about honouring the tradition of St Pat’s and playing with pride.”

He also reminded students of the important life lessons football teaches us.

“Boys, footy teaches us more than how to kick, handball, or tackle. It teaches us resilience when results don’t go our way, and it teaches us to value team above self,” he said.

Cowan shared insights into resilience, team culture, and the importance of making the most of opportunities.

“Make sure you enjoy it, every opportunity you get, because you might not get to play a lot of footy, you might not get to play with groups of mates ever again,” he said.

“Every opportunity you get to run out and play footy, just make sure you have fun. All those things you worry and stress about, most of the time other people don’t ever think or worry about that so make sure you go out there, have a smile on your face and have fun. Your footy or any other sport will take care of itself.”

Award Winners

Year 7

• Liam Duggan Academy “Respect” Award (Keniry): Mitch Kinniburgh
• Liam Duggan Academy “Respect” Award (Keniry): Charlie Clarke
• Liam Duggan Academy “Respect” Award (Galvin): Hugh Farrell
• Liam Duggan Academy “Respect” Award (Nunan): Charlie Bursill

Year 8

• SPC Blue Best and Fairest: Xavier Deane
• SPC Gold Best and Fairest: Ollie Wilkie
• SPC White Best and Fairest: Abe Sosinski
• SPC Green Best and Fairest: Max Walsh

Intermediate

• SPC Green Best and Fairest: Max Aylward
• SPC Blue Best and Fairest: Lachlan Cameron
• SPC Gold Best and Fairest: Archie Svanosio
• Jim Toohey Perpetual Trophy: Max Aylward

Seniors

• 2nd XVIII White (Year 10) Best and Fairest: Nash Armstrong
• 2nd XVIII Blue Best and Fairest: Noah McDonald
• Greg Dowd Trophy: Noah McDonald
• 1st XVIII BAS Best and Fairest: Rory Bell
• Year 10 Most Promising Player: Lachlan Pring
• John James Medal (Best on Ground, Respect Cup): Ethan Drever
• W.T. O’Malley ACC 1st XVIII Best and Fairest: Ethan Drever

First quarter

Fraser Molan was given the Captaincy for the game and lost the toss which meant we were kicking into a 2-3 goal breeze. St Bede’s won the first centre bounce clearance and kicked a goal from the forward 50 entry in what was the worst way possible to kick off the main part of our season. To our credit the Paddy boys immediately gained ascendency around the stoppages and kept peppering the 50 to keep the ball in our forward half. Unfortunately, we missed a number of opportunities to kick goals as we kicked three behinds and two kicks out of bounds on the full. Towards the end of the quarter, St Bede’s was able to take the ball forward to score the second goal of the game. This frustrated the coaching group as we had completely controlled the territory game without being able to capitalise with a major. Right on the siren impressive debutant Levi Munyard kicked the ball deep inside 50, where clever small forward Kai Watkins got out the back to finish truly.

Second quarter

The second quarter started positively with multiple forward 50 re-entries finally ending with a contested mark and goal by Cooper Glenwright who was impressive in his first school game of the year. Later in the quarter, Cooper would impact again after marking on the lead after a beautiful pass from Armi Wakefield. He would finish beautifully from a tight angle. The remainder of the quarter was a slog, with SPC getting punished for a scuffle which resulted in a 50m penalty and goal to St Bede’s. St Pat’s would go to the half time break with a four-point lead.

Third quarter

This quarter saw us come out and try and defend our lead against the stiff breeze. Conditions dried out a little and the opening minutes saw us control the stoppages and go forward on numerous occasions without hitting the scoreboard. Another stoppage win at half back set off a chain of six handballs which looked amazing. Impressive Year 11 student Archie Elliott was on the end of the chain and his kick inside 50 found Cooper Glenwright who quickly identified another impressive Year 11 student Angus Morgan who kicked a goal from the goal line. SPC were able to milk the clock a little and maintain possession while trying to mitigate the influence of the breeze. We gave up one goal towards the end of the quarter to go to the three-quarter time break with a four-point lead.

Final quarter

We started poorly and lost the first centre bounce which resulted in a goal to St Bede’s. But this would be the last time that they would lead in this game with the Paddy boys finishing all over St Bede’s. Goal number one came from a brilliant piece of play from Archie Elliot who slotted one through under extreme pressure. Goal number two came from Kai Watkins who outworked his opponent to run onto a deep kick inside 50. Goal number three came from impressive debutant Levi Munyard and goal number four – in the last minute of the game – came from Harvey Lewis who worked tirelessly for the entire game as a small forward and snapped truly. This gives us a 2-0 start to the season with a huge game against the powerful Parade College set for next Wednesday on the hallowed turf at SPC.

Goal Kickers: Cooper Glenwright 2, Kai Watkins 2, Angus Morgan 1, Harvey Lewis 1, Archie Elliot 1, Levi Munyard 1.

Best Players: Archie Elliot, Tessie Liem, Ethan Drever, Cooper Glenwright, Fraser Molan, Levi Munyard, Kai Watkins.

– By Jason Lappin, 1st XVIII coach

Held at GMHBA Stadium on Wednesday, 19 March, the event once again saw St Patrick’s College, St Joseph’s College, Sacred Heart College and Loreto College unite in a shared commitment to gender equality and recognition of women’s achievements in sport.

On the field, St Patrick’s College put in a spirited performance, finishing with a dominant final quarter to claim victory over St Joseph’s College, 8.8.56 to 5.5.44.

Despite trailing for much of the match, the team surged home in the last term, making the most of their opportunities to secure a memorable win.

Read the full match report

But while the scoreboard showed a St Pat’s victory, the true success of the Respect Cup lies in what it stands for.

“The Respect Cup is about so much more than football. It’s about celebrating the achievements of women in sport, challenging bias, and fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity,” SPC Director of Football Howard Clark said.

“It was great to get win, but the real victory is in the conversations this event continues to spark and the values it instills in our students.”

The Respect Cup continues to grow as a tradition that strengthens bonds between schools and highlights the unifying power of sport.

St Patrick’s College is committed to promoting respect and equality both on and off the field. As a proud member of the CoRE (Communities of Respect and Equality) Alliance, we actively support initiatives that challenge gender-based violence and promote a safer, more inclusive community.

Recently, our rugby players participated in Movement Based Bystander Training with Melbourne Storm, equipping them with skills to stand up against disrespectful behaviour and be positive role models in the community.

Principal Steven O’Connor reinforced the College’s commitment to fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity.

“Our membership of CoRE aligns comfortably and positively with our commitment to ensuring that a St Patrick’s education is characterised by respectful relationships and our commitment to developing character, compassion and community in all of our students,” he said.

On Wednesday, 19 March, St Patrick’s College 1st XVIII played in the annual Respect Cup match against St Joseph’s Geelong. This is a very important game on the calendar and coincides with International Women’s Day, which was this�� on 8 March. The day also offers an opportunity for the boys to support our ‘sister school’ Loreto College Ballarat in their game against Sacred Heart Geelong.

The boys played first in extremely challenging conditions in the middle of the day. The temperature would have been pushing 35C in the direct sunlight.

The first quarter didn’t start well for the Paddy boys, St Joey’s fast paced style of football caught our boys off-guard and we were quickly a goal down. We won the very next centre clearance through Ethan Drever and Charlie Elliott who had followed the ball forward after winning the ruck tap kicked a great running goal to get us on the board. However, we were quickly back to one goal down as Joey’s kicked a goal from the very next centre clearance.

Whilst we were doing well in the contest, Joey’s were penetrating our D50 with fast, aggressive ball movement. Jacob Martin, Jake Abrams and Tessie Liem were under a lot of pressure with the ball coming in so fast. They did a great job considering the amount of ball that was coming their way. We went to the quarter time break down by 15 points.

Fraser Molan kicked an absolute dart early in the second quarter to find Riley Hiscock who kicked truly from 25m out on a tight angle. The second quarter was a bit of an arm wrestle as we tried to stifle their ball movement with greater pressure. As with most SPC teams, we were very strong in the contest and our tackling was impressive, however we were struggling to move the ball on the long skinny GMHBA ground. Each team would kick one more goal for the quarter and we were down by 10 points going into half time.

Second half

We made a couple of positional changes at half time that paid dividends immediately. Lachie Squire was moved to half back with Taj Bowman and Kade Hilton was moved to the midfield rotation. All three would become pivotal to us having a much stronger second half.

Kade Hilton was the most influential player on the field in the second half with a couple of goals to go along with multiple goal assists. Tesloach Lual along with inside-mids Ethan Drever, Fraser Molan, Lincoln Koliba and Kade Hilton continued to drive the ball forward from stoppages and we started to get control of the game.

Some boys started to cramp in the stifling conditions and we had to rotate very heavily to keep fit players on the ground. We battled on to level the score at three-quarter time. We felt that we had a bit of momentum as the Joeys players started to really tire. After a couple of early misses from us, Joeys kicked the first goal of the last quarter. Even though the players were tired, the intensity around the contest lifted, with the stakes of the game becoming extremely evident. ����We kicked the next goal to tie the scores again at 43 apiece.

Tashaun Wright got on the end of a deep entry from impressive newcomer Archie Elliott, but he narrowly missed to the near post. Kade Hilton took the advantage from a free kick to Tashaun Wright off a deep entry and we were up by seven with five minutes to play. Kade then had another very smart piece of play where he was able to get behind the defence and smartly centred the ball to Tashaun who kicked truly under immense pressure.

Final score: SPC 8.8.56 to SJG 5.14.44

Goal Kickers: Tashaun Wright 2, Kade Hilton 2, Charlie Elliott 1, Lincoln Koliba 1, Riley Hiscock 1

Best Players: Ethan Drever, Kade Hilton, Jake Abrams, Fraser Molan, Lincoln Koliba, Tessie Liem

The design history of our football guernsey has typically remained consistent, with some variances and distinctive commemorative guernseys.

1893 – 1905:��Cotton, possibly linen, was the fabric of choice during this era. The attire included sleeveless shirts with a drawstring at the chest, long socks, long shorts, and football boots with heels. The primary colours were blue and white, as described in a poem published in the 1904 College Annual.

Our Colours.

‘Neath the glorious Blue and White,

We have fought a brilliant fight,

And we never knew defeat on any ground,

Both in learning and in play,

Our opponents yield the way,

That our name may first in honor, always sound.

We have shown our rivals too,

That they never, never knew,

When the Blue and White were lowest on the list.

But when once we but begin

We are always sure to win

Nor victory ‘neath those colours ever missed.

We’ve established well our fame,

And our dear old College name

Is a household word with very many now.

And we pass exams, so well

That we never need to tell

How, at books, opponents all before us bow.

Then success to our old school

With its pleasures and its rule,

And the teachers who instruct the pupils there.

May the glorious Blue and White

Shine for ever just as bright,

As the stars that shine so high up in the air. —J.S.R.

With and Blue

Our College Flag is white and blue

And to them we will all be true.

Oft did they wave o’er football field,

But never to a foe did yield !

The blue and white reigns over all,

And never yet has known a fall;

For ’tis our great, our one endeavour

That white and blue should float for ever!

Our caps do show them, and the tower,

Flies their flag in sun and shower ;

And, higher yet, and still more high !

See them shine in arching sky !

A.N.

In the 1900 College Annual, the Committee disputed the colour of the knickerbockers and argued that white wasn’t practical and should now be changed to blue, as it looked more presentable after a hard game on wet ground. However, when put to the vote, the majority decided against the blue and began the commotion. The Committee resigned, the team was at loggerheads, and everybody was in a fluster, as it was thought there would be no matches this season.

In calmer moments, better thoughts prevailed, and the matter was settled to everybody’s satisfaction. It was agreed that each should wear what he pleased, and now the white pants are a thing of the past in S.P.C. ��Even though the publication mentions the pants were a thing of the past, photographic evidence shows that the shorts changed to blue in 1926.

The budding laureates made capital of the incident, and one of their poetic effusions may not be amiss in this place. 1900 College Annual,

THOSE MUCH-DEBATED BLUE PANTS.

“Just wait awhile, the game don’t spoil,”

Said ‘ Stag,’ as ‘ Fogey’ wondered, ” We’ll have no white, they’re just a sight,

The teams before have blundered, Whene’r we fall when on the ball

With mud and slush we’re streaming, While all around the football ground

With mirth all eyes are beaming.”

��

CHORUS.

Oh, the blue pants, the much-debated blue pants,

We’ll have them yet for a long time you bet, We’ll have these blooming blue pants.

From 1906 to 1907:��knitted woollen jumpers were chosen due to their practicality. They had a simple stripe, lacked a collar, and were paired with striped socks.

1908 – 1911: A new design featuring a double pinstripe on the turtleneck, sleeves, waist, and socks.

1912 – 1917: A significant design change featured an SPC embroidered on the front of the jumper, possibly because of the VFL’s football design influences during this era.

1918 – 1919: green, white, and blue stripes with slightly lowered neckline.

1920 onwards:��the introduction of the collar.

1932: The SPC crest was introduced in 1932, except in 1934 and 1935. The jumper remained the same for nearly 70 years until 2003.

In 2003: the traditional wool jumper was replaced by polyester fabric using sublimated dying techniques, giving our jumpers the colours, numbers, names, and SPC logo imprinted. This lightweight, breathable, flexible fabric provides our players the desired comfort, which Howard Clark introduced in 2003 during his early tenure as coach.

Below is the modern guernsey. Pictured is our 1^st XVIII in winning the 2015 Herald Sun Shield, with Howard Clark holding the shield.

St Patrick’s College can also take pride in former students and artists who have designed First Nations guernseys for Indigenous AFL rounds and artists commissioned to create a guernsey.

Jake Neade (SPC 2010 – 2012), recruited to Port Adelaide in 2012, designed the first Indigenous Guernsey 2013 for the match against Western Bulldogs in Darwin.

The design features the emu, a totem of this community in Elliott. The story consists of three emus, all brothers, who venture from the Top End on separate paths. One came to Elliott, a small town between Darwin and Tennant Creek, which became the totem of Jake’s family home.

The emu spirit emphasises family and a connection to the land.

Jake’s design features 22 emus, symbolizing his connection to his football family.

Artist Amunda Gorey designed the second Indigenous guernsey, which St Patrick’s College students wore at football matches during the tours to Darwin in 2017 and 2020. ��Amunda said it “represents togetherness and going on a journey on the same path, with one common cause, all from different backgrounds.”

The third football jumper was designed by Cooper Craig-Peters in Year 11, a 16-year-old Wurundjeri-yorta yorta artist, after being approached by the club as a graduate of both the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation Leadership Project and Nallei-jerring Koori Youth Leadership Program to create a jumper as part of the Australian Football Leagues Annual Indigenous Round worn on Saturday, June 2, 2018, in their match against North Melbourne.

The story tells of self-discovery, as each circle represents what he’s been through; the bigger circle represents losing a loved one, achieving something he has never attained in football, in his academic ability, and the little circles represent goals that have changed his character.

Due to the forced cancellation of the Ballarat Associated football competition in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic, our 1^st XVIII, was unable to wear the right to the football guernsey. Instead, the students, Liam Canny and Isaac Carey, designed a commemorative jumper with only 32 jumpers produced, honouring students who participated in the football program during their time with the College. The jumper was inspired by the 1912 SPC logo on the front and the traditional stripes.

St Patrick’s College proudly showcases 122 VFL and AFL players in the College Gallery, located between the second-story classroom wings that can be viewed during our school tours with the first VFL player, Charlie Baker (SPC 1893 -1896), who played for St Kilda from 1901 to 1906, appeared in 75 games and scored an impressive 122 goals.

The College has an elite lineup of former students ready to play in 2025: Tom McDonald, Oscar McDonald, Matt Crouch, Liam Duggan, Dan Butler, Daniel Rioli, Jacob Hopper, Sam Butler, Harry Sharp, Kai Lohmann, Josh Gibcus, Aaron Cadman, Lochie Charleson, Sam Lalor, Ollie Hannaford, Jack Ough, and Harry Charleson. We wish them good luck in 2025.

One of Australian football’s oldest Brownlow Medallists has called on the AFL to cut the number of players on field to 16 per team to free up the game.

Brian Gleeson, the winner of the 1957 Brownlow Medal, has expressed his frustration with too many scrums limiting the brilliance of the game’s best players.

Speaking to the first podcast of the St Patrick’s College Old Collegians Association, Gleeson lamented the way defence-first thinking is limiting the skills of the game.

“I feel for the very good players like (Dustin) Martin at Richmond and (Patrick) Dangerfield at Geelong,” Gleeson said.

“The game is geared to give the defender the advantage.

“People sit on one another in terms of when they go in to grab the ball and they push them and run them into the ground and they’re very tightly held these days. So, their brilliance is probably knocked off a bit.”

Gleeson, who won the Brownlow Medal as a mobile ruckman, said the defensive nature of the rules was eroding the highlights of the game.

“There are too many people around (the ball),” he said.

“They have to move the ball quickly and they have to move it accurately (but) … the game, I think, would be a better game if we had maybe two less players.

“They’re all such talented and skilled and athletic people these days that they cover a lot more ground, do things more quickly, but the skills get covered up a bit when the tackling is so easy in my opinion.”

While not quite the oldest surviving Brownlow Medallist (1958 winner Neil Roberts is marginally older), no man who won a Brownlow before Gleeson is still alive, so he holds a unique place in the game’s history.

As a 23-year-old Brownlow winner, Gleeson was named captain of the Saints for the following season before a pre-season knock to knee proved disastrous.

Three years of ongoing surgeries followed, preventing him from ever playing football at the top level again.

In the podcast interview Gleeson reflects on the incident which wrecked his knee and the mental torment he endured as he tried, in vain, to make a return to the game he loved.

Gleeson also reflects fondly on his days at St Patrick’s College between 1947 and 1952, on the life-long friendships he made and on his extended football career outside the VFL.

He also tells a great story about the unlikely way he discovered he had won the 1957 Brownlow Medal.

Brian Gleeson’s story can be heard at this link or in the player below.

We have had a lot of disappointed boys who are missing out on playing sport for both St Patrick’s College and their community clubs.

Likewise, Old Collegians playing sport at a professional level have also had their seasons and competitions heavily impacted.

So, this week we asked Students and Old Collegians how COVID-19 has impacted their sport and what they are doing to stay motivated during this time.

Tom McDonald (SPC 2010) provides the following insight into how the disease has affected the life of an AFL star.

What sport do you play?

AFL

What team do you currently play for?

Melbourne Demons

Did you have any sport events cancelled or postponed due to Covid19?

The AFL season was suspended indefinitely after round one, meaning we had no access to football clubs, staff or teammates. We have currently had almost 2 months since our last game and have been training in pairs with a fitness program designed by our high-performance staff. We are due to come back and play on June 11^th currently.

What has changed with your sport with COVID-19?

There has been a huge amount of change for the game ranging from salary cuts to all players and staff involved in the game to rule changes to the sport itself and changes to how the game will be watched,

There will be a lot less staff involved in football when we return which will have unknown impacts on the game and players.

How has your training been impacted/changed?

We have been training in pairs since the shutdown. I initially trained for a month with a good friend and North Melbourne player Dom Tyson and recently with my brother Oscar (SPC 2011-13).

We have been restricted to 2 just like everyone else with no contact. Essentially, we can do some skills and conditioning, much like our off-season training.

This has been one of the benefits I have enjoyed as I have been able to work on different aspects of my physical training. I have worked on agility and speed drills with cones, lots of different types of kicks and lots of goal kicking. With almost unlimited time it has been fun to play around on the field.

Typically, in a week we would have 3 or 4 running sessions prescribed and 4 weights sessions a week. Running sessions would usually be between 7-10km total with mostly repeat effort running such as 50 to 200m runs and lots of skill/kicking drills.

For weights, each player was able to grab some basics from the gym before we left so I have a few dumbbells and a bench to get a basic weights session done at home. There is still plenty to do with minimal equipment.

I bought a boxing bag and hung it up in the backyard, but I must admit it has gone mostly unused after the first week!

What creative/different training techniques have you implemented whilst in isolation?

To be honest I have to keep it pretty basic in terms of training. I like to run and do weights. I don’t really get into cycling, swimming or other forms of cross training. I find it boring and doesn’t really add to being a good footy player. I would rather get bang for your buck with training and do it really well.

Then I can focus on other things during the day such as family, university and work experience.

What goals have you set yourself recently?

For football my goal has been to find different ways to improve from this training. For me this has been things like my footwork, goal kicking and injury prevention for when we get back.

Lots of intense football like movements can help prevent an injury when I get back. I think some guys like to focus on getting fit in a running sense over this period, rather than training for what a match is like on the body.

I have tried to do lots of sprint, change of direction and jumping movements to prevent those injuries when coming back. But nothing can fully prepare you for what a game demands.

A separate goal has been to use the time wisely away from football. I have started an internship with a company, working on marketing for their business which has been really enjoyable and a good learning experience.

Has your motivation to train been impacted? What have you done to stay motivated?

I certainly had a period in the middle of the shutdown where my motivation was severely down. I did my training, but it was a slog to get there and get it done. I think this was when I was most doubtful football would come back and the feeling was, what is the point of training so hard?

To get out of this mindset I started to see the training as a chance to be out of the house and have some fun. It was a chance to see a friend and run around and that actually helped a lot. On top of the good news in the community in terms of the virus in Australia and the movement to get the game back on.

What are you most looking forward to when your sport returns?

I can’t wait to see my teammates and have a bigger group of people to just talk to and hang out with!

1st XVIII

St Pat’s 15 – 11- 101 Defeated Essendon and Keilor College 1 -2 – 8

Goal Kickers: Izaac Johnson 4, Josh Chatfield 3, Jordan Johnston 2, Joel O’Connell 1, Nick Canny 1, Lochie Dawson 1, Keegan Grey 1, Joe Dodd 1

Best Players: Jordan Johnston, Nick Stuhldreier, Jordan Grant, Izaac Johnson, Joe Dodd (Until Injured), Aiden Domic, Nick Canny

St Patrick’s College defeated Essendon Keilor College by a convincing 93 points in the semi-final of the prestigious Herald Sun Shield competition on Wednesday, July 19.-

Played on the extremely well presented Trevor Barker Oval in very windy conditions, St Patrick’s College kicked with the aid of a four goal wind in the first term and although dominating play, only held a 24-point advantage at quarter time.-

During this term, St Patrick’s College executed 25 1% acts which is a barometer on how hard we were working whilst having 13 inside 50’s to Essendon Keilor’s 4. This was a clear reflection regarding the dominance of St Patrick’s College and it was only a 50 metre penalty from a marking infringement that created Essendon Keilor’s only goal for the term.-

Izaac Johnson in the role as the small forward, kicked two goals during this period of the game and his clean hands coupled with his aggressive attitude, provided our midfield of Joe Dodd, Scott Carlin, Nick Stuhldreier and Tom Morrish with a creative marking option.-

In a defensive move, Essendon and Keilor pushed extra numbers behind the ball, allowing St Patrick’s College the opportunity to isolate our Vice Captain and the extremely efficient ball user Mitch Tuddenham across half back. Mitch carried the ball to excellent effect, delivering the ball forward with both precision and speed. Our defensive six, led by Mitch, Jordan Grant and Tom Scott, held their shape extremely well and apart from the goal conceded by a defensive error, the backline was instrumental in St Patrick’s College, holding a 26-point advantage at the first break.-

–

With Essendon and Keilor kicking with the aid of a four goal wind in the second term, St Patrick’s College were reminded about our team-first mantra and our 2017 Call to Arms -Respect the Jumper, Uphold the Legacy- at quarter time, and the team certainly responded to this during the second term with Essendon Keilor failing to resister a score during this period.-

Joe Dodd who was unanimously judged best afield to this point due to his creative and ball winning ability suffered a nasty injury at the 16-minute mark, badly dislocating his knee cap during a marking contest. Fortunately, our team physiotherapist, Dr Charlie Flynn was able to put his knee cap into place, providing Joe with hope that he will be available in three weeks for the Grand Final. Joe accepted his injury with the same class and resilience that has been a hallmark to his playing career at the College since he first enrolled in the College in Year seven. Joe played in the 2015 Herald Shield premiership as a Year 10 student and it would be a major disappointment to not only Joe however the playing group, if he was available to contest the Grand Final.-

Nick Canny who conceded several centimetres to his taller opponent, was able to use his leap to excellent effect, providing his midfielders first use of the ball through creative ball use with the change of hand angles in the ruck. Nick has shown considerable improvement over the last 12 months and due to his size, although not ideally suited to the rucking role has become a very important player within our team structure. Nick provided Joe, Tom Morrish, Scott Carlin and Nick Stuhldreier first use of the ball and their ball winning ability allowed SPC to kick two unanswered goals during the second term, opening up a 38-point advantage at the main break.-

The third quarter was statistically our weakest in regards to the team executing only 14 1% acts for the term. Although this in part was because St Patrick’s College controlled the game and had 70% of the play, with 14 inside 50’s to Essendon Keilor’s five.-

Josh Chatfield who had been sidelined for six weeks due to injury, presented up the ground to his teammates and became a real focal point in the key high post of Centre Half Forward. Josh kicked two goals for the quarter (three for the game) whilst the very lively and team orientated Jordan Johnston kicked his first for the game. Jordan who has just returned from playing for Victoria Country in the U/18 National Championships, has beautiful hands, is balanced and has a wonderful power in his legs and is an extremely difficult match-up for any opposition coach.

At the last break, with SPC holding an unassailable 10-goal advantage, it provided the coaching staff with the opportunity to either rotate players around or for those whom have had a big program with the opportunity to rest them completely.-

It was wonderful to see St Patrick’s College kicking four unanswered goals during this period (EKC kicking with the aid of a two goal wind) whilst it was equally as pleasing to see the team executing 24 1% acts over this 20-minute period.-

It could have been very easy for the team to have relaxed and coasted to a 10-goal victory however at game’s end SPC had won by a convincing 93 points and underlined the team’s ruthless approach to atone for last year’s agonizing one-point loss.-

It was pleasing to see Joel O’Connell who was playing down back, play his best game at this level and his hardness and attack on the football, underlined his competitive nature which is so important in any game of football.-

Some of the key statistics that underlined our dominance over Essendon Keilor College: EKC not registering a single score from the 16-minute mark of the first quarter, SPC holding a 54-21 inside 50 differential, SPC breaking even in Essendon Keilor College’s kick in’s (5 each) and SPC holding a 28-15 advantage both around the ground and at the centre stoppages.-

Our attention now turns to the Herald Sun Shield final on Wednesday, August 16 at Simons Stadium, Geelong against St Bernard’s College, Essendon who progressed through to the final by winning their ACC competition. It will be a very even contest however if we play with the same team-first attitude whilst adopting the steely resolve to atone for last year, I am sure, we will be extremely competitive in the final.

Howard Clark

1st XVIII Coach

The boys are enjoying a cool swim before we head off to the Darwin sail club for dinner in about 2 hours.

For Pics of the day goto:

–

And please like the post.

Mith Tuddenham: we started today at Robertson’s army barracks where Captain Liam O’Riley took us through the day’s plan. We were then kitted out in camo gear and put through a series of challenges consisting of the obstacle course, the firing range and carrying stocks. These challenges were designed to test our Leadership attributes, courage, teamwork and initiative. At the end of the day the army let us have a look inside different vehicles and experience holding the weapons they use in combat. We finished the day off with a fantastic meal watching the magical sunset over the bay.

Leon Young and Conor Donohoe : Starting off our first day in Darwin we had to wake at 6:30 to be at Robertson’s army barracks by 8. We were met by captain Liam O’Riley and brought through to the meeting room. We were split up into 6 groups and kitted out in army gear. We were then pushed mentally and physically in an endurance assault course, a 1.5k run and lengths in the pool .

The army barracks has given us a greater insight into how the troops go about their day. They wake at the crack of dawn and are active all day, from weapons practice to fitness tests etc. We finished off the day with a beautiful meal in the boat club, with great view. So far Darwin has been a great experience, quite a difference from the weather back home in Dublin. –

– See More images at: