Old Boys in the News – February 2017

February 14, 2017

Our Old Boys have been busy in the news lately, including:

  • Dallas Willsmore (SPC 2010-13) could well have a job in the media post footy -“ watch the Old Boy interview his Hawks teammates on Family Day. To watch the footage, go to this link

  • Ballarat and District Trotting Club’s long-time administrator Dennis Foley (SPC 1966-72)- has announced his retirement from the committee after- more than 30 years’ service. To read more about Dennis’ great service, go to- this link

  • Yestin Eades (SPC 2014-15) and the Essendon Football Club have mutually agreed to end his playing contract, allowing him to return home to Western Australia. To read more, go to this link

  • Well done to Sam Short (SPC 2011-16) and the rest of the U20 Victoria team who are impressing at the Australian Junior Championships in Bendigo this week, winning games so far against Qld, ACT and WA. Sam is in fantastic form, racking up 11 points and 11 rebounds in the Qld game. Sam has also recommitted to the Ballarat Miners for 2017. For more on Sam’s plans with the Miners, go to this link

  • St Patrick’s College’s Director of Community Development, Mr Paul Nolan (SPC 1991-93) rubbed shoulders with- Eddie McGuire while tasting the TV spotlight in his quest- to win a $1 million in- Channel Nine’s rebranded Millionaire Hot Seat earlier this year. Paul did, indeed end up in the hot seat, and- took- a shot at the $50,000 prize but a tricky question on “Leica” cameras saw Paul come unstuck. He still walked away with $1000. To see the episode in full and see if you would have beaten Paul to the- big prize, go to this link

  • Ballarat City enjoyed its first victory at the weekend with a 1-0 triumph over Whittlesea Ranges in the Victorian National Premier League. Patrick Karras (SPC 2008-13) scored the winning goal in the 44th minute for the newly-named Ballarat club in their second game of the 2017 season. To read more, go to this link

  • Shaun Jeffrey (SPC 1987-90) notched up a huge milestone at the weekend, playing his 300th match for Mt Clear Cricket Club as they took on VRI Delacombe. To read more about Shaun’s love for the game, go to this link

  • GWS Giants prodigy Jacob Hopper (SPC 2014-15) revealed the horror of spending two hours lying awake on an operating table over the Christmas break as surgeons repeatedly electrically shocked his heart. The AFL Rising Star discovered he suffers from a condition known as Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), but luckily the condition should not affect his footy career. For more, go to this link

  • Ash Constable (SPC 2008-11) has also recommitted to the Ballarat Miners for the 2017 South East Australian Basketball League season. To find out more about the co-captain’s plans, go to this link

  • Congratulations to Brandon Lauton (SPC 2012-16) who has been selected in the Melbourne Victory NPL Victoria squad for 2017. Brandon has moved to Melbourne in 2017 to pursue his dream of playing professional soccer and this achievement in being named in Victory’s development squad is a major step forward in fulfilling that ambition. For more, go to this link

  • Tom Williamson (SPC 2012-16) talks about his nickname -Shooter- and his amazing journey since becoming Pick 61 in the AFL Draft last year to Carlton. For more, go to this link

  • We have heard from some of our 2016 Year 12 students, who are now embarking on varied actvities, including Riley Stephens (cleaner/cabinet maker), Jim Burns (part-time work at McDonald’s), Matthew Wong (customer service), Sam Oostendorp (waiter), Darcy Cargeeg (university student), Glyn Kendall (student), Patrick Cooper (part-time work), Lachlan Hope (casual work at Spotlight Ballarat), Connor Murphy (studying Bachelor of Arts at University of Melbourne)- and Luke Wynd (university study).

  • Simon Spencer (SPC 2000-2005) and his cousin Brady Buttler (SPC 2011-16) had TV super stardom in their sights when they appeared on the popular Channel 10 TV quiz show, Family Feud, hosted by Grant Denyer, over the Christmas break. Simon and Brady appeared with their mums, – Leonie and Jodie,- and together, the four great minds won a tidy $10,000. Well done!

  • Peter Wilson’s (SPC 1959-65) hopes to lead a new-look North Ballarat Football Club board of management came to an end at the start of February after he withdrew his nomination to become chairman. To read more, go to- this link

  • Horse trainer Paul Rowse (SPC 1981-86) had another tilt in January’s $120,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup with veteran Savesomtimetodream, which finished seventh. Paul is also the Ballarat and District Trotting Club chief executive officer. For read more about Rowse’s Pacing Cup hopes in the lead-up, go to this link

  • Find out about emerging Melbourne defender Oscar McDonald’s (SPC 2011-13) AFL goals this season at this link

  • Keenan Waterbury’s (SPC 2015-16) footy journey has continued, after being named the Round 12 Rising Star nominee for the Northern Territory Thunder. To read more about his performance against the -Daly River Express-, go to this link

  • Congratulations to Charlie King (SPC 2008-11) who has been appointed as co-captain of Ballarat’s new entity in the National Premier League soccer competition. Charlie is joined in the Ballarat City FC leadership group by another Old Boy David King (SPC 2008). To read more on their appointments, go to this link

  • Congratulations to golfer Sean Klain (SPC 1989-94) who won the Ballarat District Golf Association 54-Hole Title in mid-January for the second time with a nail biting one-stroke victory over a fellow Old Collegian Corey Haase (SPC 2011-16).

  • Talented cricketer Blake Thomson (SPC 2011-15) also played a crucial role for the Melbourne Cricket Club as they triumphed over the Camberwell Magpies in the grand final of the Victorian Premier Cricket White Ball competition.

  • Former West Coast Eagles defender Mitch Brown (SPC 2006-11) has signed on with VAFA division one club St Kevin’s Old Boys this season after he and wife Shae moved back to Victoria after Shae was signed by Collingwood in the newly formed National Netball League. For more, go to

    this link

  • Great news for Matt Begbie (SPC 2006-11), who reached several significant milestones in his recovery from a shocking neck injury he sustained last year. Fantastic to see him on the comeback trail, to read more go to this link– and this link

  • Michael Rodger (SPC 2011-16) finished eighth in the 17-18 years 400m individual medley at the Victorian Age Swimming Championships in Melbourne just before Christmas.

  • Daniel Rioli (SPC 2012-15) is hoping to be an inspiration and mentor to the indigenous community and his Richmond teammates. Read more at this link

  • Congratulations to the College’s Director of Boarding Mr Mike Silcock and Nicholas Donghi (SPC 2014-16) who were both involved in the Australian team which won the inaugural World Schools Sevens tournament in New Zealand late last year. Mike was a key member of the team’s coaching panel while Nick was a star on the field, scoring a crucial try in the nail biting final win over Samoa.

  • Redan has welcomed the return of former Lion Tom Lamb (SPC 2005-09) who will return to the club in 2017 after playing two years with- Koondrook Barham in the Central Murray football league. To read more, go to this link

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