After a thrilling House Athletics Carnival on Friday, and with many of the Cross Country boys representing their Houses in the 800m and 3,000m events, we all turned up on Saturday morning, enthusiastic and ready to race. This week’s venue was The King’s School, possibly the most challenging course of the year thus far. The course featured a relatively flat start across multiple football fields, followed by multiple tight switchback corners, before shooting down a steep fire trail down the back of the school.
This downhill was a treacherous, rocky uneven descent, and at the pace that the boys were travelling, mistakes were bound to happen. At the bottom of this descent, a sharp hairpin pointed straight back up the even steeper opposite side of the hill. As the morning progressed, this gruelling hill laid waste to multitudes of competitors across all schools. However, it did not faze our Waverley boys.
The Juniors had an amazing start to the day. A particularly fast start saw Evan Robowtham position himself in the front pack. As the race continued, he made sure to work hard effectively on the flats and in the hills, overtaking numerous competitors with each stride. As a consequence, Evan prevailed with the win; placing 1st out of 165 competitors. Fantastic work, Evan.
The Intermediates race was quite an entertaining race to watch. Three times up the hill proved challenging for many of the competitors. However, Waverley took this in their stride, and used the hills to improve their positions. This showed in the results of each of the boys at the end of the race, and consequently their weekly totals — notably Christian Miletec, who has gone from 75th in the first week to 31st this week. This level of improvement is characteristic of dedication, hard work and consistent training, something we hope the boys will continue throughout the season.
The Open race started hard and fast, with many runners burning out after one or two laps — 8km is a long race. The senior boys were not fazed and remained patient. They used the hills to take positions, and the downhills and flats to recover and regroup. We’ve seen improvement from our Year 12 boys, notably James Crowle and Jay Briggs, who have both improved significantly since the beginning of the season. Well done boys, keep up the hard work. Further, congratulations to Campbell Groves who finished 7th (1st CAS).
We look forward to next week’s racing at Sydney Park for CAS vs GPS in the Junior and Intermediate races, as well as CIS selection trials in all races.
Waves to Win!
Campbell Groves and Hugo Morgan (Co-Captains 2023)
Waverley College Cross Country
An eagerly anticipated Friday night set the scene for Indigenous Round with the mighty Waves hosting Cranbrook in the 1sts and Saint Ignatius’ in 9/10 Division 1. The evening was highlighted by a wonderful Indigenous Ceremony conducted by the Walawaani group from the College. Mr Kevin Heath (Indigenous Liaison Officer) and the team put a huge amount of time and effort into this, as we look forward to it becoming an annual event.
We were also treated to a pre-match jumper presentation and speech from Sydney Swans legend, Michael O’Loughlin. It was a truly wonderful celebration of culture and celebration that I, personally, felt proud to be a part of. Thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets to raise money for the Walawaani Group at the College.
Unfortunately, the spirit that was shown in the Indigenous Ceremony didn’t translate into a win for either team playing on the night, with the 9/10As falling short late in the match, to a very strong Saint Ignatius’ outfit, going down 7.6.48 to 3.2.20. The game was in the balance early in the last quarter, but the boys ran out of steam. Oli Trosti and Tane Barclay played great games, and there were very promising signs from the whole team.
Our 1sts then took to the field against a spirited Cranbrook. It was a fierce battle early on, in dewy and cold conditions, making it hard for clear possession and our run and gun style of play. This really evened up the ability of the two teams. We managed to get out to a 13-point lead half way through the last quarter, however Cranbrook wouldn’t give in and managed to kick the final three goals of the match, including the match winner in the final minute to break the hearts of the boys.
We are competing hard and the effort cannot be questioned. With a very young squad, we are moving in the right direction, and the results should start to turn our way soon. Andrew Moloney managed to take out the medal for the best Waverley player on the evening.
Another clean sweep for our young stars in this age group!
The 7/8As travelled to Bat & Ball for a 9am start against the newly-promoted St Aloysius’ from Division 2. It was a sluggish performance in the first quarter with Aloys’ defending well, but never providing much of a scoring threat. The boys then managed to break away and complete another comprehensive victory 12.12.84 to 0.3.3, making it four wins from four starts. It is shaping as quite a dominant season so far. Clancy Walsh starred in the match with Henry Read and Nash Goldsworthy giving him great support.
The 7/8Bs travelled to St Paul’s Oval to take on the recently demoted (from Division 1) side, Cranbrook. Cranbrook jumped out to an early lead, kicking four goals to one in the first quarter. The boys then managed to flip the narrative, taking a one-point lead at half time.
Cranbrook then lead by one point going into the last quarter, before the boys managed five goals to two in the final term, to run out 12.8.80-9.761 winners. The Wilson twins absolutely dominating, with Max managing a game-winning five goals! The boys sit equal top of the table with Trinity’s As, and have beaten A teams from Shore and Cranbrook this season. A fine effort!
The 7/8Cs followed the previous match, and as they have done for much of the season, completed a comprehensive victory. They managed to hold Cranbrook to just two goals for the day, both scored in the first quarter. The boys running out 17.9.111 to 2.1.13, victors. Felix Andersen-Allen continued his remarkable goal-kicking form with a second bag of five for the season, and taking his tally to 16 goals in four games. Max Davis and Max Lucas also continued their strong form.
The boys travelled to ELS Hall to take on heavyweight Saint Ignatius’ in the Division 3 match. The boys had moved into this division and it paid early dividends with a great first three quarters, holding the lead at three-quarter time. Earlier in the day, Waverley had been awarded the win by forfeit and some players were given to the opposition to allow a match to be played.
In the final term, Saint Ignatius’ with the assistance of a few of our boys, were able to finish strong and take an unofficial win. A great performance by the boys for the first three quarters, and promising signs for the remainder of the season. Tom Rudolph played a second game for the weekend and was best on ground, along with Jordan Du Toit who was booted three goals.
The boys took to the field against Saint Ignatius’ at Bat & Ball Oval but were nearly forced to forfeit, due to the lateness of some of our players. In this age group, Saint Ignatius’ have been a dominant force across the competition for the past four to five years, and their skill level was on show. Unfortunately, the boys lost this game early via the mercy rule, but battled hard for the four quarter.
Some good performances came from Ben Campbell, Hugh McDonald and Tom Park who held their own against the strong competition. We look forward to the challenge of next week and building on some good training this week.
A reminder that we will hold our final home round for the season at Pioneers Park next Saturday. We will run a BBQ and raffle with prizes. Please come along and support the boys throughout the day. See fixtures below for teams playing at Pioneers:
| Saturday, 3 June |
| 8am – 5/6A v Barker |
| 8am – 5/6C v Barker |
| 9am – 7/8B v Trinity |
| 10:30am – 9/10B v Saint Ignatius’ |
| 12pm – 1sts v St Aloysius’ |
| 2pm – 9/10A vs Barker |
| 3:30pm – 2nds v Newington |
1sts Defeated by Cranbrook 6.9.45 to 5.9.39
2nds Defeated by Riverview 9.6.60 to 0.0.0 (Mercy Rule)
9/10A Defeated by Riverview 7.6.48 to 3.2.20
9/10B Defeated Riverview (Forfeit) Practice Game Score 5.5.35 to 10.10.70
7/8A Defeated St Aloysius’ 9.8.62 to 0.2.2 (Mercy Rule) Unofficial score 12.12.84 to 0.3.3
7/8B Defeated Cranbrook 12.8.80 to 9.7.61
7/8C Defeated Cranbrook 11.7.73 to 2.1.13 (Mercy Rule) Unofficial score 17.9.111 to 2.1.13
Click here to view the Fixtures and Venue Maps
Today was our annual House Athletics Carnival at ES Marks Athletics Field. It was a stimulating, busy day and we hope you enjoy the photos above. Information about the Carnival will be published in next week’s Nurrunga (Friday, 26 May edition).
We are away to St Aloysius’ this week for many teams, as well as a number of fixtures at Queens Park against St Augustine’s. It was great to see a large majority of students competing to the best of their ability last weekend, against high-quality opposition in all codes.
Congratulations to the 1st Debating and Volleyball teams who had great wins on the weekend and have continued to perform at a high level over the last couple of weeks.
A reminder that tonight the 1st AFL team will be playing against Cranbrook in the AFL Indigenous Round. Walawaani in Dhurga language means ‘Safe Journey’ and it is also the name of our First Nations program at Waverley. Moving forward, our Indigenous round will be playing for the ‘Walawaani Cup.’
We encourage as many people as possible from the Waverley College community to come and support this event. The pre-game ceremony will start at 7pm with the game starting at 7:15pm.
On Saturday, we have a big day of rugby at Queens Park. All teams will be playing St Augustine’s at Queens Park with all ‘A’ teams playing on Queens Park 1. It should be a great day of entertaining Rugby, so please come down and support the day.
*All students must be in full Waverley attire, otherwise they will not be permitted to stay.
Congratulations to Jack Preller for being selected to attend the UN Youth Australia National Conference 2023 in July in Perth.
Waverley had some strong performance in Cross Country on the weekend at the Barker invite, with the Opens 8km team coming first place for the CAS teams. The Cross Country team have been working very hard under the guidance of Mr Jeremy Roff.
All players, parents, carers and spectators are reminded about the importance of sportsmanship and respect for the opposition and officials. All stakeholders are bound by the CAS Codes of Conduct for respect of officials and the opposition team. All supporters and visitors must follow staff instructions at each venue. Click the button below to view the CAS Code of Conduct on the CAS website.
CAS Code of Conduct on the CAS website
The NSW government has released the ‘Shoosh for Kids’ campaign which is based around everyone involved in community and school sport respecting our referees. Please click the button below to view the Office of Sport website and its ‘Shoosh for Kids’ resources.
Click here to view the Shoosh for Kids resources
Keep it positive. Keep it fun. Keep kids coming back to junior sport!
I also want to remind all parents/carers of expectations at training and games in regards to communication with staff and coaches. Parents are asked to please remain at a distance at all training sessions, to allow coaches to do their jobs effectively.
Please avoid approaching and speaking to coaches whilst a fixture is on – recognise the value and importance of our coaches. If there are any issues or concerns, I would request that you only contact the convenor of that activity or myself, after the session or fixture.
Good luck to all teams and co-curricular activities over this coming weekend.
After some excellent results in all age groups in Round 2, the mighty Waves hit the North Shore on Saturday.
We had teams playing at Acron Oval in St Ives, North Narrabeen Reserve and Barker Main Oval. A real round trip for our families from the East.
The day started early for the 7/8Bs at North Narrabeen, but the boys were ready for the challenge, defeating Shore’s A team by two points in a rain-affected match.
The 7/8As took the field against Knox’s As at Acron Oval, and continued their strong form with a comprehensive 104-8 victory, highlighted by high skill level and a thirst for team play.
The 7/8Cs then took the field against Knox’s B side which also included 11 of Knox’s A players, due to low numbers. The boys played a fantastic game and comprehensively defeated Knox 76-19.
Our 9/10As recorded a victory via forfeit, as Knox did not have enough players. The boys from both teams decided to play a shortened match on a flooded Acron Oval, after two-hour downpour that left the Oval resembling a flooded slip and slide!
Our 9/10Bs travelled to North Narrabeen Reserve and took on a strong St Augustine’s side, fighting it out for four quarters, but eventually going down 79-22.
Our 1sts took on one competition heavyweight Knox, and started strongly in the fine conditions. Unfortunately, the downpour came, and Knox were brutal around the ball, turning a quarter-time deficit into a 65-31 victory.
Our 2nds travelled to Barker Main Oval to face a strong Barker side, who are always difficult to defeat on their main oval. The boys have been starting games particularly well, however Barker asserted themselves in the second half of the match, running out 73-13 victors.
Huge thanks to all of the families who travelled to support their boys on a long trip to the North Shore. Attendance was fantastic, and it was great to have a real Waverley presence at these venues.
I extend a warm invite to the entire Waverley College community, this Friday night. We take on Cranbrook in the 1sts and Saint Ignatius’ in the 9/10Bs, in a Home Game at Pioneers Park in Malabar.
We will run a hearty BBQ and a raffle with some fantastic prizes. Raffle proceeds will be directed towards the ‘Walawaani’ Program at the College to help run onsite events and workshops. This Program is Waverley’s First Nations Program. It is made up of all of Waverley’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-identified students.
Please come to support the Indigenous Round!
1sts Defeated by Knox 10.5.65 to 4.7.31
2nds Defeated by Barker 10.13.73 to 2.1.13
9/10A Defeated Knox 10.0.60 to 0.0.0 (Forfeit)
9/10B Defeated by St Augustine’s 10.19.79 to 3.4.22
7/8A Defeated Knox 9.12.66 to 1.0.6 (Mercy Rule) Unofficial score 14.20.104 to 1.2.8
7/8B Defeated Shore 3.14.32 to 4.6.30
7/8C Defeated Knox 10.16.76 to 3.1.19
After last week’s flat course at Centennial Park, the Waverley team made the hour-long drive out to St Ives Showground, to test their fresh legs on the gruelling hills and uneven terrain. The course this week featured almost everything you can get when it comes to cross-country racing: hills, tree roots, fallen tree hurdles, mud, ankle-rolling divots and much more. The start featured a 200m straight, breadcrumbed with hazardous divots, followed by numerous switchbacks, funnelling the competitors down into the bushes of St Ives Showground.
The Juniors’ race commenced bright and early at 9am. In the absence of Joshua Peters and Evan Rowbotham, boys were called on to step up to the plate. Each boy rose to the occasion, with Jake McEvoy leading the boys through the first lap. A notable improvement from Jarrah Thomasyu saw him improve his placement from last week by 15 positions, along with quality performances by Oliver Chan and Xavier Wright.
Juniors
Our Intermediate age group continued this momentum built by the Juniors, with a particularly fast start from the Waverley boys, before quickly settling into their respective rhythms. Some strategic mid-race surges from Asher Thomasyu saw him overtake numerous competitors, particularly on the hills, where Asher excels. This fitness that Asher possesses combined with his tactical movements throughout the race, placed him 11th out of a field of 128 runners. Perhaps the highlight of this 6km race was the final kick from Blake Richardson, who unleashed his poetic stride 300m from the finish line, leaving it all on the course, and overtaking numerous competitors.
This race was soon followed by our Opens team, who took to the course in full force, preparing for a gruelling 8km. Our boys all had varying race strategies, some with purposely slower starts and others attempting to get a quick start. An unlucky start from Campbell Groves saw him in the middle of the back, coming around the first switchback. However, Campbell’s strength allowed him to seemingly glide through the tightly-packed runners, as he positioned himself amongst the first pack of runners.
Tactically, our boys used the uphills to our advantage, ensuring they put in a surge of pace at the top of the hills, in an attempt to break away from other competitors. Campbell’s aggressive racing tactic placed him in a very strong position of 7th out of 130 runners, finishing 2nd out of CAS competitors. Phenomenal work, Campbell.
Overall, it was a very strong showing from Waverley College at St Ives. Whilst many other schools were daunted by the hilly course, Waverley competitors took it in their stride, using it to their advantage. With many multi-position improvements across the board, the Waverley team is looking forward to next week, when we tackle the possibly the hardest course for the season; The King’s School.
Waves to Win!
Campbell Groves and Hugo Morgan (Cross Country Co-Captains 2023)
Last weekend, Waverley College played against ISA school, Oakhill College. The day was evenly matched with both schools coming away each with 10 victories. Undoubtedly, our teams will continue to improve as we head towards the CAS season, which commences on the first weekend of June.
Highlights on the day included the mighty 13Bs win. Down 20 to 7, with five minutes on the clock, the 13Bs managed to come from behind to score two tries in the dying stages of the match. The final try, a penalty try, had all celebrating on the field and on the sidelines. Congratulations to Mr Soden and his side for never giving up!
I would also like to highlight the efforts of one of our star junior referees, William Whitaker. William refereed a number of matches on Saturday, despite feeling a little unwell on the day. We thank William for his all efforts in officiating – we would not be able to enjoy the beautiful game of rugby without our officials. Thank you, William.
This coming weekend, we are very much looking forward to a Super Saturday of rugby at Queens Park. All teams are scheduled to play at Queens Park against St Augustine’s College. This should be an entertaining day of rugby with all our A teams on the famous QP1 ground, from the 13As right through to the 1st XV. It should be an exciting atmosphere and we encourage all members of the community to come along to support the day.
We would love to welcome parents/carers and friends of players in all teams to donate some time to assist on the canteen and BBQ at Queens Park – even for a half hour (while your son warms up for his match).
It certainly is an excellent way to meet new parents/carers and friends, in what is such a positive and friendly environment, led by our incredible Rugby Supporters’ Club.
If you are able to help, please click the button below to log your available time on the online roster.
Click here to log the time you can help
Thanks for your assistance – we truly appreciate all your help!
Our brilliant Rugby supporters on our BBQ and Canteen in 2022
It has been pleasing to see a number of Waverley College Old Boys continuing to do well on the playing field. We are certainly proud of the achievements of our Old Boys and no doubt, these men will continue to inspire the next generation of Waverlians!
Last weekend, the Super Rugby match played between the Waratahs vs Rebels match (which was commentated by Old Boy Morgan Turinui!), included Sam Talakai (Rebels), Jed Holloway (Waratahs), and Ben Donaldson (Waratahs), who set up a terrific try at the end of the match.
Benny O’Donnell is doing a terrific job at the ACT Brumbies, along with Klayton Thorn, who must not be far away from making his debut, having a strong involvement in the Brumbies Squad. Henry Paterson also continues to do very well for the Australian Sevens team.
In the NRL, Old Boys Davvy Moale (Souths Sydney Rabbitohs) and Ronald Volkman (NZ Warriors), continue to impress. Ronald scored a brilliant individual try against the Bulldogs last weekend.
In club land, we are seeing a number of Old Boys doing well across a number of clubs. The Galloping Greens (Randwick) first grade team, which is coached by Old Boy Stephen Holies, currently has four players in the side including Finn Wright, Joel Ellis, Jackson Mohi and Zac Carr.
We wish all teams the very best for this coming weekend of rugby.
Waverley to win!
Click here to view Fixtures and Venue Maps
Well done to all students, staff and coaches on a full round of winter activities last weekend. It was great to see so many students fully engaged and committed in the wide range of activities we have on offer here at Waverley.
All students are required to be wearing full Waverley College sporting attire or full College winter uniform if they are supporting any teams as a spectator
Our Debating Teams performed very well at OLSH last Friday evening, with some excellent arguments presented by all teams. Well done to all teams on a fantastic second round against OLSH! Waverley won 4/6 debates.
Congratulations to Marko Rangan (Year 12) who was selected in the CIS Opens Basketball team. Also, congratulations to our 1st Basketball Coach, Mr Johnston, who is the CIS Under 16 Assistant Coach.
Congratulations to Lincoln Tanner who has been selected as a member of the U17 New South Wales Academy for Water Polo. We wish him all the best at the AIS training camp next week.
This week and next week we have a number of boys trialing for CIS Hockey and Rugby League. I want to wish these boys the best of luck. Students are reminded that they need to catch up on any schoolwork missed and assessments are the priority if any clashes.
Congratulations to Kahu Capper who was selected in the CIS Opens Rugby League team.
Waverley College Indigenous Crest. Artwork by Billy Reynolds.
Next Friday night, the 1st AFL team will be playing against Cranbrook in the AFL Indigenous Round. Walawaani in Dhurga language means ‘Safe Journey’ and it is also the name of our First Nations program at Waverley. Moving forward, our Indigenous Round will be playing for the “Walawaani Cup.”
We encourage as many people as possible from the Waverley College community to come and support this event. The pre-game ceremony will start at 7pm with the game starting at 7:15 pm.
Next Friday is the College House Athletics carnival at ES Marks for Years 5-12.
Students in Years 7-12 will need to make their own way to the venue, and must be there no later than 8:30am. Students in Years 7-12 will need to make their own way home from the venue.
For the Junior school, Years 5 and 6, communication has gone out to parents/carers regarding transportation for the day and must be there no later than 8:30 am.
Parents/carers are welcome to attend, but please note that surrounding parking is challenging, and there is no parking on site.
We will run the Opens 3km and Javelin from 8:30am for any Years 7-12 student who wishes to participate in those events.
In the case of rain, we will notify the community by 7am and the day would then revert to a normal school day.
*Please note that there are no canteen facilities, and students are required to bring their own lunch and snacks.
Click here to view the letter with more detailed information and a schedule of events
This week, we are away to Knox in Football, Volleyball and Tennis, and away to Oakhill for Rugby. We encourage as many members of the College community to come and support.
The Prep 1sts Football and Rugby are also playing home games at Queens Park on Saturday morning, and we encourage as many Senior School students as possible to support our Junior School teams.
*All students must be in full Waverley attire, otherwise they will not be permitted to stay.
After some promising results in Round 1, especially in the Years 7/8 age group, Waverley College embarked on their first ever ‘Home Round’ at Pioneers Park in front of an adoring audience. Six out of seven of our Senior School Teams played between 8am and 5pm at the venue, with the 7/8 Division 3 team, being the travellers to Northbridge Oval, being hosted by Shore.
The trip to Northbridge Oval was a success with the boys taking out a comprehensive 52-point victory. The boys and their families were treated to a lovely afternoon tea after the match by Shore, and were grateful for their hospitality.
Our 7/8 Division 2 began the day with an emphatic victory over St Augustine’s 123-7, with Liam Gardiner and Ned Wilson starring for the home team.
Our 7/8 Division 1 team then graced the field and continued the strong form against St Augustine’s, registering a 97-0 victory. The skill level and ball movement was at a high standard in the sunny conditions. Hayden McAusland and Dom Dametto were unstoppable.
Our 9/10 Division team were up next, against Barker. This was a competitive match as the breeze started to pick up. Kicking against the breeze in the final quarter, the boys ran away with the game, recording a 32-point victory, thanks to a dominant Oscar Wilson.
Up next, was the showcase 1st XVIII match vs Trinity. As the breeze was starting to influence the game, Waverley took a 9-point lead into quarter time, whilst kicking against it. After this, the boys were dominant, and ran out 119-41, winners. Andrew Moloney starred in the midfield and James O’Loughlin was electric up forward with 4 goals. A great confidence booster leading into a huge CAS game against Knox this week.
Our 2nds were the next to take the field, against a strong Trinity 2nds outfit. The boys battled hard throughout the day, registering 3 majors in the 98-20 loss. Tom Park and Will Pearce were strong contributors throughout the match.
The final match of the day was played by our 9/10 Division 2 team against a strong St Aloysius’ side. Unfortunately, we had a few key players out, making it a difficult day at the office, Aloys’ running out 119-7, victors. For the second week in a row, Sam Jasczyk was best for the team.
The day itself was a great success with players and families coming together to play and support the AFL community. I would like to thank the Supporters’ Group for putting on a fantastic BBQ, whilst selling merchandise and helping to build the inclusive social nature that we are striving for each week. The countless hours and will to help one another for the benefit of our boys, is inspiring and greatly appreciated.
Good luck to all teams this weekend. We have some huge fixtures against Knox (Acron Oval), Shore, St Augustine’s (North Narrabeen) and Barker (Rofe Park).
I hope to see you all next weekend for Friday Night Football (19 May) at Pioneer’s Park against Cranbrook. This will be the first of our Indigenous Round celebrations. We will be conducting a ceremony, running a BBQ and selling raffle tickets for some great prizes.
Waves to Win!
*Players need to arrive at the grounds no later than 30 minutes before the match is scheduled (or at the time advised by their coach), to ensure that teams have a thorough warm up.
Please ensure that you have full AFL playing attire, including a mouthguard for your games, and that you are training in Waverley AFL attire or PE uniform. Other clothing is not acceptable.
Please make sure that you have a medical certificate for any absences from training or games. The easiest way to log absences is on the Waverley College app in Absences. Please log these as early as possible to allow the coaches to be notified by the convenor.
Goals – James O’Loughlin 4, Henry Kidd 3, Harry Hookings 3, Sam Stewart 2, Ricky Meyrick 2, Ben Pignatelli 1, Vasili Vertsonis 1, Joe Dametto 1, Jett Wanda 1
Best – Andrew Moloney, Ricky Meyrick, Vasili Vertsonis, James O’Loughlin, Sam Stewart, Jett Wanda, Ben Dunkley
Goals – Zac Trosti 1, Will Booth 1
Best – Tom Park, Will Pearce, Liam Russell, Alistair Isaac, Euan Veale-Wright, Will Booth
Goals – Ed House 2, Fox Stapleton 2, Tane Barclay 1, Adam Cutten 1, Fred Robertson 1, Tom Rudolph 1, Oscar Wilson 1
Best – Oscar Wilson, Tane Barclay, Adam Cutten, Jono McDonald, Fred Robertson, Finlay Bates
Goals – Jordan Du Toit
Best – Sam Jasczyk, Jordan Du Toit, Lachlan Isaac, Will Elliott, Dylan O’Connor, Bowie Wanda
Goals – Hayden McAusland 4, James Tucker 3, Sean Coughlin 2, Jaxon Michailidis 2, Will Roberts 1, Levi O’Keefe 1, Jake Tobin 1, Matt Borgelt 1
Best – Hayden McAusland, Dom Dametto, James Tucker, Jaxon Michailidis, Darcy Kidd, Marcus Strbac, Alex Piperkos
Goals – Ned Wilson 2, Oliver Isaac 2, Zach Willard 2, Augie Gibson 2, Mitch Cooper 2, Oscar Griffith 2, James Tainton 1, Ned Wilson 1, Liam Madden 1, Patrick McAusland 1, Louis Crosser 1, Liam Gardiner 1
Best – Liam Gardiner, Ned Wilson, Finley Mulligan, Oliver Isaac, Mitchell Cooper, Augie Gibson
Goals – Vinny Kapos 5, Felix Andersen-Allen 3, Remy Kernot 1, Callum Knight 1, Cadel Walters 1
Best – Harvey Kraegen, Vinny Kapos, Mateo Benito Withers, Daniel Duffin, Max Davis, Felix Andersen-Allen
After last week’s muddy sprint relays, the boys were relieved to have some dry weather and track for a fast race. This year’s first cross-country meeting of official distances commenced at Centennial Park.
The start featured a sharp bottleneck over uneven tree roots, before quickly tapering into a long 1km straight along the white fence, a relatively flat, wide gravel track with multiple hairpin corners, provided for some fast, intelligent and strategic racing.
Commencing at 9am the boys were eager to race, with many of the boys debuting at new distances. It was a strong start to the season.
After a strong start from our boys, they quickly settled into a rhythm. Towards the end of the first 2km lap, there were some definite surges in pace, particularly from Jake McEvoy, as he passed through the tunnel of spectators. Even after tripping over, earlier in the race, he was not phased and quickly gained momentum and positions.
It’s great to see the boys incorporating some risks into their race tactics. This will only make for better runners.
Within the Juniors, we had Joshua Peters leading the field for the Waverley boys, finishing 32nd out of 181 runners.
This group commenced soon after, demanding three laps of hard running from the boys (6km). With the temperature heating up, our Waverley boys rose to the challenge. As the other age groups watched the race eagerly, it was hard not to take note of how comfortable the pace looked for Asher Thomasyu, as he rolled through the field, finishing 12th out of 149 runners.
It is also important to note the performance of Jack Richardson, who turned up to Centennial Park eager to race, prior to his 14As rugby game just a few hours later. This really highlights the true Waverley spirit instilled within him. Great job, Jack.
With the weather even warmer, the final event took to the course – the 8km seniors race (17s-18s). With a fast start from all of our boys, we all settled into our respective rhythms. Early into the race, a small group of three Waverley boys running together settled into the front pack, working together to help one another.
Two laps into the race, a definite move from Mackenzie Palmer saw him to the front of the Waverley boys. Mackenzie ended up with a strong place of 17th out of 139 runners.
Overall, Waverley’s runners continued the strong start to the season with some very respectable results across the board. With all boys seeing improvement in training, the Waverley College Cross Country team is looking very strong. We’re looking forward to St Ives Showground next week, to tackle the hills.
Waves to Win!
Campbell Groves and Hugo Morgan (Co-Captains 2023)
Waverley College Cross Country
Last weekend, Waverley College enjoyed a challenging day of rugby against St Ignatius’ College, Riverview in which our young men were really tested. Again, this was very much a trial round to allow for coaches to continue to monitor player performance. This included some modified matches in which some of our teams played mixed opponents.
Not only was the day a good opportunity for our students to continue to improve on their match fitness and skills, being our second fixture of the season, but it also allowed us to review aspects of our program which we need to improve on – such as ensuring students are provided with equal game time to their peers on the playing field.
Please know, we are continuing to try to improve our standards to ensure our young men have an enjoyable experience. I thank the community for all your support of our coaches and players.
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
A special mention must be given to one of our young referees, Hunter Eldridge, who stepped in to referee a number of matches on Saturday, due to some of our referees falling ill. Hunter handled each match with skill and expertise – thank you Hunter!
Furthermore, a big thanks must also go to one of our parents, Peter Tate, who stepped in to coach the mighty 15Bs when the regular coach was also unable to make the game due to an illness. Thank you Mr Tate!
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
2nd XV Rugby v Riverview
Thank you to all players and families who made the journey to away venues over the weekend. I particularly thank our mighty 13Es team, who made the long journey to Pittwater to play against St Augustine’s, in the very early hours of Saturday morning (and enjoyed a great win!).
*A reminder that if a student is unable to attend a fixture due to an illness, we request that the student absence be notified through appropriate channels (as indicated in the 2023 Rugby Season Guide) and a medical certificate provided to the Director of Co-Curricular.
In the very unlikely case that a student may decide to simply not show up to a match, a fair consequence will be issued by the College.
We do place a great deal of emphasis in ensuring players are in attendance at Saturday Sport, as ultimately, in selecting to play rugby, students are making the commitment to a team sport as well as a commitment to the opposition schools we play each week.
Furthermore, I know that in many cases, opposition schools who are made up of boarding students (such as Riverview), will have families travelling long distances from country areas to watch the games played, which is something we all need to be mindful of.
This weekend, Waverley College meets an ISA (Independent Sporting Association) competition school in Oakhill College. Oakhill College, located at Castle Hill, is a very talented school on the rugby field, with a similar number of teams that we have at Waverley. The fixture should again be a good test for all our teams, as we really begin to take shape ahead of the CAS competition.
Our 13s, 16s and Opens teams all play at Oakhill College, while our 14s and 15s teams all get to enjoy another fixture at Queens Park.
For those travelling to Oakhill (Castle Hill), please ensure you leave plenty of time to get to the games, as the traffic can certainly build up on Saturday mornings. All fields at Oakhill are located within the school grounds.
On the weekend following the Oakhill fixture, I am pleased to announce that all age groups are scheduled to play at Queens Park against St Augustine’s College. This should be an entertaining day of rugby, as we are looking to schedule all our A teams on the famous QP1 ground, from the 13As right through to the 1st XV.
It should be a great atmosphere, and we encourage all members of the community to come along to support the day.
Thank you to all those wonderfully supportive members of the community who are happy to help assist on the canteen each weekend. We are again looking for parents/carers in the 14s and 15s age group to assist on the canteen this weekend, Saturday, 13 May 2023, between the hours of 8am-12pm (canteen only).
Furthermore, we do need interested parents/carers (from all age groups) to assist on the ‘Super Saturday’ of rugby at Queens Park on Saturday, 20 May 2023, when all teams will be playing at our home ground. Both the BBQ and canteen will be in operation.
Can you help? If so, please register your name onto the Online Roster by clicking the button below:
Click here to register for the online roster
We sincerely thank all those wonderful parents/carers who are able to help.
Tireless Rugby Supporters on the BBQ and canteen in 2022
I have no doubts that among the very talented rugby players at Waverley College, we also have incredible writers! Please read the following note which has been sent through to Waverley College from the NSW Waratahs:
Dear Waverley College students,
Over the last couple of years we’ve had some fantastic student reporters that contribute by writing reports about School Rugby and in particular the 1st XV fixtures.
We host these on the NSW Waratahs website and it is a great opportunity to give students a tangible thing they can put on their resume or digital portfolio.
An example of what we’ve done previously is here.
If there may be any interested students at Waverley College who would like to be a School Rugby Reporter (particularly for Waverley matches) they are welcome to contact Mr Andrew Hill (Andrew.hill@nsw.rugby)
Thanks for your help!
NSW Waratahs
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all the wonderful mothers in our community, a very Happy Mother’s Day for this coming Sunday. We appreciate all the love, care and support you constantly provide to our students (as well as our coaches and staff!). We hope you have a terrific day and we are sure the boys will shower you with love and gifts. Happy Days!
Good luck to all teams this weekend against Oakhill College.
Waverley to win!
Click here to view the fixtures and venue maps
*Please note – Tuesday, 9 May (Week 3) – Staff meeting. No co-curricular training that afternoon but morning training will still go ahead.
Congratulations to all students on their commitment and effort last week at training and on the weekend for their winter co-curricular fixtures. The spirit, effort and excellent sportsmanship was evident throughout the weekend for the whole Waverley College community.
I especially want to thank all parents/carers who assisted throughout the weekend – for those who helped at the canteen, the after match functions or at the BBQ – your support is much appreciated.
I would like to thank Mr Jeremy Roff and Mr Nicholas Brophy for their hard work in hosting the first Cross Country event on Saturday. Waverley had some strong performances in the Cross Country relays, with the below teams achieving top 10 finishes for their respective divisions:
Congratulations to these students who competed at the Secondary Swimming Championships this week: Jack Kerves, Ryan McNamara, Tristan Lee, Owen Lloyd-Jones, Eamon Jeffs, Carter Hjorring and Nick Hjorring.
Congratulations to these students who were selected for CAS touch football teams:
I had the pleasure of watching the 1sts AFL on Friday evening, in what was a very physical and hard-fought contest against Newington. It was great to see so many students present and supporting the team.
Congratulations to the 1st Volleyball team who won an exciting and close match against Cranbrook.
On Friday night, Harrison Rimell represented the College at the prestigious Lawrence Campbell Oratory competition and did an amazing job.
The Waverley College Debating teams also had a strong first round of the CSDA competition against Marcellin College with wins across both the senior and junior teams.
Thank you to Ms Halpin for her dedication and leadership in the Debating program.
It is essential that all students are fully attired in the correct playing gear, and that they arrive a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the start of the match.
When students are supporting the 1sts or other teams, they should be dressed in full PE sports uniform or school uniform.
Click here to view the correct uniforms in the Waverley College Lookbook
We have an onsite Uniform Shop as well as a Secondhand Clothing Pool. Their contact details are in every edition of Nurrunga.
We have a big weekend of fixtures coming up with the majority of games against Barker and Riverview – please check the Waverley College app for fixtures and team selections.
A reminder to all parents/carers and students that selections are not final, and remain fluid for the entire season. Coaches will continue to make selections and changes following last weekend’s fixtures.
For any student who is absent from a co-curricular activity, a medical certificate needs to be produced.
The Waverley College House Athletics carnival for Years 5-12 will be held on Friday, 19 June (week 4) at ES Marks.
More information will be released next week.
Good luck to all teams and activities this weekend!
And we’re off! Last weekend, Waverley College had its first weekend of opposed trials against Newington College. On the day, Waverley recorded 12 wins from the 21 matches played. It was pleasing to see a promising start to the winter sport season against a strong GPS school.
I would like to congratulate a number of our teams who matched up against higher-graded opponents. It was tremendous to see the courageous efforts from our boys, and these efforts should place our teams in strong positions as the season progresses.
1st XV Rugby V Newington
No doubt, as we are still very much in the trial phase of the season, there will continue to be changes made to team lists from the 13s right through to the Opens, as coaching staff continue to monitor player performances.
Furthermore, teams will certainly benefit from having the run on the weekend. As match fitness improves and teams begin to gel, the quality of rugby played will only get better, which is exciting. Players must ensure they attend every training session and continue to work hard, as we look to build momentum heading toward the CAS season.
1st XV Rugby V Newington
This weekend, Waverley College plays another trial fixture against St Ignatius’ College, Riverview. This weekend should again be a terrific test for our teams, with Riverview proving to be a talented GPS school over the many years we have played “View” on the rugby fields.
Our apologies in regards to the draw for the weekend, as we had indicated that all 14s teams would be playing at Queens Park, but this is not the case due to ground bookings (aside from the 14Es who are still playing at Queens Park).
Our 15s age group will play at Queens Park (as well as the mighty 13Ds) with all other age groups playing at Riverview.
Players and families are asked to carefully check the fixtures this weekend, particularly the match times (for example, our 3rd XV, 4th XV and 5th XV who would usually play in the afternoon, will all be playing early in the morning). Players need to be at the grounds at least 30 minutes before kick-off.
*Please note that Riverview is a large campus with multiple fields, so please click the button below to view the map of the campus for your reference.
Click here to view the campus map
To start the season, I would like to thank the work of our incredible team of referees and officials led by Mr Richard Chen. We a very blessed to have a terrific team, including a number of students, who officiate every match with skill, expertise and fairness.
As the season progresses, I would encourage all members of the community to display gratitude towards our officials, by thanking them for giving up their time each and every Saturday. Ultimately, we would not be able to enjoy the game without our referees and officials.
In addition to our officials, I would like to thank the Rugby Supporters’ Club and the wonderful job they do in bringing the community together at Queens Park every weekend. The work and dedication of our Supporters’ Club, led by Michelle Sullivan, Maureen and John Andrews and Claire and Bradley Anstis, certainly sets up an enjoyable atmosphere while we watch entertaining games of schoolboy rugby.
Again, without our volunteers, we would not have our canteen and BBQ operating, which can often be taken for granted. Thank you to all who put their hand up to help (even for an hour each week) – we really appreciate everything you do!
This weekend, we are asking parents/carers of players in the 15s age group, as well as parents/carers of players in the 14Es and 13Ds (playing at Queens Park), to give up some time to assist on the canteen – even for 30 minutes (while your son warms up for his match).
Should you be able to help, please feel free to log the time you can help on the online roster below.
Click here to view the online roster
Good luck to all teams this weekend against Riverview.
Waverley to Win!
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.
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