Over the past five weekends the 1st XVIII have been competing in the CAS AFL competition with the students starting to find some good form of late. The season started with a disappointing loss to Knox who appeared more ready for the round 1 clash that would ultimately decide the winner of the CAS competition. Since then, the students have been building nicely with wins against Cranbrook by 50 points, Barker by 68 points, Aloys by 55 points and most recently Trinity by 86 points.
Some stand out performers for the season so far have been Louis Kitto, Max Murphy, Sam Stewart, Aodan Byrne, Freddy Hunt and Joel Burgess. The backline has been terrifically led by Finn Anderson and Will Gibson.
The season now changes into a combined competition where the top six schools from CAS and GPS will meet to crown the overall competition winner. With hard work and dedication I believe that the students can challenge for this title.
This week shapes as a huge game vs Knox where we can set up our run at the title. Good luck to all of the students involved. Go Waves!
AFL 1st XVIII
AFL 1st XVIII
Mr Ben Shorthouse
1st XVIII coach
E: bshorthouse@waverley.nsw.edu.au
All College sports have a supporters group. These groups usually meet twice a season to discuss fundraising for their sport and the general organisation of the Presentation Evening.
Should there be any interested parents/carers who would like to join the AFL supporters group, please meet me at the Queens Park pavilion, Tuesday 1 June for a 6pm start.
Mr Alan Riordan
AFL Convenor
E: ariordan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please click here to view this week’s fixtures.
Last weekend, Waverley College travelled to Parramatta to play against The King’s School. The King’s School is the oldest independent school in Australia and has a proud history on the rugby field. In 2020, King’s won the GPS title in convincing fashion.
I was extremely proud of every Waverley College player in every team last weekend for their efforts on the field. While some matches were challenging, you could certainly see the desire to do well throughout all the age groups. A special mention to our 13s teams who enjoyed a ‘clean sweep’ of wins in the age group from 13As to 13Fs.
Congratulations to our 16As, 14As and 13As teams who had successful days. Congratulations also to our 15As group who were very lucky not to post a victory at Parramatta, just going down by five points. A win is certainly around the corner.
The 1st XV side had an historic win on “White Oval” posting 53 points. The style of rugby played by the Double V was extremely enjoyable for all to watch. It certainly had many spectators on their feet applauding from both schools.
On a sad note, we did have some season-ending injuries for some of our senior players. We wish Tom Martin and Joseph Morris, who both suffered nasty ankle injuries, all the best with their recovery. Thank you for all your contributions and you will continue to be a big part of the season ahead.
Thank you to Sonny Patane (13As) and Lucas Coe (13Ds) who both sent in Match Reports from last weekend. A prize will be coming your way! Any interested students are welcome to email their reports through to Mr McCoy jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
For the 13As 4th trial match of the season, we played The King’s School out at their impressive Parramatta campus. The game was one of the most fun games we have played, with the score being 48 -12 our way! We opened the scoring with a great backline team try with our inside centre, Payton Tarau, crossing the stripe first. From that point onwards, King’s couldn’t slow us down. Our forwards worked really well crossing the line several times, and the team showed plenty of courage in defence. Overall, we played a great game and brought the win home for Waverley!
Waverley College 13Ds vs King’s 13Ds would have been a great game to watch and even better to play. The first try was a beauty! Brody did a team play called ‘’KFC’’ which is a kick to the corner to the winger. Our halfback put the kick straight to the corner (Johnathan Thurston-like). The winger had a perfect chase. The ball hit the ground and then bounced straight into the winger’s arms for a lovely try (scored by Jack Brantman). Waverley converted the goal. Waverley 7 to King’s 0.
The next try was awesome! The Waverley forwards were winning every ruck and they couldn’t be stopped. We were five metres out and the Hooker did a pick and drive and we score off it (try to Zane Fox). Waverley 12 to King’s 0. Waverley had a backline ready for the next play and they used it well. The centre put the winger into some space and the winger scored (try to Ashton Hourn). Waverley 19 to King’s 0. King’s were at the halfway line and the King’s scrum half threw a pass that bounced to a Waverley player to run a good 40m to score (try to Lucas Coe… Me!). The kick was on point and that made it Waverley 26 to King’s 0.
There was a big ruck and then King’s stole the ball from us. I was defending and then in the corner of my eye I saw one of our players on the ground crying. I was screaming to the ref and then he finally stopped the game for a few minutes. From what I saw, I think it was a neck injury. A couple seconds later, the ground officials came and checked him out and tried to fix the problem. In the end he stood up and started walking to the sideline, and everyone was clapping him off. The coach said to get into a huddle and he said ‘do it for Nick’ (our teammate who hurt his neck). In the last five minutes, King’s had a scrum in their own half. The halfback threw a pass that landed in my arms again. I passed it to the other centre and then he scored a try (try to Jack Brantman). As soon as he converted the goal it was full time. Waverley 33 to King’s 0.
This weekend Waverley College plays against Oakhill College. Oakhill College is located at Castle Hill and teams playing away should ensure that they allow plenty of travel time to get to the games. Our 13s, 16s and Opens will be playing at Castle Hill, while our 14s and 15s return to Queens Park. Note that the 16Cs team will be playing at Riverview and 13Fs will be at Newington, with Oakhill unable to match up against these teams.
Oakhill have developed their rugby program in a positive fashion. This fixture will be another challenge for all teams. In recent years, Oakhill have produced the likes of Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (Melbourne Storm), so we are expecting to see more talented players coming through the ranks.
This weekend is the final trial round of rugby ahead of the CAS Competition. It is extremely important that all players remain disciplined, as any red cards will result in players missing the opening round of CAS against Knox Grammar School. Discipline on the field will be a key coaching point this week.
A reminder that attendance at training and at matches is compulsory for all students. If a student does miss a training session or match without a valid reason, consequences will be issued by the Director of Co-Curricular. It is difficult for coaching staff leading into the games, if they are guessing who is and who is not available. This goes on to impact the performance of the team who may be left short. Thank you to those players and parents who have been communicating so well when there may be an injury or illness, as this helps coaches prepare teams for the weekend.
Again, we would welcome any support on the BBQ and Canteen duties during the weekends listed below (particularly 29 May (Vs Knox Grammar) and 5 June (Vs Cranbrook) where we anticipate the crowds will be large):
If you can help anytime during these weekends, please feel free to click here to register on our online roster.
I would like to wish all teams the best for this weekend!
Waverley to Win!
Mr John McCoy
Convenor of Rugby
E: jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Queens Park T&M Hayes Pavilion
Please click here to view the fixtures.
Our strong performances across all areas of winter co-curricular continued last weekend. Well done to all teams including the 1st XVIII AFL, 1st XI Football and 1st XV Rugby who all secured great wins against strong opposition. The 1st XI Football also backed up their performance on the weekend by travelling to Coffs Harbour on Monday to play in the next round of the CIS Independent Cup Football where they were successful in winning 8-0. A special thank you to Mr Patrick Darvill and Mr Donato D’Agrosa for looking after these students. Our 10A Football and 7A Football also continued on their winning ways with some strong wins.
At the assembly last week we spoke about some important messages regarding co-curricular. We reminded all students of expectations, always wearing correct attire, using appropriate language at all times and ongoing respect towards the opposition and officials. This was based on some negative reports from the week before, however, there was a significant improvement in these areas last weekend. These expectations do not change and maintaining these high standards are so important as many of our opposition school communities often judge Waverley College on how we act and present at weekend commitments.
The importance of co-curricular activities to young men’s holistic development is critical not only for their physical health but also for their emotional, social and mental well-being. Having fun, connectedness and having positive experiences is vital at a time where school-age mental health issues are having major impacts on the overall health of society. Regardless of the team and level you are playing at, we need to ensure that the experiences are positive and the College is represented in the best possible way. Please also remember that it is only schoolboy sport and not professional, and that there are Codes of Conduct not only for students, but parents and spectators too.
All of Year 12 were on retreat this week so should be fresh and ready for this coming weekend’s fixtures. Please ensure that all students are clear on where and when they are playing, particularly in AFL as there have been recent changes to this draw. We also have a number of teams playing away at venues that are quite some distance and take time to get to. It is an expectation that all students are at their fixtures at a minimum of 30 minutes prior to allow for an adequate warm up, and that consideration is given to the distance of the venue and the time it takes in Sydney traffic on a Saturday morning.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind the College community of the correct processes for requesting leave with appropriate notice, and also any illnesses or absence on a weekend requires a medical certificate as per published College policy.
For those parents and students travelling to King’s for Rugby this weekend, we have been asked to provide the following information regarding parking:
2 parents per player for all indoor venues and all spectators MUST be wearing a mask.
Good luck to all teams and activities this weekend.
Waverley College 1st XI and Bishop Druitt College, Coffs Harbour
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
E: sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The May 8 round of co-curricular saw Waverley 1sts Volleyball host Scots College in the Brother Lacey Gymnasium. The two sides played for two hours over four very competitive sets, which had each audience member and coach on the edge of their seats (if they weren’t already standing from the anticipation of who would win!).
This week’s game came down to momentum. Whichever team had more momentum ended up winning the set. This became evident after watching the first two sets, as both teams started strong and their momentum carried on to win them the set.
Volleyball
Set 1: Waverley had a rocky start to the first set, with the lack of communication from the team denying them from setting up any real opportunities for consecutive points. On the contrary, the Scots team was flowing well, communicating effectively with each other with an answer for everything Waverley threw at them. This led to a 9-19 Scots lead within the first 10 minutes. However, a timeout from Waverley energised the team and started up the much-needed communication between the team, which led to a 16-19 comeback in five minutes! However, the 10 point deficit was too big to comeback from, and Scots won this set 17-25.
Set 2: The second set had an explosive start from Waverley, with Noah Matet hitting a powerful spike to even the scoreboard. The team was communicating very well, calling for the ball and rushing to get to any and every ball. A string of strong serves from Hayden Wild led to Waverley taking the lead for the first time in the game. Halfway through, Scots called a timeout at a 9-14 Waverley lead. The timeout allowed for Scots to stop Waverley’s momentum, but the positive reinforcement from teammates and coaches Michelle and Ms Belinda Buchan kept the students energised and focused enough to win the set 25-17.
Set 3: The third set started off with a miscommunication from Waverley which allowed Scots to score four successive points. Scots gained significant momentum from these points and denied Waverley any points from their attack. The team seemed disgruntled and demotivated after the scoreline was at 4-12 Scots way, however, after a successful timeout from the coaches, Waverley started to communicate and slowed the pace of the game down. This allowed for both teams to showcase their skills in long volleys which lasted for over a minute each! Our dedication to get to every ball backfired as we were coming back, when two of our players collided and one had to miss the rest of the game. The collision slowed our momentum down and gave Scots all they needed to finish the set 16-25.
Set 4: Set four was by far the most competitive set of the game, with Waverley fighting to keep the game alive. The team exemplified what it was like to be a Waverley College student, never giving up and supporting each other no matter the outcome. However, a strong spike from a Scots player ended the competitive set, and thus the game, with the final score of this round being 23-25.
Whilst we didn’t win, the team showed a valiant effort to keep the game alive and showed improvement from their game last week against Kings. Please come to our next home games versus Riverview on 22 May and Knox on 29 May, to watch the 1sts bring home the win.
Volleyball
Volleyball
Christian Kitas for 1sts Coach Ms Buchan
Student Journalist
E: bbuchan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Last weekend, Waverley College played against The Shore School. The 13s, 16s and Opens played at the impressive Northbridge fields with the 14s and 15s playing at our home, Queens Park. It was definitely a fixture in which teams and coaching staff gained an understanding of the value of training. Unfortunately, rain again disrupted the preparations with park closures leading into this round of trials.
That said, after some slow starts across the day it was pleasing to see many teams working hard to get back into the games played, coming back from early deficits. The key lesson to be taken away is that training is crucial in preparing both physically and mentally for the match up. Every player needs to be at training and focus on the key coaching points which our dedicated coaching staff work through. A strong and fast start to any game can very much determine its outcome.
Again, we are looking for students in all teams across the school who are interested in writing match reports for the games in which they may be involved. This is a great way to share the memorable moments from your match with the community. Students who are interested are welcome to send their match reports to Mr McCoy each week to jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au with prizes awarded for the best report.
This weekend Waverley College plays against The Kings School, the oldest independent school in Australia (Founded 1831). All teams, from 13s to Opens, are playing at Parramatta. As a note, players and families should allow plenty of time to get to the game. From experience, once inside the large school grounds (148 hectares of land) it can take some time to find the fields.
Kings will be a great challenge for all teams. The coaches have approached the week with a goal of holding on to possession and playing smart Rugby (no easy turnovers). I look forward to players taking up this challenge and working hard with each other to hopefully get some pleasing results.
I would like to wish all teams the best for this weekend!
Waverley to Win!
Mr John McCoy
Convenor of Rugby
E: jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please click here to view the fixtures.
Please click here to view the SHORE COVID-19 Sports Fixtures Protocols for Rugby.
*Please note that the 9/10 Blue AFL match for tomorrow Saturday 8 May 10.40am is cancelled due to ground closures at Macquarie University Sporting Fields.
This week we present and celebrate those students selected as 2021 Winter Co-curricular Activities captains and those selected in 1sts teams. Well done to the following captains who have demonstrated the commitment, leadership and service required to represent the College in these prestigious roles:
I was able to watch a number of our AFL teams play at Ramsgate last Saturday and the standard of performance, particularly from our 1sts, was very impressive with many teams recording hard-fought wins. Waverley College certainly has established itself as one of the AFL powerhouses in the CAS. We also recorded some good wins in Rugby and in a number of Football matches. Our Volleyball teams have also shown great improvement and this is evident through some of the performances at all levels and how much more competitive we are in this strong schools’ competition.
Waverley 1sts AFL v Cranbrook
We also had a number of students competing at the NSWCIS schools swimming carnival last week and special mention to Carter Hjorring, Ehren Little and Scott Swinburn who qualified for the NSW All Schools Championships later this term. Thank you also to Ms Nicolas Silsby and Mr David Parnell for their support at this event. Congratulations also to Isaac Barton in Year 8 who will represent NSW next week in trampolining at the National Gymnastics Championships. I would also like to send best wishes to Oliver Dunkley and his family after his injury requiring surgery this week and we are all supporting you for your recovery.
I would like to specifically remind all students regarding the standards expected around language and officials. We had some disappointing reports last week regarding some poor language, particularly in Rugby. We also need to ensure that only the captain is respectfully speaking to the referee, and we are never arguing or questioning the referee’s decision under any circumstances. I also want to remind all students that whenever they are at any school venue supporting or spectating that they need to be in full College uniform or playing attire. Under no circumstances can students be at any schools sporting venues in non-school attire please.
Best wishes for all activities this weekend.
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
E: sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College travelled across to Narrabeen to play against St Augustine’s College last weekend. Many spectators commented on this fixture being an extremely physical encounter, with the tackling and strong defensive efforts of both schools being a feature of most of the matches played.
The fixture allowed coaches to continue to monitor individual player performances and make adjustments to team lists. Overall, there were improvements in some areas and there was evidence of those key areas we do need to work on across the school.
We send our best wishes to all those students who may have unfortunately suffered knocks and injuries over the weekend. To those students, please know that you are still a big part of Waverley College Rugby and we would love to continue to see you at training and at the games to help your teams.
Please click here to view the SHORE COVID-19 Sports Fixtures Protocols for Rugby.
This weekend Waverley College plays against Shore. Our 13s, 16s and Opens are playing at the Shore School playing fields (Northbridge), while our 14s and 15s return back to the glorious Queens Park Grounds. Shore will be a good contest for all teams as we continue to move closer to the commencement of the CAS competition.
As our 14s & 15s age groups will be playing at Queens Park, we are looking for parents and friends who might be able to assist on the canteen. If you are able to help, please register your name on the online roster: https://signup.com/go/cRPQVPx
We are looking for students in all teams across the school who are interested in writing match reports for the games they may be involved with. This is a great way to share the memorable moments from your match with the community. Students who are interested are welcome to send their match reports to Mr McCoy each week (jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au) with prizes awarded for the best report.
A reminder that Waverley College Rugby has a ‘Team App’ for players, parents, carers and coaches to download. Team App is a platform that will allow our Rugby community to improve communication by integrating everything you need to know about Rugby at the College. This includes news, fixtures, team lists (updated each week), live scores and a photo gallery.
If you would like to access this information on your mobile devices, simply download this free app (Team App by Team Mates). Once the app is downloaded, search for Waverley College Rugby and register. You will then be authenticated by the College and given access to the information.
Wishing all teams the best for this weekend!
Waverley to Win!
Mr John McCoy
Convenor of Rugby
E: jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We dominated the first half with four goals including a cheeky goal by Jacob Rae. 7A had lots of shots including a great free kick by Zac Ellis, which saw the Knox keeper pulling an incredible save. By comparison, Oscar our goalkeeper was a bit bored at the back because of our strong defense, but Oscar did see some action later in the game. By the second half we were tired and feeling hot, and Knox seemed to get a second wind and pulled back two goals. But we held on and in the end it was 4-2 victory to Waverley. We played quality football and everyone gave it their all. It was a great first game.
Goals scored by: C Richardson, A Cavender, J Rae, Z Ellis.
Mr Sam Disalvo
Convenor of Football
Well done to all players, staff and coaches on a positive first full round of activities last weekend. There were some standout team performances across all activities including in Year 7 Football, Years 7-8 AFL and 1sts Tennis. I also want to thank all players and parents for their patience with the new attire and we will communicate with the College community as soon as the new gear is available. We also encourage any student who has yet to get fitted for their new gear to go to the uniform shop to order.
Our Rugby teams are all away this weekend with most teams playing at The Institute of Sport at Narrabeen, and please allow for appropriate travel times on Saturday to ensure we are arriving 30 minutes prior to the match. Parking is also limited at this venue so please also allow time to find a location. Our Football is at Dangar at Rose Bay and parking at this location can also be challenging.
This Saturday we also have our Prep 1st XI Football and Prep 1st Rugby playing on QP1 and I want to wish these teams and their coaches the very best in playing their games on that full-sized field.
I also want to remind all students that they must be in full College sports attire or winter uniform when attending any fixtures to support, including those at Queens Park.
Next Thursday we are also presenting the 2021 Waverley College Winter activities captains and 1sts teams and I want to congratulate those students who will be presented.
For those present for the 1st XV on Saturday, there was a very unfortunate injury to a Newington player to end the game early, however, I am pleased to announce that the player is okay and will make a full recovery. The Newington staff and parents of this young man were very grateful for the care and respect shown and this was a great representation for the College.
We will continue to assess and adjust selections for all teams over the next couple of weeks. I also want to remind all parents and students as well as the wider College community that all schools still have COVID-19 restrictions and QR Coding in place, and we need to ensure that we are meeting these expectations.
Good luck to all activities this week and ‘Go the Waves!’
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
E: sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Saturday 24 April, our Rugby teams played their first opposed fixture for the year against Newington College. It was a terrific and very competitive day of Rugby, with some highly entertaining matches played out in glorious conditions.
Most importantly, the day gave coaches a good chance to monitor player performances and assist with making calls on team selections and grades. The selection process will most likely take further time as coaches continue to identify the strengths of each player. Our goal is to ensure teams are ready for the commencement of the CAS season at the end of May.
Unfortunately, we did have some nasty injuries during our first weekend of Rugby. We pray for and pass on our best wishes to those students who did suffer injuries. May your recovery be swift and free of any pain.
An area for parents and carers to be aware of are the procedures in place to support a player who has received a concussion. We encourage parents to be familiar with the Rugby Australia Concussion Management Protocol, which was created with the wellbeing of all rugby players in mind. For more information about codes/policies/safety/welfare and concussion management, click on the Rugby Australia website
In summary, if a player displays signs that they have suffered a concussion, they are to be removed from the playing field. The medical staff at each ground will then be able to provide some instructions on treatment, but in all cases a player who has suffered a concussion will be required to see a doctor sometime in the 24 hours after the incident. Following this, a player will not be able to train for 14 days (rest) or play for at least 19 days (which would usually be two matches).
This weekend most teams will be heading to Narrabeen to play against St Augustine’s College. We do also have a few teams who will be playing against St Joseph’s College and Shore (see fixtures). We do ask that players and families allow plenty of time to get to the fields at Narrabeen (Sydney Academy of Sports and Recreation), as traffic heading towards the Northern Beaches can be heavy on a weekend. As we are still in a trial period for all teams, we do encourage players to arrive at the ground early and remain after the match to reserve. Good luck to all teams!
I would like to thank all those wonderful volunteers from our community who put their hand up and donated some time to assist on the BBQ or the canteen last weekend. I often receive feedback from our visiting families and staff who comment on how friendly our community are during interactions with parents, carers and friends who have volunteered their time. This says a great deal about the fantastic community we have at Waverley College. Thank you all very much. I look forward to seeing you at Narrabeen this weekend.
WAVERLEY TO WIN!
Mr John McCoy
Convenor of Rugby
E: jmccoy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
