AFL

Years 7 and 8 Michael Lord

A beautiful sunny day greeted the boys for the AFL 9’s competition. This was the first time the interschool competition was played in this format with only nine players on the field and played on a rectangular ground. This meant that the St Edward’s team didn’t have a great deal of experience in this format but they sure made up for it with lots of enthusiasm. As a result, St Edward’s was able to field two teams in the Junior division with representatives from Years 7 and 8.

It took the first game to get our heads around the rules and to alter our game plan, but these changes started to pay off as the boys were more successful. They were able, in the end, to win more than they lost in the round robin format which should have seen at least one St Edward’s team progress to the regional games however these games were cancelled in the same fashion as many other events this year.

Now that these students have gained valuable experience, we are looking forward to what could be in the coming season. Stay tuned!

Team Members

Max Armour, Ruben Borg, Josh Brown, Noah Darwin, Finn Giddings, Callum Griffin, Joshua Hawkins, David Hunt, Daniel Knox, Noah Matthews, Thomas McArdle, Arian McGuiness, Max Oteiwi, Eden Pearson, Archie Price, Tahj Regattieri, Matthew Robinson, Zach Sammunt, Luke Shereb, Archie Smith, Cohen Sutton, Jake Taylor, Logan Treble, Hamish Watson

Opens AFL Team

Opens Scott Murray

Opens AFL 9’s – Central Coast Schools Event

This year was the second instalment of the new look schools competition, with AFL 9’s being presented. Playing out of the Passage Rd, Bateau Bay fields, the event was similar in format to last year with smaller fields and team sizes, along with the introduction of the AFL 9’s ball. A much lighter weight ball proved to be quite challenging for our boys, many of whom play regular weekend AFL together. No contact, kicking within zones and minimal movement when running meant a thorough revision of our game plan after the first half of our first game.

Comprised mostly of Year 10 players and a couple of Year 11 and a single Year 12, our team was certainly one of the youngest on the field, but the weekend experience proved to be most beneficial. Our carnival record for the day finished three wins and one loss, with victories over Lisarow, Gorokan and Wadalba, with our single loss against a much older and sizeable Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College. Our good win/loss record enabled us to proceed through to the Hunter-Central Coast schools event in June.

Opens AFL 9’s Hunter-Central Coast Schools Event

A very wet morning presented us our first challenge. The experience gained from the Central Coast schools carnival was going to prove invaluable against the regional teams. Having won on forfeit in the first round, we won our next game convincingly versus St Pius X Newcastle and this followed up with a rematch against our Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College foes. This time around though the tables were turned and St Edward’s ran out convincing victors. The following match saw the boys get ahead of themselves and overthink everything tactically. We were defeated by St Catherine’s Singleton and were forced to regroup where our win/loss record with points for/ against moving us into the carnival final vs MacKillop College Warnervale, with a team comprised predominantly of Year 12 students who were far too classy and used their height and speed to move the ball around the field.

Looking towards 2022, St Edward’s certainly has the depth and experience to once again challenge at this event. Another fun day away from the academic side of school where our boys were once again acknowledged not only for their on field play, but their off field demeanour. Fabulous ambassadors for our College and I look forward to doing it all again with these fine young men again next year.

Team Members Levi Bailey, Ethan Hays, Bailey Lavin, Thomas Lawton, Mitchell Leete, Hayden Maher, Marley Medina, Chris Murray, Flynn Peters, Jack Roberts, Liam Roche, Ben Stansfield, Alec Walters, Callum Walters