How Sweet It Is!
Saturday 9 September was a day to remember. After years of struggle and a tremendous amount of effort, St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football Team won its first senior premiership in 22 years. Our Association congratulates the committee, the team and all who have been party to this success for a club - a club that not many years ago was on the brink of extinction.
A report in the 4 March 2017 Mercury by Adam Smith read in part as follows:
Old Scholars Football Association clubs are rallying around one of their own in an effort to save not only St Virgil’s but, potentially, the future of the competition.
With the start of the season a little over a month a way, the Saints are battling a critical shortage of players.
Recent numbers at training have not been enough to fill one side, let alone both a seniors and a reserves team.
The inner-city league was reduced to a six-team competition when Channel folded in March last year, suffering the same issues as Saints.
The potential disappearance of St Virgil’s — formed in 1927 as Old Virgilians and a foundation member of the Public School Old Boys Football Association — could be disastrous for the Old Scholars association.
The Saints lost all 20 matches last year and have just seven victories in the past three seasons – a factor club president Matthew Rice believes has led to the dire shortfall of players this pre-season.
The club did manage to battle on and OVAtions was able to report the following in its September 2018 edition:
Congratulations to the senior St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football team. On Saturday 11th August, after a losing streak of 55 games (last win was 1099 days previous) it defeated Hutchins 18.19-127 to 17.12-112.
However, victories proved hard to come by. Then came the big announcement in the Mercury 19 October 2020.
Old Scholars strugglers land their man with State League star officially announced as new coach.
Three wins in past 79 matches, five consecutive wooden spoons, a decade long finals drought and 20 years since premiership success was not enough to stop Jaye Bowden accepting the next challenge of his career.
Saints president Joel Berry said while on field success has eluded the senior side in recent years - off field it was a in a strong position to land a big fish when the time was right.
For the record Jaye’s incredible football achievements are as follows:
- 3 x Glenorchy Senior Premiership Player
- 3 x Alistair Lynch Medallist for TSL Best & Fairest
- 3 x Hudson Medallist for TSL Leading Goalkicker
- 6 x RH ‘Banjo’ Patterson Medallist for GDFC Best & Fairest
- 6 x Tasmanian State representative
- 8 x TSL Team of the Year selection
- 2021 beaten in a ‘fiery ‘ grand final by OHA
- 2022 beaten in the preliminary final by DOSA
- 2023 victory SVOSFC 22.17 (149) defeated University 7.6 (48)
It was fitting that 34-year-old Jaye Bowden won the medal for ‘best on ground’.
The Association also congratulates the ‘Lady Saints’ on its Grand Final victory - 7.8 (50) def. Dodges Ferry 1.3 (9) and especially to Agnes Sakina, Holly Ryan and Fiona Langford– Agnes won the ‘Best & Fairest’ for the division, Holly was the leading goal scorer whilst Fiona won the medal for ‘Best on Ground’ in the grand Final.
Further congratulations –
- To Jaye Bowden on being the joint winner of the Southern Old Scholars Football League Best & Fairest Medal.
- To Alex Blair on being the Association’s leading Goal Scorers for 2023.
- And to captain team, Luke Potter, Daniel Coppleman, Sam Reeves, John Geard and Rayan Wakefield, along with Jaye and Alex, who were members of the Association’s ‘Team of the Year’. Jaye had the honour of being named coach of the team.
