Sport News

Last weekend saw the conclusion of our Term 1 sports for 2024. It was a wonderful season for Marist with a premiership, a second and a third place across the four sports played in the AIC competition. We also finished higher in the aggregate than we did a year ago in all three team sports.

The 1st XVIII were comfortable in their victory over St Edmund’s and results elsewhere, with St Laurence's defeating Padua, meant a shared premiership and back-to-back success for our boys and coaches. The 1st VI also had a gutsy victory to finish strongly, and the 1st XI secured a comfortable victory in the last game on McMahon for many, and we recently celebrated the success of our swim team in securing second place at the recent AIC championships.

Year 12s - thank you for your years of service to the College and your sport of choice. Hopefully, you have enjoyed the experience of playing for your school, developed some skills, including life skills, had some wins and some losses and taken away great memories with you. Thank you also to the parents for your involvement in the Marist sports community, and the part you have played in making this an inclusive, supportive and friendly environment. Good luck in the future gentlemen.

Thank you to our coordinators for this term. Mr Corey Robinson took on the reigns of the AFL program this year and was a great support for the coaches on game day. Mr Patrick Denkes led our volleyball program quietly putting in a lot of work behind the scenes. Mr Ben Lee who was on the ground every day helping out with the cricket program. Ms Jade Ritchie did countless work to support the swimming program. 

Thank you to our 1sts coaches Mr James Boyce (swimming), Mr Michael Abbott (cricket), Ms Scarlett Rudder (volleyball) and Mr Matt Beattie (AFL) and all their support staff for your leadership of our flagship teams, mentoring the boys and providing great examples for the boys as people. I also thank all the staff, Old Boys, parents and external coaches for your work with our boys this term in each of our sports.

Finally, well done to all the boys who pulled on the blue and gold uniform this term. We set high expectations of you in uniform, behaviour, attitude, commitment, and respect for others. We do this because we are a school and this is a vehicle to help you grow into men of good character and discipline. Whether you won, lost or drew each week you by and large did it with tremendous spirit and respect, for which you should be proud.

This weekend sees our internal trials for rugby and football. Further details are in the relevant section below and also on the College App. Boys should endeavour to be at as many trials over the coming weeks as possible to give themselves the best chance to play at the highest level they can. Team lists are never fixed, you can always get promoted if you keep working hard, and of course, the opposite is also true, no one is guaranteed a position.

Cricket

Mr Derek Lennon (Coordinator)

Last Saturday saw the culmination of our 2024 AIC cricket season when we hosted St Edmund’s College here at Marist. It is always challenging when we play smaller schools, especially in the last round as everyone wants to finish off with a good game. It was a strong day overall for us and a great way to finish the season for a number of our sides.

The 1st XI were put in the field first and after a strong start, having SEC 3/20, let their opponents get the score out to 150, which has proven a challenging chase for us this season. There were no such problems with Frank Piper and Jack Watson going about the chase in impressive, run-a-ball fashion to get the runs one wicket down. This team has achieved a lot in the last two years with an AIC premiership and a Marist Carnival championship over the journey and lots of really positive memories and occasions together. Thank you to Mr Michael Abbott and Mr Tom Gibson for your leadership, commitment and mentorship of this team.

While not all of our teams have achieved at the level they would have hoped for, we have overall in the aggregate finished a position higher than we did in 2023 and many of our sides had great seasons. Well done to the following undefeated premiers:

3rd XI      coach Aidan O’Connell

10C        coach Tom Wex

7C           coaches Tasmin and Ruben Gandhi

6B           coach Mr Jones

6C           coach Mr Sutherland

5B           coach Mr Dangerfield

We also had a team win their division:

8B           coaches Paul Clapham and Nathan Steffens

I want to thank our coaching staff for your commitment to the program. Cricket is a demanding sport with long hours and the additional challenge of scoring and umpiring. I acknowledge the coaches for your leadership and guidance of our young men.

Thank you to the parents who support the boys and the program each week through cheering us on, encouraging words, scoring and umpiring. It really is a team effort in cricket and at Marist we have a wonderful community feeling around our cricket program.

Finally, well done to the young men of the cricket program who gave your all every week, tried your best and represented your college with pride. Thank you and well done on a fine innings from our departing Year 12s led by captain Will Nickelson and vice-captain Louis Morris. We wish you well in the future and hope to see many of you come back and join us as coaches. 

1st XI v St Edmund’s (Frank Piper)

For the last round of AIC, we played St Edmunds at McMahon Oval. Mixed emotion filled the group of boys, with many being there last representing the baggy blue. A new face joined the group as Archer Tallon (Year 9) made his debut. Looking at the pitch we wanted to bat first, but with the inconsistency of Will Nickelson being able to win a toss, Eddie sent us in to bowl. Joey Laner started well, making the batsman play and miss several times, unlucky to get a wicket. Will Easter from the other end followed, with a great opening spell taking the first 2 wickets. The young Archer Tallon was then given the ball. With only his third over of the day, a slog to cow meant Archer snared his first AIC wicket. Consistent bowling from Sam Wilcox, Flynn Cleary, and Frank Piper meant Eddies finished all out for 152 after 48.2 overs. Stand-out performances with the ball from Will Easter 4/19 of 4 overs, and Archer Tallon 3/39 of 9 overs. After the break, the boys were keen to get back out there. Frank Piper and Jack Watson put the pressure back onto the bowlers being 0/103 at the drinks break. After a quick drink, the boys were able to chase the runs down only losing 1 wicket. Finishing the chase 1/153. Frank Piper 86, and Jack Watson (51*).

Volleyball

Mr Patrick Denkes (Coordinator)

The Volleyball season has drawn to a close with an exciting last round against St Edmund’s College. Matches were highly competitive with St Edmund’s showing great strength, particularly in their junior and middle school teams. Luckily the Marist Senior’s led the way in their last Volleyball matches for the College, completing a clean sweep across all open teams. 

Thank you Year 12s for your contributions to the Volleyball program over the last 5 years. In particular, thanks to 1stVI Volleyball captain Finn McCahon for his leadership this season. I have appreciated the eagerness with which Finn and other members of the first team have contributed to assisting developing junior players.

Congratulations to Patrick Noble and the 2nd VI on securing a split premiership with a decisive 2-0 win on Saturday. It has been a fantastic season for the team, with only one loss. Well done to all the players and the positive attitude they took to the court. It was great to watch you all play with spirit and positivity.

Thank you to all parents and guardians for your role in supporting your son to be a Marist College Volleyball player in 2024. You are an integral part of the team, and the College thanks you for all you do. I encourage all players to personally thank those around them that make playing sport possible each Saturday. 

Thank you as well to all the coaches for your efforts in 2023/2024. The early-morning coaching sessions and late-night practices are all appreciated. It is evident that the young men across Marist Volleyball have improved during the season and your work is a big contributor to this.

1st VI v St Edmund’s College (Josh Lewis)

The 1st VI took on a nail-biting 5-set game against St Eddy’s to end the season. A dominant start from the boys lead to 2 sets to none, even after starting the first set 0-7. An unfortunate 3rd set gave Eddy’s the hope they needed to come back, which caused us to lose the 4th as well. Knowing we had to give the crowd a final dance for it being the last game everyone put on their best game. With Aidan Smythe dominating the front court scoring point after point, and Oliver Bett’s insane backcourt passing and Finn McCahon’s brilliant setting and captaining led to a tight – yet epic set to end of the season, and a good farewell for the Year 12 boys. 

The crowd bringing in a fantastic atmosphere having a worthy turnout, just increasing the boys morale. It was great seeing every boy in the squad a chance to go on the court and show the skills they have been training up for years.

The win against Eddy’s brought us up to tied 3rd on the ladder with 4 wins and 4 loses, just showing the excellent skills the team had.

AFL

Mr Corey Robinson (Coordinator)

The AFL season finished with a round 7 clash against St. Edmund’s College. With a couple of teams finishing off the season with a bye, thank you to those teams who played and showed the Marist spirit for the last round. Although results weren’t in our favour for most of the round, there were still a few victories to finish the season on a high.

Our First XVIII AFL team experienced a remarkable turnaround this season, securing a joint premiership for the second consecutive year. Led by the exceptional Jack Thompson in midfield, whose leadership reached new heights, and fellow midfielder, the lionhearted Isaac Roach as captain, our team thrived. Liam Rice excelled in the midfield and up forward, particularly against St. Laurence’s where his performance set us up for our biggest win of the season. Rory O'Keeffe's influential presence both on and off the field ensured the team's cohesion as well as showing the way to our next generation of talent. Special recognition is also due to Oscar Pittman and Austin Gillett, who have been integral members of our AFL Program since the inception of AIC AFL in grade 5, embodying the spirit of dedication and commitment at Marist.

Thank you to all the parents whose support during the season was very much appreciated - the boys can’t get to the games/trainings without you!

Thank you to all the coaches this year. Whether you were a staff member at Marist or an external coach, you all showed professionalism and really did have the best intentions of the boys always. From round 1 to round 7 saw a tremendous improvement in the boy’s skill and knowledge of the game, which is a great credit to you all.

Football

Mr Derek Lennon (Coordinator)

All boys must be registered to play Football. You will not be able to play in the AIC season if you are not registered.

Trial details are on the College app. There is 1 trial this week, a trial on the internal trial day this Saturday and another trial in Week 10.

All players will need to check in with the Year Co-ordinator at the start and will receive instructions.

All players to wear Marist blue training shirt, football shorts and socks, and must have boots and shin pads to trial.

Year 5, 6 and 7- ALL players to trial

Year 8 - Open- ONLY B-E teams (the A teams have been selected already - see the College App for these teams. Selected A players are playing matches as indicated.

Trial Process

Trials will continue in Week 10. See the College App for details and times later in the week. Provisional teams will be released on Thursday of week 10.

Our A-C teams are playing Terrace on Saturday 13th April (last weekend of the holidays). Please let the coordinators know if unavailable.

Teams will continue to evolve during Week 1 and use the trial round vs St Laurence’s on Saturday 20th April to finalise selections.

Trial Notes

Boys will need to report in at the first trial they attend to the Year Coordinator and ensure their name is marked off for every trial they attend afterwards.

Boys should look to attend as many trials as they can for selection but need to balance with their academic workload and also honour your Term 1 sport commitments. Consider your academic exam schedule and make informed decisions about whether you need to attend a trial or miss a trial to prepare for exams. Clear communication with the A coach or Year Coordinator is vital here.

If you are unable to attend the scheduled trials you need to email the Year Level Coordinator in advance of the trial to notify. Provide your name and student number and the reason you are missing the trial. Contact details will be on the College App in the coming days.

Boys are to wear Marist apparel, football boots and shin pads to trial.

You can find the selection criteria on the College App.

Illness and injury will impact on the selection process. Trials will continue until the end of Week 1, some year levels may take longer than others. This is to allow all boys to be graded fairly.

Tennis

Mr Andrew Ward

Attention Tennis Enthusiasts!

Brace yourselves for an ace-filled update amidst the stormy weather! Despite the raindrops, we're serving up resilience and keeping the ball rolling with our coaching sessions. Due to the unpredictable weather, we'll be extending our term to ensure everyone gets their fair share of court time. Missed private lessons? No worries! Book with Jade for a chance to catch up in Week 10 or during the holiday break in Week 1.

Court Resurfacing Extravaganza!

Get ready to witness a court transformation! Starting next week, our courts will undergo a fabulous makeover, promising a fresh new look with grass green courts and a chic terracotta red surround. It's not just a facelift; it's a whole new era for tennis at Marist!

Super and Brisbane Tennis League!

Cheers to our teams for their stellar performances! With 8 home games this week, the energy promises to be electric as our players battle it out on Saturday. Let's rally behind them and show our support with enthusiastic cheers!

Term 2 bookings and Squad Selections!

Jade's already taking bookings for Term 2, so secure your spot pronto!

And for our aspiring stars eyeing the First X Squad, get ready for trials that kick off with three action-packed sessions. Remember, dedication pays off, so don't miss out unless you've got a legit excuse. Let the grind begin, gentlemen!

1st X Trials

Wednesday 20th &  27th   March from 6-7.30pm.

Friday 22nd  March from 6.45-8.15am.

Mark Your Tennis Calendars!

Week 6 Term 2 beginning 20th May

All year level trials will commence for AIC. Year 5-opens.

Friday 7th June

Last week of fixtures for Term 2 and our Head fixtures prize package winner announced.

Friday 14th June

Primary singles tournament 3.30 start

Monday 17th

June Primary singles finals 3.30 start

June Holidays

AIC Tennis Camp (dates to be confirmed)

Saturday 13th July

First trial v St Edmund’s College.

Monday 12th & Tuesday 13th August

Open doubles tournaments    3.30 start

Primary doubles tournament   3.30 start

Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th September.

The Marist Open Singles Championships 3.30 start

Wednesday 11th September

AIC break up party 3.30 - 6.30pm

From AIC trials to thrilling tournaments and even a tennis camp during the holidays, our calendar is packed tighter than a well-strung racket! Save the dates, gear up, and get ready to smash some balls! 

Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Easter Rugby Camp – Sunday 14 April

Thanks to the 126 students who have already registered a spot for the Easter Rugby Camp. It is fantastic to see the high level of enthusiasm for the second edition of the camp.

Please keep an eye out for information relating to the Easter Rugby Camp. Last year we had over 300 students from Year 5-12 attend the camp which included skill development, games, fun events, the season launch, giveaways, special guests, and a number of selected matches against Nudgee College.

See the Marist app and Marist socials for the link to register via Humanitix.

This year we plan to be bigger and better again! 

1st XV / 2nd XV vs Downlands – Trial Matches

Thanks to the Everton Park Roosters Rugby Union Club for hosting the trial games on Sunday. The College has a long list of students who began their rugby journey at the Roosters. It is a fantastic club with some wonderful facilities, and the College appreciates the support afforded to the 1st and 2nd XV in their games against Downlands College.

The Blue Squad of 45 was trimmed to 36 for the two games. On the back of a strong internal trial, both teams were challenged to run the ball from all parts of the field as they continue their preparation for the AIC competition.

The 2nd XV had a good win. After a scrappy first half, the Marist 2nd XV played some brilliant running rugby. Their ability to compete and work hard made their counterattack an impressive feature of the game. 

The 1st XV lost 36-24 to a strong Downlands outfit. There was a lot to like including a number of line breaks and long-range tries, however, more work is required around the set piece and attack framework. The new tackle law challenged a number of the students tackle technique and body positioning, and this will require a lot of work leading into the season.

Thanks to Downlands for making the trip down the range. The Colleges have a long history of playing trial matches against each other and we look forward to continuing on again in 2025.

Marist Rugby Union | Sign On

Sign-on closes this Friday!

Thanks to the student and parents/guardians who have already completed the sign-on process.

If you haven’t signed on yet, please go to the Marist app and see information regarding the sign on process. ALL students who wish to play Term 2 sports are asked to sign up via the student café. Once your son/s have signed up all parents or caregivers MUST approve the signup and edit or update any medical details. 

This assists the College in organising the appropriate number of coaching staff and to deliver the necessary resources.

St Laurence’s College and Marist College | Professional Development Program

Thanks to St Laurence’s College for hosting the recent coach development program. As with last year, Marist and SLC in collaboration with the QRU delivered a Smart Tackle course to cover the technicalities of the new tackle law.

This was an open invitation to all AIC schools and was warmly received by the rugby community. 

We are always challenging our students to be better and this was a great opportunity for our coaches to do the same.

Thanks to Mr Eddie Wallace from AIC Sport, Mr Pat Richards from St Laurence’s College, and Mr Kris Burton from the QRU.

Rugby Ready Program | Year 5-12

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Rugby Ready Program. It is an enormous program with 600+ students attending eight sessions per week for four weeks and 25+ coaches delivering an integrated and aligned approach.

The students need to be commended for the way they participated and engaged in the program. The coaches couldn’t speak more highly of the behaviour, skill development and willingness to learn. As we watch the games this season, we hope to see the high level of skill, the connection and “The Marist Way” evident in all our teams.

Thanks to the coaches for volunteering their time and expertise to the program. Mr Paddy Conn, Mr Charlie Taylor, Mr Mal Grealy, Mr Bas Ward, Mr Brad Winchester, Mr Doug Perrers, Mr Matt Dangerfield, Mr Angus Sutherland, Mr Peter Gaiter, Mr Damien Nelson, Mr Tom Dangerfield, Mr Darren Kayrooz, Mr Pierce Hardy, Mr Charlie Gardiner, Mr Glenn Wright, Mr Bill Prole, Mr Peter Anderson, Mr John Lambourne, Mr Anthony Graham, Mr James Trebbin, Mr Michael Jones, Mr Jim Midgeley, Ms Ella Graham, and current students Pat Jewell and Adam Burnell. Marist is fortunate to have many staff, old boys and current students contributing to the rugby program. We appreciate all that they do in creating a safe and challenging rugby environment. 

Thanks also to the members of the Blue Squad who came down each Friday to connect with and support the development of our youngest bumblebees. The students are wonderful ambassadors for Marist and have been selfless with their time.

Rugby Union Training and Trials – Weeks 9 and 10

This weekend serves at the Rosalie Tribute Round. It is a wonderful way to celebrate our internal trial day and to acknowledge the Marist Rosalie old boys.

Please make sure you see the Marist app for Year level training sessions scheduled in Weeks 9 and 10, and for the full list of trials this Saturday.

Following training this week, trial teams will be listed on Friday morning.

If you are Year 10, please note all sessions this season will be held at Jeeps on the field closest to the College. Please move quickly and safely from the College to be ready for a 3:30pm start.

See the Rugby Union Key Dates Calendar in the Marist app for all games throughout the season, including trial games in Term 1.

Marist Rugby Union – Referees

Congratulations to the newest members of the Marist Referee’s Club. Students Alexander Wheeler, Hunter Webb, Ethan Lodema, Daniel Lodema, Jack Kennedy, Tom Cook, and parent Mr Wayne Lodema.

Thanks to all of you for volunteering your time and completing the Marist Rugby Referee’s course. Our referees are an integral part of the game and we look forward to welcoming this new crop of young referees into our Marist referee’s community. 

Thanks to the QRRA and Callum Robertson for conducting the course. Callum was outstanding – his knowledge of the game and his genuine care for the students to do well was evident.

We would ask that everyone shows our referees the respect they deserve. They are an integral part of our sport, we deeply value their contribution to our great sport, and we want them to enjoy the game as much as the players.

Students who have completed the course are able to earn $25.00-$40.00 dollars per game. 

Marist Rugby Union – Social Media 

@marist_ashgrove_rugby

In 2023 the College delivered some wonderful rugby memories through our social media pages. From the smallest bumblebees in Year 5 through to the biggest bumblebees in Year 12, all of it was captured in wonderful colour.

To stay connected with Marist Rugby and with all the program’s achievements, please follow our Instagram page @marist_ashgrove_rugby.

Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

Marist College at The Recent QLD Athletics Championships 2024

20 Marist athletes competed at the QLD Athletics Championships over the weekend representing both Marist and their local Track and Field clubs including our Track and Field partner Ashgrove Rangers. There were some excellent performances over the 4 days of competition from Thursday evening 14th March to Sunday 17th March. Along with the Gold medal in the 3km championships won by Zac Milligan 2 weeks prior, Marist athletes finished with 13 medals which equals our recent best performances at a State Titles meet in Track and Field.

Regardless of the medals, all the athletes competing had brilliant performances. Certainly, Zac Milligan stood out winning three medals across the State Titles period and Charlie Campion winning two bronzes in the hurdles events stood tall. Hayden Lockhart in the Triple Jump continued his good form from 2023 National Titles winning a silver and Asher Parkin also won silver in his new event, the 2KM steeplechase.

Perhaps most pleasing were the nine bronze medals with two of our shot putters (Isaiah Burgess and Jonathan Kirk) proving strong in their events, Lyndon Maynard soaring to a high jump bronze after working hard in the off-season with Jack Mahuru close behind in 4th and Sania Elisala running a strategic race to come 3rd in the 400m. Connor Campbell continues to develop in the long hurdles with another medal this state titles while Isaac Ting added an individual bronze medal in his new event the 400m hurdles.

With some close misses Jack Mahuru, 4th in the high jump progressed well this meet while Perry Croft worked hard to make the final of the 400m with 2 consecutive Personal Bests. In a very competitive u20 competition spanning 2 age groups, seeing Xavier Simms (100m/200m) and Tom Grinham run into some good form against older athletes was also pleasing in both sprints and middle distance.

From here all the medallists and a number of athletes who have qualified via meeting national qualifying standards will represent QLD at the April State titles in Adelaide and we will report on this in future weeks. Those in the Little Athletics QLD pathway will be reported on in the next newsletter. Marist is showing good levels of performance and we look forward to our house carnival kicking off the school season later in Term 2. 

MEDAL Performances QLD Athletics Championships 2024

Zac Milligan Men 1500m (Under 17) – Gold (1st Place)

Zac Milligan Men 3000m (Under 17) – Gold (1st Place, run 2 weeks prior)

Asher Parkin Men 2000m Steeple (Under 18)- Silver (2nd Place)

Hayden Lockhart Boys Triple Jump Under 15 – Silver (2nd Place)

Sania Elisala - Boys 400m (Under 15) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Zac Milligan Men 800m (Under 17) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Isaiah Burgess - Men Shot Put Under 18– Bronze (3rd Place)

Jonathan Kirk - Men Shot Put Under 17 – Bronze (3rd Place)

Lyndon Maynard - Men High Jump Under 17 – Bronze (3rd Place)

Charlie Campion - Boys 100m Hurdles (Under 15) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Charlie Campion - Boys 200m Hurdles (Under 15) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Connor Campbell - Boys 200m Hurdles (Under 16) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Isaac Ting - Men 400m Hurdles (Under 17) – Bronze (3rd Place)

Additional Performances

Jack Mahuru - Men High Jump Under 17 – 4th Place

Shea Caminiti - Boys 90m Hurdles (Under 14) – 4th Place

Hayden Lockhart - Boys 100m Hurdles (Under 15) – 5th Place

Connor Campbell - Boys 100m Hurdles (Under 16) – 5th Place

Hugo Lockhart Boys High Jump (Under 13) – 6th Place

Lyndon Maynard - Men Long Jump (Under 17) – 6th Place

Connor Campbell - Boys 400m (Under 16) – Finals – 6th Place

Harry Prole - Boys 1500m (Under 16) – 6th Place

Harry Prole - Boys 2000m Steeple (Under 16) – 7th Place

Asher Parkin Men 1500m (Under 18) – 8th Place

Perry Croft - Boys 400m (Under 16) – 8th Place Final

Xavier Simms – Men 100m (Under 20) – Semi Finalist / Men 200m (Under 20) – Semi-Finalist

Tom Grinham - Men 800m (Under 20) – 16th Place – Semi-Finalist

Thanks to all athletes listed above for their performance and commitment to their events. Any queries on how new or existing athletes can start to get involved now can be directed to Mr Graham or Mr Martin.

Marist Track and Field – Sunday Sessions

This year, Marist College will be looking to win its 10th successive AIC Track and Field Championship. To be successful, a lot of planning, commitment and effort goes into the program across the calendar year.

For all students wanting to train, Mr Rob Martin will continue to run his usual Sunday sessions. Please see below details - 

INCLUDED: Running – sprints and jumps / Throws – early pre-season fitness and cross training, along with throwing.

WHEN: Sunday afternoons

WHERE: Hayden Oval

TIME: 3:15-4:45pm 

DRESS: Marist sport shirt, Marist sports shorts, white or blue socks.

Marist Track and Field – Social Media 

@marist_ashgrove_sports

Marist College has continued to showcase incredible moments in Track and Field again this year, from Year 5 victories to exceptional feats by our Year 12 students, all vividly captured on our social media pages.

Follow us and stay up-to-date with Marist Track and Field on Instagram - @marist_ashgrove_sports

Student Achievements

Harry Cook (Basketball)

Good luck to Harry Cook (Year 10) who has been selected in the Queensland under 18 basketball team to compete at nationals in the Easter holidays here in Brisbane. 

Leo McKenna (Baseball)

Last weekend Year 10 student Leo McKenna was part of the gold medal winning Met-North baseball team in the under 18 QLD Schools State Championships. After a comeback victory over Met-East in the Semi-Final, Met-North won a very exciting final 1-0 over South Coast. Leo also recently represented QLD U/16’s in the Australian Youth Championships played in Sydney in January, with QLD securing silver behind NSW.

Round 7 Results

AFL

Cricket

Volleyball