Cricket Shepparton — Team of the Century

TEAM OF

Introduction

Cricket has a special place in the rich history of Shepparton sport.

From recent Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductee Raelee Thompson to Victorian big-hitter Aiden Blizzard, there have been a plethora of legendary players grace grounds across our region and achieve extraordinary things.

So in this, the 100-year anniversary of Cricket Shepparton, the association came up with the concept of immortalising its greats by selecting a Team of the Century.

Consisting of 30 members, the list recognises those past and present that have had a large impact on the game of cricket both in the region and beyond.

Forming part of the Team of the Century committee Darryl Butcher explained how the idea came about.

“The concept is fairly straight forward, it’s the centenary of Cricket

Shepparton and the previous president of the association wanted to celebrate that centenary,” Butcher said.

“So like most people when they do a centenary, they try and pick the best players of the past century, and that is what we have done.

“This is a celebration of the history of our association and the great players that have played in it.”

Deciding upon 30 players from such a long list of esteemed cricketers made for a tough job for the selection panel.

Butcher explained the process of narrowing the nominations down to the final team.

“All the clubs were asked to nominate who they thought was suitable and they had to have made a significant contribution to Cricket Shepparton — that was the requirement,” he said.

“There is possibly a couple of exceptions to that, being those who have gone on to higher honours such as playing for their state or Australia.

“From those nominations we then came together and compiled a shortlist of 30 people and those 30 will become either legends or hall of fame members of Cricket Shepparton.”

As for what local cricket fans can expect from this magazine, Butcher said he hoped they learn about the rich history of the association and its greats.

“It is recognising the contributions and feats of the 30 people selected have made to cricket,” he said.

“Hopefully people can take a lot out of learning about these people and the impact they have had on the history of cricket in the region.”

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Team of the Century. Wonderful recognition for those who have dedicated so much to the game.

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Sam Ahmet

The bedrock of a good cricket team is its opening batter and for Central Park-St Brendan’s that man was once Sam Ahmet.

Playing a key role in the club’s famous spell of seven premierships in a row from 2004–05 to 2010–11, the talented right-hander made plenty of runs, on a journey that formed lifelong bonds.

“When I first started playing A-grade for Central Park we used to make a lot of grand finals, but we used to lose them,” Ahmet said.

“And then when Rohan Larkin came that was when it all started, the dynasty started there.

“It was pretty good, really good actually, we won one a little bit earlier in 1999–2000 which broke the drought and then we had a run of seven in a row.”

Opening the batting, Ahmet made an average of 25.42 a game in the

1999–2000 premiership season, upping it to 32 for the club’s next premiership in 2004–05 and a whopping 74.57 for the 2005–06 season.

A score of 251 not out against Katandra in February 2006 was the highlight of this campaign, with a number of other exciting spells showing how much of a key role Ahmet played in the team.

“We worked hard, but we had a really talented list as well and we got along really good, we were all pretty close as a playing group,” he said.

“We always looked forward to turning up on a Saturday when there was a game on and when there was functions on we had a pretty good laugh.

“I had some good memories with that group, we still stay in contact now even though most of us are finished.”

Making his A-grade debut as a

Aiden Blizzard

Few — if any — Shepparton cricket exports can claim to have had as successful of a career as Aiden Blizzard.

The left-handed bat travelled Australia and the world playing the game he loves, forging a path from Shepparton Youth Club to the Mumbai Indians.

“It’s quite humbling to be honest,” Blizzard said regarding his nomination for Cricket Shepparton’s Team of the Century.

“Growing up in Shepparton, being able to play A-grade cricket when I was quite young was something that I never really thought too much about, it was a privilege to be able to be playing at a young age.

“To be recognised as a potential player in the Team of the Century is phenomenal.“

Quickly rising through the ranks at SYC (now known as Shepparton United), Blizzard — who was also a talented footballer — moved to Richmond Cricket Club in Melbourne in 2002.

Making his state debut in a onedayer against South Australia in December 2005, Blizzard mirrored his SYC debut knock by scoring a duck.

His white ball form would have him make his Twenty-20 debut in January

of 2007, before making his Sheffield Shield debut in December of that year.

While continuing his first-class career at Tasmania and South Australia after departing his home state, it was in the shortest form of the game Blizzard found the most success.

Making 89 off 38 balls in his T20 debut for Victoria against South Australia, Blizzard would go on to win his first state-based title in the format in 2007, before putting in a player of the match 47 (20) in the competition’s final a year later to win his second title.

In 2010 Blizzard would once again be named player of the match in the big dance, leading Victoria to another Twenty20 Big Bash title, before the rising star took his talents to South Australia, where he would win his fourth Big Bash title the next season.

This form had him picked up by Mumbai Indians in the Indian Super League, with the boy from Shepparton opening the batting in the world’s richest cricket competition.

“I opened the batting with Sachin Tendulkar at Wankhede Stadium with a capacity crowd roaring Sachin’s name,” Blizzard said.

“For me that was something I could never imagine, having gone to plenty

16-year-old in 1990, Ahmet said a grand final loss to Karramomus in 2012–13 marked the end of his A-grade career.

Almost a one club player, Ahmet did make the journey down the Hume Hwy to Melbourne for one season, plying his trade alongside Rohan Larkin and Bryan Doyle at Carlton.

“We (Cricket Shepparton) won Melbourne Country Week, so I was involved with that and had a good week and had an invite to go to Carlton,” he said.

“I was travelling from Shepp to play there, I didn’t actually live in Melbourne.

“I wasn’t a city person, I thought I’d give it a go and it didn’t work out.”

Labelling his selection in Cricket Shepparton’s 30-person Team of the Century squad as a “huge honour”, Ahmet said he was lucky enough to play in one of the region’s best

cricketing eras.

“I had the opportunity to play in Vic Country and got picked for Australia Country.” he said.

“So if you were going to say individual stuff that’s it, but the team side of things, the bond we had at Central Park and some of the great players you played with and against, it was a really good time to be playing cricket in the time I was playing I reckon.”

of Boxing Day Tests and capacity crowds at AFL and that sort of thing, to be in the middle there with the absolute legend of world cricket.

“Being there beside him was something I’ll never forget and it’s been amazing to be able to reflect on that moment.”

A year after his success with South Australia, the state-based T20 competition would transform into the modern Big Bash League format, with Blizzard playing for the Adelaide Strikers before a move to Tasmania where he pulled on the Hobart Hurricanes shirt.

After his spell in Hobart, Blizzard moved to Sydney, where he secured another Big Bash title with Sydney Thunder.

“I fell short of representing Australia, but to have IPL, five Big Bash titles and to be able to travel the world has been quite phenomenal, so that journey in itself it has a lot of challenges,” he said.

“It definitely wasn’t glamorous, but to be able to reflect on it now and having been out of the system for a few years it’s actually really humbling to be able to reflect and to be recognised by Cricket Shepparton as well.

“I think I’m just grateful to have been

able to grow up in Shepparton to be honest.

“With all the opportunities in cricket and sport in particular, the quality people that I was able to interact with from a young age really shaped who I became as a cricketer.

“I’ve got nothing but gratitude for the association and people I was involved with at country week and at club level have been great support and I’m grateful to have this opportunity to be nominated.”

Sam Ahmet takes aim.

Shepparton’s Aiden Blizzard makes a run for South Australia against England.

Photo: AAP/David Mariuz

Team of the Century

Barry Baldi

A story in two parts — that is how Barry Baldi describes his cricketing career. The talented batter, bowler and leader well and truly left his mark on the region — despite spending 10 years overseas in his cricketing prime.

“I didn’t play as much as I wanted to,” Baldi said.

Breaking on to the scene as captain of the St Colman’s under-15s side in 1959, the youngster would soon move to St Brendan’s before settling at Footballers where his uncle Johnny Baldi played.

Playing alongside and against a number of Shepparton cricket legends he looked up to, Baldi shone from a young age, playing his first Country Week at just 16 years old.

“I was only a kid,” he recalled.

“The first year I went to Country Week in Bendigo, Eddie and Marg Hyde said Mum wouldn’t let me go unless they looked after me.

“It was just a good time and going to Country Week with all these guys.”

A handy footballer, Baldi won his first of three premierships for Shepparton as a 17-year-old under Tom Hafey in 1963, before moving overseas.

Spending 10 years abroad — besides a short spell back home — Baldi played at the Springs Cricket Club in South Africa, also plying his trade for Moorooka in Queensland upon his return to Australia.

Moving back to South Africa for two years, Baldi returned to Shepparton in 1979 and would soon lead Karramomus to its maiden premiership.

“That was a good few years,” he recalled.

“I didn’t really miss the cricket until I started playing again.

“I wasn’t thinking, ‘I’ve got to get home and play cricket’ but once I started going with Karramomus to Mildura and getting to know all the guys again I was keen.”

Deciding to make the move to Karramomus after spending time playing for the Karramomus Cavaliers in the Mildura Willowfest, Baldi captained the side to its first A-grade premiership in 1983.

Taking a talented side all the way to the title, Baldi remembered introducing extra fitness work in order to get the side fit on the field.

“They hated it but that was the year

we won the flag,” he said.

Remembered by many for his leadership, a former teammate once recalled “feeling like we were six foot tall” when entering the field with Baldi at the helm.

“I was a good captain, I knew that,” he said.

“I’d just try and lead by example really, if we were having a bit of a torrid time I’d always try and put myself in.

“I wouldn’t make people do stuff that I wouldn’t do myself, so I would maybe go and bat if the wicket was playing up or something like that.”

Baldi still feels the impacts of this attitude to this day, putting his body on the line — and injuring his knee — after fielding in close during a semi-final against Old Students.

“That was the year we won the flag so maybe it was worth it,” he joked.

Representing Shepparton in a “little Ashes” of sorts in England, Baldi played a number of games for the association abroad — including against Shepparton, UK.

“That was good, we went for six weeks,” he said.

“We played quite a few games and the last game of the tour was against Shepparton.

“The red carpet came out, a lot of good cricketers from Melbourne were there as well.

“It was a highlight, playing cricket in England.”

Fred Brown

The game of cricket has always been in the blood of Numurkah stalwart Fred Brown.

For more than 40 years, Brown graced cricket fields across Victoria, enjoying the camaraderie of a Saturday afternoon with his best mates — and scoring a run or two in the process.

But for the talented batter it was never about making the highest score or winning the most premiership, rather ingraining himself in the community and simply playing cricket for the enjoyment of the game.

So when asked of his reaction to finding out about his selection to the Team of the Century shortlist, Brown said it was both an honour and a shock.

“It is massive honour to be one of the players shortlisted in the team of the century,” Brown said.

“I think there are a lot more deserving people than cricketers to be there but anyway, to be thought of in that company it is very special.

“I was just a guy that loved the game.”

The beginning of Brown’s love affair with cricket is very similar to many young boys growing up in Australia, as he recalled how the game helped him through his childhood.

“For me the journey began way back in 1958 in Robinvale following my Dad to the local cricket,” he said.

“Being around the game so frequently at that age I fell in love with it very quickly, we moved around a bit growing up and eventually found our way to Barooga where I played a lot of my juniors.

“From there we shifted to Melbourne where I kept up playing Cricket at school before eventually moving up to Numurkah in my late teens.

“All through that time I just loved playing cricket, it was a massive part of my childhood.”

Settling down in Numurkah as he embarked on a career in the pub game, Brown made his way out to

one of the town’s two cricket club’s at the time.

Plying his trade in the Murray Valley Cricket Association, he would play a part in four consecutive flags in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s, quickly making a name for himself as one of the region’s premier batters.

This dominance in the MVCA would result in Numurkah Cricket Club merging with Numurkah Youth Club in 1971, marking the beginning of Brown’s tenure in what was then the Shepparton Cricket Association.

“Joining with the other Numurkah side we were a bit unsure how it was going to go at first,” Brown said.

“But we just had so much talent and it worked perfectly from the getgo, we played some great cricket in the early ‘70’s and in 1973/74 were lucky enough to win the flag as an amalgamated club.

“I don’t remember too much of the game despite the fact it was very close, but I remember the celebrations were incredible, the whole town got right around us and we kicked on for a few days.”

While the early part of his career was littered with premiership success, 1973/74 would be his final taste of A-grade glory, with the people of Numurkah having to wait 45 years to grasp the Haisman Shield.

Still heavily involved with the club after retiring from the game in 2000, Brown recalled the day the Blues finally broke the drought very fondly.

“Success came pretty quick when we amalgamated by jolly there was one hell of draft after it, and we had a lot of good sides over those years too but lost a lot of grand finals,” he said.

“So watching on in 2018–19 when the guys finally one again it was a very special day, there aren’t a lot of us left from that first flag still around Numurkah, so to be there and that link between the two winning teams I really enjoyed it.”

Barry Baldi watches his shot.

Fred Brown has always been a revered figure in Numurkah.

Des Campbell

A legend of the Shepparton sporting arena, Des Campbell was not only a gun footballer — but a quality cricketer.

The talented all-rounder plied his trade at Shepparton Youth Club and Shepparton, with his love for cricket always on show.

Initially unsure whether he deserved to be named in the 30-person Team of the Century squad, Campbell said he missed a lot of cricket due to football commitments.

“I was blown away actually, it gave me a bit of a buzz,” Campbell said.

“My main thing was I wondered whether I had played enough cricket in Shepparton.

“I was coaching footy at 22, so cricket probably took a back seat.”

A gifted footballer, Campbell played VFL football for Melbourne, along with being appointed the youngest coach of Shepparton United Football Club in 1973 and being named in the Goulburn Valley League’s Hall of Fame.

He said despite training with cricket

clubs in Melbourne, there was little point playing when he could not play finals due to football.

“I loved my cricket with the Shepparton Youth Club, for a while there I travelled back from Melbourne just to play when I lived in Melbourne for four years,” he said.

“I was always passionate about playing cricket.

“I couldn’t wait to get back home on the weekends.”

Captaining SYC to the 1972–73 Haisman Shield title, Campbell was acknowledged with the association’s batting average award in 1978–79 and 1980–81 along with producing a man-of-the-match performance against Queensland for Victoria Country in 1982.

Making 74 runs against the Sunshine State, Campbell was compared to West Indies captain Clive Lloyd by Australian Test international Geoff Dymock, with Campbell still annoyed a run out prevented him from scoring a century.

Greg Connors

For Greg Connors, cricket in Shepparton was more than just fun, it was the foundation for where his career on and off the field would take him.

Falling in love with the sport from a young age, Connors would get his first taste of playing at an A-grade level by substitute fielding for his father’s Kyabram side.

Playing in the odd game as a fresh faced 12-year-old, the talent’s career would blossom upon a move to St Colman’s, Shepparton.

A fast bowler, Connors moved from school cricket to playing for Shepparton.

Representing his state at a youth level in 1980 and playing for Victoria Country against Queensland at Deakin Reserve in 1982 and 1983, the youngster’s bowling stocks continued to rise.

“In 1982 I managed to make the Australian under-19 side to tour England,” he said.

“So I toured England, played over there for seven weeks and came back.”

Departing Shepparton in 1983,

Connors moved to Melbourne at 19.

Playing for Melbourne Cricket Club from 1983–86 and Fitzroy-Doncaster from 1986–90 Connors was involved in Victoria’s development squad, however, the talented quick was unable to break into the senior Victorian side.

“Coming back from England I had some stress fractures in my back which I had to negotiate and try and play on with, but that’s not the excuse,” he said.

“My excuse really was at the time I went to university and I didn’t give it the time it needed to play at any higher level than what I was already.”

Soon reaching a crossroads on where to next take his career, Connors would make the move to the Northern Territory in 1990.

“I played a season here for Darwin Cricket Club and then travelled back down to Melbourne to play a season there and it didn’t feel like home, so I came back again.”

While he did return to Shepparton to play one season for Old Students,

“That was a massive thrill,” he said.

“I loved it, without getting too carried away I did all right.”

Starting his career at SYC, Campbell moved to Shepparton, developing his bowling skills at the club.

“They (football clubs) wouldn’t let you plays finals, so I thought I’d go and play at Shepparton, Shepparton’s home ground was Deakin Reserve and whether it was footy or cricket I just loved Deakin Reserve,” he said.

“I went and had three fantastic seasons there, I really enjoyed it, but lo and behold we made the finals one year and I couldn’t play.

“After those few seasons at Shepparton I went back to SYC just to finish, Peter Whitelock was captain, they had a strong side and he pretty much told me ‘you won’t be doing a lot of bowling, really concentrate on your batting’.”

Winning a premiership on his return to SYC, Campbell also had a successful spell at Tongala, however, there was only one cricket

competition for him.

“The Shepparton Cricket Association was always where my heart was really,” he said.

his head was elsewhere at the time.

“That was a 25-year-old trying to work out whether I was doing the right thing going to Darwin or should I be going to England or should I still be back in Melbourne and trying to stay close to the state squad,” he said.

“I played another season in Darwin and then played a season with West Torrens in Adelaide, then I went back to Darwin and stayed and have been there ever since.

“From 1990–2022 I’ve spent more time in the NT than Victoria.”

A quick, fit and tenacious bowler, Connors credited his time in Shepparton with building his cricket skills.

“I was a young fast bowler, so I looked up to other fast bowlers,” he said.

“Peter Whitelock and Peter Wallace when he was at Fitzroy — he gave me some really sage advice at the time, him and ‘Flower’ (Whitelock) were people I looked up to coming through, great bowlers and great people.

“They were very happy to provide

advice to any young kids coming through and they were helpful to me.

“The era I grew up in was a really fun era to play in, but as a young cricketer coming through it was all a bit of a whirlwind.

“For me the memories are these glimpses of periods in time, playing country week in Bendigo, playing country week in Melbourne, they’re glimpses that blend in to a whole raft of other memories whether it’s in Shepparton or somewhere else.”

Greg Connors.

Des Campbell was also a gifted footballer (pictured here during his time at Tongala).

Team of the Century

Shane Davidson

For Shane Davidson, being selected in the 30-person Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century squad was a surprise; however, when one looks at his career, it is clear why he was named.

The natural leader played a key role in the early years of the Northerners Cricket Club, with spells at Tallygaroopna, Congupna and Karramomus adding to an impressive career.

“It was certainly a surprise,” Davidson said.

“It’s an absolute honour and very humbling, certainly a huge surprise.”

Taking out the prestigious Lightfoot medal in Karramomus’ 2000–2001 premiership season, Davidson would go on to play an important part in the club’s winning years.

The batsman, who would often come in at number three, played

for Northerners in the club’s early years and was the inaugural captain; however, it was his spell at Karramomus that stands out most.

“Certainly that first flag, 2000–2001, that was a nice close game against Numurkah,” he said.

“I didn’t have a particularly good game myself but the team managed to get over the line.

“That was my first cricket premiership of any level at club level.

“That was certainly a sensational effort by the boys and then to back it up the following year was good.”

Heading back to Northerners after his spell at Karramomus, Davidson was able to play alongside his brother Glen.

This family affair would hit a whole new level last year, when Davidson returned to the field to play a D-grade T20 alongside his son Zavier, Glen and

Bryan Doyle

Bryan Doyle’s influence on the sport of cricket in the region is clear for all to see.

A Victorian representative player and member of the Central Park-St Brendan’s seven-time premiership ‘‘dynasty’’ side, Doyle’s remarkable career and service to cricket in the Goulburn Valley has undoubtedly earned him a place among this coveted list.

His cricketing journey started at Dookie, of all places, a town that lacked a cricket club at the time Doyle took up an interest in the sport.

“I grew up playing tennis, we didn’t have a cricket side,” Doyle said.

“We formed a side when we were about 13 or 14 — the town was able to put together a number of players and that consisted of quite a few young guys and then a few older fellas.

“We became part of the Cricket Shepparton association and started off in E-grade, we won a premiership in our first year which was pretty cool.”

After helping form the club at Dookie as a teenager, Doyle later made the move to Central Park with a few of his mates, including star bat and fellow Central Park-St Brendan’s legend Rohan Larkin.

“Rohan and I won a premiership in B-grade at Central Park and then

went into A-grade and were runnersup the following year,” Doyle said.

Two short years at the Tigers was all it took for Doyle to develop a matchwinning partnership with Larkin, whose prowess with the blade combined nicely with Doyle’s spin mastery.

After a successful couple of years, the pair decided to pack the kit bag and head to Melbourne for more competitive cricket in the late 1980s.

“Rohan and myself started playing in Melbourne Country Week and represented Shepparton, we were in the provincial comp and played on some of the best grounds in the best competition down there,” he said.

“On all the grounds that we played — Carlton being one of them — we were asked by them to come down and play district cricket and the following year Rohan and I went and played for Carlton.”

Doyle would spend no less than a decade at the Blues and his consistent performances with ball in hand would have him earn a number of caps for the Victorian Bushrangers in the mid90s, running out alongside the likes of Paul Reiffel and Merv Hughes in Victoria colours.

Making the trek down the Hume Hwy for games and training week in, week out, Doyle decided a move back

Glen’s son Jake.

Davidson and his son would go on to score 150 runs between them, with the former A-grade captain putting on an impressive 123.

“All four of us played, that was another highlight, we batted in the top four,” he said.

“There probably wouldn’t be too many people around that have been able to play in the same team as their kid.

“That was certainly exciting as well.”

Alongside his club exploits, Davidson captained Cricket Shepparton to a Country Week win in Bendigo and led the team out in Melbourne.

Currently coaching at Northerners, the former Karramomus chairman of selectors joked that he was glad he did not have to narrow down the 30 person team-of-the-century

squad, with plenty of talent across the board.

“I’m certainly honoured and humbled to be in the top 30, that’s for sure,” he said.

“We had a really strong team back then, it was pretty cool, there were a few younger guys coming through as they do, but we had the nucleus of a strong side for a long, long time.

“We developed some great friendships and great relationships winning those premierships as you do. It was wonderful, they were the best years of my life to be honest.

“I went down to Melbourne and played 10 to 15 years down there, played with some incredible players, but my time at Central Park through that dynasty was the best cricketing time of my life.”

But Doyle’s mark on cricket in the region is felt beyond his historic premierships and representative honours.

home to the club that helped shape him was in order and he returned to Central Park in the late ’90s in a playing coach capacity.

At the turn of the century Doyle captain-coached the club to its first Haisman Shield.

The club’s first premiership and Larkin’s return to the club a year later, would create the foundation for the Tigers’ dynasty side which would dominate the Cricket Shepparton arena for the years to come, including a record seven-straight A-grade premierships from 2004 to 2010.

“It was pretty phenomenal,” Doyle said.

In 2019, the Tigers legend was immortalised with an induction to the Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame and Cricket Shepparton’s T20 medal for player of the series is now named in his honour.

“I’m extremely lucky,” Doyle said.

“Lucky to have represented Victoria, but also really lucky to have played a few years in the Shepparton association, it’s hard to believe there’s been 100 years of cricket in the region.

“There must be thousands of cricketers that have come through the association, so to be able to be nominated for this is amazing — you could blow me over with a feather really.”

Shane Davidson in action for Karramomus in 2001.

Bryan Doyle delivers his spin in a Victoria Country match against Queensland Country in the early 2000s .

Liam Gledhill

The bond between Liam Gledhill and Numurkah Youth Cricket Club is one that stretches back almost 30 years.

It is a connection that began one fateful afternoon when a teenage Gledhill first caught a glimpse of his beloved Blues in action.

“I reckon I was about 12 when I went and watched Numurkah’s A-grade team play,” Gledhill said as he recalled the early memory.

“I’ll never forget watching the likes of Ian Sartori, Shane Collins, Rod McLeod, Gavin Napier and those guys play. I knew straight away that’s where I wanted to be playing. I just lived and breathed it.”

Just as Gledhill’s passion and desire to play for the Blues grew, so did his cricketing ability.

The teenager shot up in height and soon developed his game around his

bowling prowess.

Emerging as a talented left-arm quick, who could more than hold his own with the willow, Gledhill wouldn’t have to wait long to tick off his dream of playing Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield with Numurkah.

His big break came against Karramomus a few years later in 1996.

“It really was a dream come true,” Gledhill said of the debut.

“We had a star-studded team; I was playing with Sartori, McLeod, (Matt) Cullen and I was a young buck who just sat in the corner and watched and listened to these legends.”

Not only was Gledhill playing alongside stars of Cricket Shepparton,

he was terrorising them with ball in hand and fast becoming a young gun of the competition.

Gledhill’s rise coincided with Numurkah’s into one of the premier teams in the Haisman Shield.

The Blues reached the 1999-2000 grand final, however, it ended in heartache — an agonising four-run defeat to Central Park-St Brendan’s.

His sublime bowling, which was always his number one asset, would soon be accompanied by a destructive and talented batting skill during these years.

He scored his maiden Haisman Shield century, a classy 156-run stand, in that summer and claimed 19 wickets with the ball.

Gledhill was awarded the Lightfoot Medal in the 2017-18 season — a campaign where he collected 27 wickets and made 492 runs.

“Winning a Lightfoot Medal was something early in my career I dreamed of doing and I thought it might never happened,” Gledhill said.

“To finally win one was really pleasing.”

The highest individual accolade was

followed one year later by a moment that the entire cricket club celebrated together.

The famous Haisman Shield triumph in 2018-19 over Katandra that ended Numurkah’s 45-year premiership drought.

“That was one of the most intense games of cricket that I’ve played in,” Gledhill said.

“I think the loss the year before (to the same side) really brought the team together and put the fire in us a bit. It was such a relief for the club. A lot of the guys (who missed out on winning one) were all there and it meant so much to us players to share it with them.”

Upon reflection on his career exploits for Cricket Shepparton, which also involved multiple Melbourne Country Week appearances, Gledhill said he just tried to be the best player he could be.

“It’s really special,” he said on being shortlisted in the Team of the Century.

“It’s a nice acknowledgement; there’s been so many great cricketers and it’s something that myself and my family will look back on in years to come.”

Liam Gledhill celebrates a wicket.

Team of the Century

Glenn Hart

Arguably the most physically demanding position on a cricket field — a reliable wicket keeper is crucial to any good cricketing side.

For Central Park-St Brendan’s, that man was Glenn Hart.

A model of consistency and the tone-setter behind the stumps, Hart was a key cog behind the success of Central Park-St Brendan’s Haisman Shield dominance of the early 2000’s.

He grew up playing cricket at Shepparton East primary, where he would first meet future Tigers teammate and lifelong mate Sam Ahmet.

The two would play together at East until under-14s, before Hart made the move to Karramomus where his two older brothers were playing.

After finishing his junior career at the Bloods, representative cricket called and Hart fell into the Dowling Shield set-up at Richmond, winning a premiership in his first season.

Hart was called up to represent Victoria’s under-17s for a state carnival in Queensland the very next year, playing alongside future Australia batsman Brad Hodge.

It was only then that Hart took on the position he held for much of the later stages of his career.

“I’d done a bit of wicket-keeping as a junior and always liked it, but I was chosen as a batsman in the Victoria under 17s side and hadn’t done much keeping up until then,” he said.

“It just happened that the wicketkeeper that they’d chosen got badly sunburnt one day, so I had to take the gloves.

“After that, Richmond asked me to come back to play seconds and thirds to try and progress as a keeper.”

After a season in Richmond’s senior set up, Hart’s work commitments on weekends proved too great for regular trips to Melbourne, and he made the switch to regular club cricket back home, plying his trade for Karramomus in the Haisman Shield from 1992 to 1994.

Glenn’s brother, Shaun, was drafted to Brisbane Bears in the 1989 VFL Draft, and his parents joined him in the move up north.

Hart got married in 1995, and six months later would also make the switch to Queensland to join his family in the sunshine state.

He would return in 2001 after a few

years away from the game, and joined up with a mate at Cooma Cricket Club in the Kyabram and District Cricket Association, taking a break from the keeping gloves to roll the arm over instead.

It was at Cooma that Hart first made contact with his future skipper, Rohan Larkin.

“He was at Stanhope at the time and had a won a few premierships there, he had a chat to me about coming to Stanhope, but as it was I just wanted to play pretty casual cricket with this mate of mine,” Hart said.

“I had a year at Cooma and another year off, it must’ve been at the end of ‘02 Larko and Sammy (Ahmet) came and had a chat to me.

“I couldn’t resist the chance to join back up with Sammy, we’d still kept in touch, it was a no-brainer to go and have a crack with him again.”

A grand final loss to Mooroopna in Hart’s first season at Central Park-St Brendan’s was one of the few defeats he would suffer in his time at the Tigers’.

The famed seven-peat followed, and Hart was central to its success.

For the next several years, Hart says, a special bond grew between the boys at Deakin who pulled on the baggy yellow-and-black.

“The passion, the joy and camaraderie we shared in that team was phenomenal, obviously we had a long history which helped, as does success,” Hart said.

“It was an amazing time in my life, to share it with Sammy, Larko and Doyley, everyone was like family because we shared in a lot, not just cricket, but a lot of family stuff.

“You saw their kids be born and grow up during those years, it was a special time and I was so fortunate to have been a part of it.”

Peter Holland

Cricket Shepparton stalwart Peter Holland has scaled the heights of local and representative cricket.

From his countless Haisman Shield premierships, his consecutive Country Victoria appearances, to a memorable Lightfoot Medal triumph, Holland has enjoyed the very best of what cricket has delivered him over a decorative career.

It’s only a brief glimpse into his exploits but it’s no wonder why the Central Park-St Brendan’s icon has been shortlisted in Cricket Shepparton’s 30-player squad for its Team of the Century.

But the dominant right-hand middle-order bat, who was a mainstay in the Tigers’ dynasty during the 2000s, has a peculiar career highlight that stands above the rest.

The Clyde Young B-grade premiership from the 2016–17 season.

For a player who has a CV that would make most cricketers envy, it’s an intriguing career favourite.

Because he shared that B-grade glory with his eldest son, Connor.

Up against Euroa at Tallygaroopna, the Tigers were in a spot of bother at 2–11, chasing the Magpies’ score of 141.

Holland senior and junior, who was in his early teens, would combine for a crucial and matchwinning 80-run partnership and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I had an absolute ball batting with Connor that day. I enjoyed that a lot,” Holland said.

“I would say that B-grade win is more of a highlight than the rest. Just being able to bat with him all day — it was a lot of fun. We were in a lot of trouble early when he joined me at the crease. He took a barrage of assistance from the bowlers, telling him how to bat and whatnot, but he stuck with me and we were able to go and win that one.”

Before Holland’s premiership success alongside his son, he carved out an extensive and sublime career.

The daring and reliable batter became a mainstay in the A-grade line-up and was there for the

club’s maiden Haisman Shield flag in 1999–00.

That season would prove to be one of Holland’s finest.

So sublime was his efforts that summer — 585 runs at an average 65 — Holland went on to claim Cricket Shepparton’s prestigious Lightfoot Medal.

But Holland sees it differently.

“I always say ‘I stole that one’ that year,” Holland said with a laugh.

“I reckon I was the first and probably the last to ever win it on 12 votes. We had a summer similar to this, just heaps of wash-outs and I had four best-on games.”

Holland caught the eyes of Country Victoria selectors, where he represented the state side twice, first at Mt Gambier and then at Cobram.

After the shock 2003–04 grand final loss to Mooroopna, Central ParkSt Brendan’s would go on register one of the finest premiership dynasties Cricket Shepparton followers have witnessed.

Premierships continued for Holland and by the time he hanged up his yellow and black cap he would amass a staggering 16 A-grade titles — to go with his 7790 runs at 31.54.

Yet, Holland’s playing career is only a glimpse of his remarkable involvement with cricket.

His passion for volunteering, highlighted by his decades on committees and coaching senior and junior sides, speaks more on his revered status in Cricket Shepparton circles.

And even if Holland believes he shouldn’t be a member of the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century, no one can argue he isn’t deserving of a place.

“I am very proud, but I felt like my name shouldn’t be in there,” Holland said.

“It’s a very humbling experience and it’s lovely recognition from Cricket Shepparton.”

Glenn Hart keeps up to the stumps for Central Park-St Brendan’s in the Haisman Shield semifinal against Kialla in 2012.

Peter Holland during one of his many dazzling knocks.

Bill Jones

The name Bill ‘Jasper’ Jones carries with it a special weight in Shepparton cricketing circles.

The legendary left-handed bat is widely regarded as one of the best cricketers to grace the Shepparton Cricket Association, having played an incredible 24 achievement-laden years at Footballers, while captaining the association to Melbourne Country Week Provincial premiership glory in 1955.

But this is only a brief snapshot into Jones’ astonishing career.

A Violet Town local, Jones was raised by his grandparents and attended Caniambo State School, beginning his cricket career at the age of 16.

After struggling for a game at Caniambo, Jones made the switch to Tamleigh North Cricket Club in the Shepparton Cricket Association, before finding a spot in Footballers’ A-grade side in 1940.

A supreme 147-run grand final

knock in his debut season at Footballers would somehow not be enough for victory, as his side fell by 19 runs to Old Students.

The 1940 grand final would be the last before World War II.

Jones joined the army in 1941 and was stationed at Bonegilla, near Albury, before being sent to North Queensland.

From there, he was shipped off to serve in Bougainville in the Soloman Islands where he guarded a prisoner of war camp until 1945.

In 1946, Jones returned to Australia, and was quickly back doing what he loved.

He would captain Footballers to a premiership in 1946 in what would be the start of a remarkable run of success that would span the next 20 years.

Jones would captain Footballers to 19 grand finals in his time at the club, winning on eight occasions.

His dazzling performances with the

blade at club level would earn a spot in Shepparton’s Country Week team from 1947-1966, taking over from Bert Lightfoot as captain in 1953.

In 1954, Jones captained his side to its first Country Week decider and despite falling to Wangaratta, Shepparton was promoted to the Provincial division in 1955.

Mixing it with some of the very best in Victorian cricket at the time, a victory over Geelong on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground would seize the attention of

Congratulations

In his 23 years at Footballers, Jones scored countless runs and took hundreds of wickets, but no SCA records exist before the 1954-55 season.

Jones was never far from the history books, and in 1962, he forged what many would describe as his most memorable achievement of them all.

Jones captained Victoria Country against a touring England side at Deakin Reserve and a cheering crowd of six thousand descended on Deakin to witness their local heroes go up against England’s best.

A blistering knock of 39 not out, including seven fours, was almost enough to secure the Country XI what would have been a famous win.

He was never far from the game, and served as curator for his favourite ground, Deakin Reserve, for decades after his retirement.

For this, he will be remembered by many, and for his cricket, he is immortalised as one of the greatest to ever play the game in the region.

Cricket Shepparton on a well-made ton.

For the past 100 years Cricket Shepparton has given locals the opportunity to play one of Australia’s favourite games.

While often the focus is on the players, the competitions would not go on without the volunteers. Whether it’s preparing the pitch, washing the whites, volunteering in the canteen or putting your hand up to coach a team, your work has not gone unnoticed and is the reason why we are able to celebrate this incredible milestone.

Cricket Shepparton has also fostered the health and wellbeing of locals for generations and as your Federal Member I will continue to support the organisation to ensure the young and young at heart can bat, bowl and field long into the future

426 Wyndham Street, Shepparton VIC 3630 5821 5371 sam.birrell.mp@aph.gov.au sambirrell.com.au

Authorised by S. Birrell, National Party of Australia, 426 Wyndham St, Shepparton VIC 3630.

SamBirrellMP

Sam BIRRELL MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR NICHOLLS

cricket

Bill ‘Jasper’ Jones and team manager Bert Lightfoot after Shepparton’s Melbourne Country Week Provincial premiership win in 1955.

pundits across the country.

Team of the Century

Chris Keady

For most Australian kids growing up the backyard is where the love and passion for cricket begins.

And for Cricket Shepparton legend Chris Keady those are his earliest memories of falling in love with the summer sport.

Steaming in with tennis ball in hand, no doubt covered on one side with electrical tape, or facing up with a cherry-adorned bat from yesteryear — this is where arguably one of the finest cricketers to have graced the turf wickets in the Goulburn Valley began his craft.

And it all began outside of Shepparton on a farm at Karramomus.

Keady, the youngest of seven children, gravitated to the great game of cricket from those countless hours in the backyard.

With five older brothers the youngest Keady was made to learn the tricks of the trade the hard way.

“There was six of us boys and I was the youngest. We all loved sport and playing cricket in the backyard. I copped my fair share of bruises,” Keady said with a laugh.

“It was a good way to grow up though.

“From there I started playing down in the old Euroa Cricket Association when I was about nine or 10 in the under-14s. A family friend of ours, Peter Kerr, was heavily involved at Karra and he talked Mum into bringing me down to the club. And I’ve been there ever since.”

During his teenage years Keady flourished with bat and ball and enjoyed early premiership success with Karramomus’ junior sides.

It was in those sides — playing with his “close mates” — where he and Paul Trevaskis formed a lifelong friendship.

It’s no surprise then that the tight-knit playing contingent would advance through the grades together and enjoy success at the highest level in Cricket Shepparton.

“It was a really fun time playing back then. We had a great bunch of blokes,” Keady said.

“Back then Karra was pretty ordinary and didn’t have a lot of success. But by the late ’90s there was about five or six of us aged 18-19 and then we

had the injection of three talented players which helped us go to the next step.”

It was during this period that a late teenaged Keady emerged as the strike bowler and damaging middle-order bat that would have many consider him as one of the best cricket talents produced in the GV.

“I was a late developer, my bowling didn’t really come along until I was about 19,” Keady said.

“I always loved bowling fast; I was more of a seam bowler off the wicket before my action changed and then I relied on swing.

“With my batting it wasn’t until I got bigger that I was able to attack the bowler. If I could score quickly then I was happy, but looking back I should have put a higher price on my wicket.”

Karramomus broke its 12-year premiership hoodoo in the same year that Keady stamped his name on the competition with the first of his Lightfoot Medal hauls in 1996-97.

A member of the odd group of cricketers who bowl right-arm and wield the willow left-handed, Keady stands alone when it comes to winners of Cricket Shepparton’s prestigious Lightfoot Medal.

The Bloods legend collected the Haisman Shield best-and-fairest award an incredible and recordsetting six times.

Even more jaw-dropping is the fact Keady’s individual success spans

over a period of 15 years — from his first Lightfoot win in ’97 to his sixth in 2012.

Some of his personal highlights consist of career-best match figures of 7-36 in 2012-13, an 11-wicket match haul in the same season, six centuries and a high-score of 149 not out in a Twenty20 match.

The skilful all-rounder amassed more than 450 career wickets and more than 5900 runs with the bat across all grades.

And his decades long dominance at the top level was littered with team success.

Four years after his first Haisman Shield title, Keady captained the Bloods to a memorable three-peat from 2000-01 to 2002-03.

The emergence of rivals Central Park-St Brendan’s had the Haisman Shield reside at Deakin Reseve for the remainder of the decade until 201112.

Keady, now holding a wealth of experience and knowledge, again captained Karramomus to back-toback triumphs.

“All the premierships are memorable in their own ways, it’s hard to single one out,” Keady said as he reflected on the glory years.

“The first one when I was 20 came over Mooroopna and we all contributed here and there, but Evan Behrens dominated. It was a massive time for the club.

“And then the five that I captained are all special. It was a real buzz to win those close ones over Numurkah and then those last two over Central Park-St Brendan’s are memorable.

“It’s nice to look back and know we were the one team that could challenge them. I guess someone had to stop them.”

Those matches against the Tigers are fond memories for Keady.

Not just the wins, but also the individual battles against gun opponents.

The likes of Rohan Larkin, Sam Ahmet, Peter Holland and Glenn Hart spring to mind when it comes to opponents he loved to play against the most.

His countless forays for Victoria Country had him play with players he admired in Jamie Murphy and Brad Campbell.

The Bendigo Country Week stints representing Cricket Shepparton were Keady’s “most enjoyable matches” outside of Karramomus glory.

His extensive cricket CV, which could honestly span multiple novels, culminates in his selection in the 30-player Team of the Century shortlist.

“It’s a massive honour. I’m really proud to be in the same company as some of the all-time greats,” he said.

“It makes you sit back and reminiscence about all the fun you had along the journey.”

Chris Keady carved out one of the finest careers many have witnessed.

Alex Keath

There are few athletes across the country that possess the dual sporting capabilities of Alex Keath.

A dual-athlete with no shortage of accolades under his belt, the former Shepparton talent currently plies his trade for AFL outfit Western Bulldogs, having previously played for Adelaide from 2016-19.

But before his AFL journey took shape, cricket was front and centre in Keath’s sporting life, and the game has taken him far and wide throughout his junior years and beyond.

To gain better insight into a career as expansive as Keath’s, one must look to where it all began.

“My first memories of cricket in Shepp was the Shaun Brown Cricket Clinic where Merv Hughes came down to coach at Princess Park,” Keath said.

“I remember Mum and Dad taking me down to that and from there I joined up with the local club Kialla Knights as a junior.

“Garry Osborn was one of my first coaches, I really enjoyed those early years.”

Keath’s transition from junior cricket at Kialla to representative cricket in Melbourne would happen quickly throughout his teenage years.

A regular A-grade talent for the Knights by this time, a clash with Central Park-St Brendan’s would have Keath come up against one of his coaches at Northern Rivers, Rohan Larkin.

“I batted down the order a bit, maybe six or seven and I’d always been susceptible to LBW early, Larko bowled to me and put it on a dime and crushed my big toe and I was out for a duck,” Keath said with a laugh.

While studying at Melbourne Grammar, Keath rose up the ranks and would make his first-class debut for Melbourne Cricket Club at just 16, coming up against a Dandenong side that boasted the likes of Peter Siddle and James Pattinson.

The next year, Keath’s talents with the Sherrin and superb form with Murray Bushrangers would catch the attention of newly-established Gold Coast Suns, but at the time Keath’s focus was firmly on the under-19

Brendan Kenna

To win seven Haisman Shield premierships on the trot, you need a few things, and a lethal strike bowler is one of them.

Central Park-St Brendan’s had that, and a whole lot more, in Brendan Kenna.

The man affectionately known as ‘Grumpy’ was a key figure of the Tigers’ historic seven-time premiership side, and beyond that, he was a Victoria Country representative, Central Park-St Brendan’s all-time leading wicket-taker and a junior coach of 20 years for Northern Rivers in the state’s Dowling Shield competition.

The former quick has carved a remarkable career, one full of spirit and resilience, things he carries with him today.

Kenna’s cricketing journey began at the same place many of his teammates’ did, Notre Dame College, where he was a year below his future Tigers teammates Rohan Larkin and Bryan Doyle.

While finishing high school, Kenna worked his way into SYC’s 80’s dynasty side, and was a part its premiership team of the 1989–90

season under Whitelock.

“To break into that side was unbelievable, that side was set in stone for many years, it was unreal when you reflect on it,” he said.

It wasn’t long before Kenna’s capabilities with ball in hand caught the attention of SYC’s competitors.

“The next year I was poached by Central Park-St Brendan’s, Garry O’Brien and Rob Douloudis contacted me and said we want you to be our new ball bowler,” Kenna said.

“That was one of the more difficult decisions I’ve had to make.”

Little did he know at the time, it would be the start of something special, but it would still take some time before the Tigers would taste Haisman Shield success.

It wasn’t until the 1999–00 season that Central Park-St Brendan’s would snap its premiership drought, but a snowboarding injury overseas kept Kenna out of Bryan Doyle’s A-grade side.

It wouldn’t keep him far from the field, however, and Kenna still managed to pull on the whites for the B-grade outfit and bowled 40 overs

Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, which he was selected for in 2010.

A blistering knock of 88 and playerof-the-match performance against Ireland and a handful of tidy bowling performances — including 3-34 against South Africa — would cap a superb tournament for the young allrounder.

“I got to play with some regulars in the national team now, Mitch Marsh was our captain, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson were all in the squad,” Keath said.

“That experience in New Zealand and winning with those boys was pretty special and certainly a highlight on my cricket journey.”

Keath’s eye-catching tournament saw him rewarded with a three-year

Cricket Victoria contract while he was halfway through Year 12.

Faced with the choice between cricket and footy, Keath said he trusted his heart when making the decision.

“I decided to jump at it,” he said.

“I’d always loved my cricket and I wanted to give it a go, especially with an opportunity like that on the table, it was a pretty easy decision in the end.”

After a brief stint in South Australia playing grade cricket, Keath was picked up by Adelaide and soared through its SANFL ranks to eventually make his AFL debut against Geelong in 2017.

Keath, now 30, will suit up for his fourth season for the Bulldogs next year.

From humble beginnings at Kialla Knights to an under-19 World Cup in New Zealand in the space of a few years, it’s no wonder Keath is among this coveted list of 30.

“It’s very humbling,” he said.

“I feel a little embarrassed as well, there’s some guys in that list who have had unbelievable careers in the SCA.

“To be named among those guys, I feel very proud and I’m just honoured.”

sporting career, and the friendships that I developed with those boys is lifelong,” Kenna said.

“I consider some of those blokes in extension my family, a lot of clubs might experience team success, but that bond, that camaraderie and the culture we built at Central ParkSt Brendan’s has been a massive highlight of my career.”

Kenna called time on his playing days in 2016–17, captaining the Tigers’ B-grade side to a premiership alongside one of his best mates.

Across a decorated innings, Kenna said one his most cherished memories arrived in that swansong year.

unchanged, helping them clinch a flag with remarkable figures of 6–40.

“That was a real character-building year, I’d been the new ball opening bowler for years and then to miss out on the first flag that they won, as disappointing as it was at the time, it was something that really put the fire in the belly to work even harder,” Kenna said.

That hard work paid off, and sevenstraight premierships in the early 2000’s reflected not only years of resilience, but a special bond that was forged over several years at the Tigers.

“Those years are a highlight of my

“I got as much joy enticing Peter Holland out of retirement in my final year, I thought that was a minor miracle,” Kenna said.

“I wanted him to play with his young son Connor — the joy that I experienced watching those two have a partnership that inevitably had an impact on us winning the flag — I got more joy from that than any of the eight flags I won.

“Any moment where I’ve been able to share in other people’s success, or in some way have an impact on someone else’s success is pretty special.”

Shepparton’s Alex Keath representing Victoria Bushrangers in 2011.

The spearhead of Central Park-St Brendan’s seven straight premiership side Brendan Kenna has been shortlisted for Cricket Shepparton’s Team of the Century.

Team of the Century

Rohan Larkin

There are very few cricketers across the Goulburn Valley who carry the record Rohan Larkin does. A seven-time premiership captain at Central Park-St Brendan’s, nine-time premiership player and Victorian representative, there is little Larkin didn’t do throughout his esteemed innings.

His cricketing interests took shape at Shepparton’s St Mel’s Primary School as a youngster, but with his parents avid tennis enthusiasts, Larkin’s sporting journey almost took a different path.

“Mum and Dad were both tennis players, they tried to put a tennis racquet in my hand as much as they could,” Larkin said.

“But I’d always gravitated towards cricket, as a real young fella I recall watching the Kerry Packer World Series cricket on TV and playing with my mates, I think that all had a positive effect on me.”

He was almost destined for a career at Central Park after rising through its junior ranks at Notre Dame College, where he would meet and form a bond with future teammate and lifelong friend Bryan Doyle.

“One of the highlights of my career was being able to share it with Doyley almost all the way through,” Larkin said.

“We struck up a friendship in Year 7 at Notre Dame College and it carried on from there, we lived together in Melbourne when we moved down there and played in a lot of teams together.

“To be able to share that with a mate from school was absolutely awesome.”

Before long, the two teenagers were plying their trade in the senior ranks at Tigerland, going on to clinch a B-grade premiership surrounded by cricketers who now find themselves on the Central Park honour board.

“We’ve always said we can never repay the club for the grounding they gave us as teenagers, we walked into a club with so many superstars and so many role models,” he said.

“We played in a B-grade premiership with blokes like Barry Ward and Steve Serafini, guys who are really tough, hard cricketers who played with the right spirit.

“Then when we progressed through to the A-grade team we were surrounded by superstars, guys like Gary O’Brien and Robbie Douloudis, all these guys had such a positive influence on us and we were lucky to learn from them.”

Having impressed on the Cricket Shepparton stage and learning from its best, representative cricket beckoned and Larkin would soon be selected alongside Doyle to represent Shepparton at Melbourne Country Week.

It was in a Country Week game at Princes Park the two caught the attention of Carlton, where they would end up playing first-class cricket for the next decade.

“Playing at Princes Park, I remember being awestruck to play at a venue you’d see on TV when Carlton FC would play there,” Larkin said.

“To progress from Central Park which had so many great role models and leaders there, they really taught us to play with a real competitive instinct and to strive so hard for success.

“When we got to Carlton, it was the same again, we were surrounded by some really tough, hard, seasoned cricketers and what we thought was competitive instinct was nothing when we got there.

“Blokes like Steve Cashion, Ian Callen, Paul Hibbert and Darren Lehmann were our captains and coaches throughout that time — they were absolutely ruthless.

“Their attitude rubbed off on Doyley and I, we were so lucky to land at a club like Carlton that taught us so many personal qualities that you need if you’re going to compete and be successful.”

After 10 years and 170 games at the Blues, which also included 16 firstclass matches for Victoria between 1995–97, Larkin and his family would return home to raise their two boys, Tyler and Joshua, at the turn of the century.

After a short stint at Stanhope as captain, where he would help the Lions break a 35-year premiership drought, Larkin answered the call for Central Park and the club gladly welcomed back one of its favourite sons.

“Doyley and I always spoke about when we did move to Melbourne we would always end up back at Central Park to try and repay a little

bit of what they gave us as kids,” Larkin said.

“The club I hold dearly to my heart, my eldest son is the coach there and both of my sons have played in premierships there.

“It’s played a significant part in my life.”

When you look at the Haisman Shield premiership board, Central ParkSt Brendan’s stands out and, alongside it, Larkin’s name is etched in history.

Larkin captained his side to sevenstraight premierships from 2004 to 2010, clinching another two years later.

In the short-form, the Tigers also won eight one day premierships and five T20 premierships under Larkin’s guidance.

He was inducted into the Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and was named a life member and member of Central Park’s Team of 25 Years.

He finished his Central Park-St Brendan’s tenure with 7291 runs, including 17 hundreds and 37 halfcenturies with an average of 52 to his name.

But throughout a career chock-full of accolades, Larkin says one his most cherished moments on the oval came at the twilight of his journey.

“The highlight of my career was playing with my two sons,” he said.

“We were playing a game out at Tally, it was a home-and-away game, no special day or anything, Tyler was at cover and Joshua was bowling and I was at backward square.

“For so many years I used to watch them out the back window because we had nets in the backyard, from watching them play together as little boys, but then to be out on the ground and be a part of it with those two was a real highlight.

“That’s something that’s really special.”

The Central Park-St Brendan’s seven-time premiership side celebrates its 2007 grand final triumph.

Larkin cuts away in the Cricket Shepparton one-day final between Mooroopna and Central ParkSt Brendan’s in 2014.

Father and son Rohan and Tyler Larkin won their second Haisman Shield A-grade premiership together in 2014.

Greg Luscombe

To quote English batsman Jack Hobbs who was speaking about legendary Australian cricketer Victor Trumper, “He is the most perfect batsman in his scoring methods I have ever seen”.

This quote would be the best to sum up Mooroopna legend Greg Luscombe’s illustrious resume, which makes him a shoo-in for the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century 30-player shortlist.

Luscombe’s career started at Mooroopna playing under-13s in the late ’70s, where he developed a technique that would hold firm at senior level.

“Started playing at Mooroopna in the under-13s and from there played under-15s where I would hang around and hold up an end which was able to stand up to the pressure of senior cricket,” Luscombe said.

He would rise through the ranks to A-grade, where he would make runs for fun.

With early adulthood creeping up, Luscombe went to Melbourne to follow his passion in accounting, where he played and studied at Melbourne University.

Luscombe played a handful of second-XI and first-XI matches for Melbourne University during the early 1980s before he returned to Mooroopna.

“Came back to the country with the young family and settled back with family,” Luscombe said.

And with the change came the first of his four Lightfoot Medals.

The 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons were the Cats’ most successful seasons for Luscombe, where he led the A-grade side to two premierships and followed up by winning the 199596 season.

“We had a fair bit of success during the ’90s, which I am proud of being part of,” he said.

“Pleased to be part of it; I just really enjoyed batting and scoring big scores.”

Mooroopna’s Greg Luscombe was a legend with bat in hand.

Even though Luscombe’s career was legendary, one blemish in his career was missing out on the threepeat in the 1993-94 season.

He can recall the shock semi-final loss to the Kialla, where he thought he made a match-winning hundred on the first day.

“I made 100 on the first day, which was very memorable, but the next day while defending the total, we dropped 10 catches in a row, and the other side went on to win; that is one day that sticks in my mind,” he said.

As of the 2002-03 season, the Luscombe name is synonymous with the best-on-ground medal for each

year’s grand final and he remains humble, with his name being part of the biggest day in Cricket Shepparton.

“It was a great surprise to be named for the best-on-ground medal and it is a great honour,” he said.

Looking over Luscombe’s career, it is no wonder he is a candidate for the Team of the Century and when asked how he would like to be reflected on, it was a modest response.

“It was a shock to be chosen; it is challenging to compare eras as there are many great cricketers, and I am very pleased to be in the top 30,” Luscombe said.

CONGRATULATIONS

The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District Inc.

Congratulate

all those selected in Cricket Shepparton’s Team of the Century.

Over many years the Ethnic Council has developed strong relationships with Cricket Shepparton and Clubs in the region and looks forward to enhancing the partnership with Cricket Shepparton through future programs.

The McPherson Media Group would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Cricket Shepparton on its 100-year anniversary.

We’d also like to congratulate the 30 nominees for the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century.

We thank the association for the opportunity to produce this publication.

If McPherson Media can help you celebrate your business or event, please call us on 5831 2312.

Team of the Century

Norm McArthur

Norm McArthur was a Shepparton cricketing and war hero all-in-one –with a strut to match Leigh Matthews to boot.

His cricketing exploits, though, didn’t start until 1948 in the Melbourne suburb of Ashwood where time allowed him to play, but once he moved to Shepparton, that was where it all clicked.

Firstly, McArthur put together an impressive career at Old Students, with his bowling exploits being at times compared to the English bowler Harold Larwood in pace and speed.

According to Bill Jones, he was arguably one of the best bowlers to face before they were heading into the provincial country week in 1955, where Shepparton was the winner.

At Old Students, he amassed multiple bowling and batting awards, including the Norm Clark Trophy and in 1956 when he won a premiership as

captain against the Footballers Cricket Club.

The aura of McArthur grew into something else in what was a bizarre start to his match-winning knock of 120 when he survived an attempted run out, which according to a paper at the time, was a “moment of anxiety for the fielders”.

Then after tea, with the match on the line, McArthur walked out to the ground with an arrogant strut – ahead of his time, compared to champion Hawthorn footballer Leigh Mathews.

McArthur’s legacy as a cricketer grew once he retired, by recruiting players, including top batsman Dave Shaw, creatively through the power of a motorbike.

Before cricket, the Old Students legend was a part of the RAAF in the war effort across South East Asia during World War II.

This included being a young

John McPhillamy

No questions should be asked regarding John McPhillamy making the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century shortlist as his resume is well deserved.

Known to most in cricket circles as ‘‘Boofa’’, McPhillamy has won everything that can be won with Old Students Cricket Club.

This includes four premierships, the Lightfoot Medal in the 1982-83 season and countless highlights with the bat.

“I started with Old Students, we lived directly opposite the cricket ground, so I saw them training and I just instantly wanted to join,” McPhillamy, 70, said.

“It was my home away from home. I was glad to play there as I got four premierships.”

By age 16, he was playing in a talented A-grade side that would go on to win the premiership against Footballers.

In that grand final McPhillamy made a crucial 49 not out which helped his side win the 1974-75 season.

“I remember I played all year in A-grade and we played in the grand final against Footballers ... (which) we were able to win,” McPhillamy said.

“I scored 49 not out which was great.”

He said there was not a lot to note from the day’s events, but he did remember the talent that came through this era — including another legend of cricket in Central Park-St Brendan’s’ Gary O’Brien.

“That era just had a lot of good cricketers and Gary O’Brien was one that comes to mind. He was the same age as me and a top cricketer,” he said.

As the 1970s kicked on Old Students were able to continue their winning ways.

Two more Haisman Shield premierships were added in consecutive seasons for McPhillamy.

And it was the semi-final of the three-peat that he remembers best.

In the 1976-77 season, under exMelbourne player Ian Henning, Old Students won by the skin of their teeth in a semi-final against St Brendan’s.

“On the Sunday against St Brendan’s we were defending 103 and they were at 6-97 just before tea,“ McPhillamy said.

“I remember Dave Shaw sent me a signal (to say) ‘you are bowling the

wireless operator air gunner on the double-winged single-engine torpedo, declared obsolete and no match to the Japanese in the battle of Singapore in 1941.

Once fleeing Singapore, McArthur was joined by Australian soldiers in Java, only to be captured and made prisoner for three years and eight

months.

He was a prisoner of war in Changi and worked on the ‘death railway’ from Burma to Thailand during the middle period of the Second World War.

Once back in Australia after the war finished, according to the medical experts at the time, his previous six years of fighting had shortened his life expectancy.

The then-25-year-old came back to a different world. Speaking in 1946, Norm said: “Nothing is so bad, it couldn’t be worst, and everything happens for the best, and the only person with a grudge is the one who carries it.”

Also during that year he married Elaine Chenoweth. They were based in the Melbourne suburb of Kew and started up a radio and electrical business with his brother.

By 1953, the family decided to move to Shepparton where Norm went into the world of selling sportswear and fashion accessories, which developed into 14 shops across Australia.

“We (rolled) them, I took a catch and we went into the grand final,” he said as he relived the moment.

The win ensured Old Students progressed through to the Haisman Shield decider against Shepparton Youth Club.

McPhilamy went on to make a hero effort of 102 not out in the three-day grand final.

“We won by three wickets in a three-day game,” McPhillamy said.

“We put Youth Club back in, so I was about 40 not out on the close of play on day two.

“On day three everything felt right and I went on to make a century. We then bowled them out with Shawy (Dave Shaw) doing his magic with the ball.”

final over before tea and just slow down the game’,” McPhillamy said.

“So I went around the wicket, tied up my shoes and the umpire gave me a serve (warning), but we slowed down the over just enough and we got to tea.

“Before we went onto the ground after tea I thought ‘we are not going to win this’ and I was thinking about the upcoming footy season.”

But cricket is a funny game.

Old Students stunned St Brendan’s thanks to McPhillamy’s skills.

He said the premiership celebrations were “quite large” and it was “a day to remember” for the club.

McPhillamy’s career came to a close less than a decade later following that triumph.

It would be almost 40 years later that the Old Students champion would witness his beloved club claim another flag.

And this one was extra special.

He watched on as his son Luke helped Old Students break the premiership drought in the 201617 Haisman Shield decider against Katandra.

Legendary Norm McArthur was spoken about a long time after his career ended.

John McPhillamy is regarded as a legend in Shepparton cricket with bat.

Rod McLeod

Rod McLeod was an all-rounder who matched it with the best in Shepparton cricket.

McLeod’s journey began as a youngster when he was convinced to ply his trade with bat and ball at Katandra in a sport he wasn’t interested in.

But once he fell in love he never looked back.

“I remember at school kids were talking about playing and I was like ‘this sounds fun’, so I gave it a shot,” McLeod said.

McLeod rose through the junior ranks at Katandra to get the opportunity to play A-grade at the age of 15, which gave him the experience to develop his game.

McLeod almost got a taste for finals action in his few seasons at Katandra, but the desire to play finals and continue at A-grade level had McLeod’s time at the Eagles come to an end after the club dropped back to B-grade for the ‘92 season.

So a change of club followed and McLeod packed his bags along with fellow teammate Ian Sartori.

“I wanted to continue playing in Shepparton and with Ian (Sartori) making a move, I thought ‘why not?’,” he said.

With this move, McLeod’s batting and bowling exploits went to a whole new level.

McLeod enjoyed a career batting average of 30.83, a top score of 175 against Shepparton and a 10-wicket haul to go with his time at Numurkah.

McLeod’s journey at Numurkah spelled eight years, with his side unlucky not to win a premiership in back-to-back grand finals.

The Blues suffered defeat in the

1999–2000 and 2000–01 seasons by three runs or less.

“We got close in 2000, with three balls to go needing three runs, well I tried to play a reverse sweep that didn’t go to plan and I was out. I had a lot of people come to me and ask why did I play that shot, but the previous over I played that shot and it went for four.”

The following year McLeod captained the same Numurkah side that came agonisingly close to victory again.

“In the semi-final against Kialla it was wet and I think we tossed the coin late on day two and, so guess what, the toss went the wrong way and we had to bat,” he said.

“I can remember Sartori, who made about 50 odd, got caught at backward square and smashed it straight to him. It was just one of those days.

Even though there was no premiership success at Cricket Shepparton level, there was success at country week tournaments for McLeod.

McLeod was a member of multiple successful titles at country week, including 1996 at Bendigo.

Despite finishing his career at Kilmore Cricket Club in Seymour District Cricket Association, McLeod goes down as one of the legends in Shepparton’s cricket circles.

Asked how he felt to be nominated for Cricket Shepparton’s Team of the Century, McLeod said it was a humbling experience.

“Very pleased, that is the case to be part of it. I don’t rate these sort of fantasy sides, but it is great to be part of and discuss the stories of the past and the drama of it,” he said.

Gary O’Brien

Gary O’Brien’s batting prowess made it clear to all that he could play.

It all started for O’Brien at St Brendan’s Cricket Club when he was in Grade 6 in the 1960s where he was able to develop into a champion cricketer.

“I was really an aggressive batsman and I was always like hitting big, like hitting sixes over the covers to start my innings off,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien was pushed up to play C-grade at 12 years old, then two years later, at 14, debuted for St Brendan’s’ A-grade side.

“Oh, I guess it was making hundred after hundred on a Saturday morning in juniors and batting well in B and C-grade that they decided to pick me for A-grade against Shepparton United in 1966,” O’Brien said.

“I can remember the day quite clearly, such as the bowlers were quick and I didn’t make many that day on what was a sticky wicket.“

He said the exciting part before his match was himself and fellow students carrying out the curator duties.

“I can remember on Friday, as we played on the school ground back in those days, well I can remember our principal (telling) us you need to prepare the wicket, so just imagine 15 and 14-year-old boys moving a roller and prepping a wicket, just crazy now thinking about that,” he said.

In the season of 1977–78 it won the premiership against Mooroopna on a wet wicket at Deakin Reserve.

The aggressive left-hander made 35 runs to get his side over the line.

“After a tough first day where I remember the wicket was quite wet, and there was a bit of controversy around that, where the Mooroopna guys were complaining, but I can remember we were not chasing much, but I (scraped out) 35 runs to get us over the line,” he said.

“It was a great feeling winning the premiership after some time of the club falling short a few years back.“

After that premiership in 1978, three years later, in 1981, St Brendan’s’ decision to merge with Central Park made shockwaves across the league.

“I can remember the merger for us made sense; we needed clubrooms and so we merged with Central Park, and some were critical of it, but for me, it just made sense in terms of

needing the facilities,” he said.

The left-hander was part of the first team to play under the merger, which went through heartbreak with the new club losing eight grand finals in the 1980s.

“There was lot of internal criticism after losing those premierships, especially eight of them. I think we just had the mozz on us a bit which didn’t help,” he said.

After nearly a lifetime at Central Park-St Brendan’s, O’Brien decided with fellow cricketer Damien Woodman to jump ship to Kialla Cricket Club at the start of the ‘90s, which was a significant transfer at the time.

“Yeah, I decided with Damien to jump across to Kialla, which was the right decision in terms of wanting to enjoy my cricket,” he said.

That decision turned out to be a successful one for O’Brien, with Kialla going on to win four premierships, with one coming against his former side the following year.

“We called ourselves the foreign legion with the players from all across the competition coming to play with us which led to our success,” he said.

“The following year, well, we made the grand final against my former side, we got a win by one wicket and can remember the angst in the game, but it was a great one to be part of.“

The opening batter finished his playing career at age 50 with a career spanning 36 years of playing cricket in Shepparton and further abroad.

Further to this, he was able to play in country week and against England and Sri Lanka in tour matches.

O’Brien said making the Team of the Century shortlist was an honour considering the other names in the squad.

“I am very grateful to be part of this, considering the number of players who were in the past who were top cricketers and especially in my era as well like Rohan Larkin and Dave Shaw,” he said.

Rod McLeod took part in the Victorian Country Week with one of his career highlights being part of a winning Shepparton side in 1994 and 1996.

Gary O’Brien was a trendsetter of his time and a swashbuckling batter. Picture: Supplied

Team of the Century

Dave Shaw

When you hear the name Dave Shaw in Shepparton cricket circles, you think of the hard-nosed captain who lifted Old Students Cricket Club to four premierships in six years during the 1970s.

That feat — among others — has helped Shaw be honoured as part of a 30-person shortlist for the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century.

Shaw started playing cricket during the 1950s and it was through his school Haileybury College in Melbourne that he developed his craft with bat and ball.

As he likes to say, “Oh, I think those who saw me said you are a decent player” and according to a former Haileybury teacher he is considered a cricket legend.

In his final year of school, Shaw joined an exclusive club where he made 1000 runs and took 100 wickets for the first grade.

“I started playing at my school and, through playing, I was able to teach myself about building an innings and bowling line and length, which helped me in my final year,” Shaw said.

Shaw broke a record or two in his final year of schooling, where he made a double hundred at age 17 and holds the highest single run partnership with fellow batter Anthony

Kellock of 343 runs against Ivanhoe Grammar in 1955.

Haileybury College still recognises the partnership today through the awarding of the DC Shaw and AW Kellock Trophy for the Best InterSchool Cricket Partnership of each season.

The closest partnership since is 293 runs by Ben Logan and Anthony Rode in 1996.

“I remember, we lasted quite a while and just kept batting. Thinking about it now, I think everything just clicked that day,” Shaw said.

Once he finished school in 1955, offers came to play district cricket, but like many during this era, work came calling, so Shaw was off to Shepparton to try his hand on a farm.

“Well, I finished school and so I moved to Shepparton to work on a farm, I remember Melbourne Cricket Club made an offer, but I declined it due to wanting to work,” he said.

Shaw explains how he made it to Old Students.

“I was working on the farm and a guy named Norm McCarthur came on a motorbike,” he said.

“I can’t remember if he knew about my school record, but he just said ‘I hear you can play. Do you want to play for Old Students?’ As they say,

the rest is history.”

Shaw started playing at Old Students around the time of the Melbourne Olympics of 1956 and was captain of the club in the coming years.

It is where Old Students, during the ‘70s were unstoppable with Shaw in charge, winning four premierships in six years.

“We were a perfect outfit, I think it was because we all got along, but we trained hard and could bat all the way down,” he said.

But Shaw didn’t leave it all up to his teammates.

He also would contribute with bat and ball, winning various bowling and batting awards, including a gallant 118 not out in a losing grand final and multiple five-wicket hauls.

“I remember making a century in a losing grand final, which I was shattered about because we couldn’t get it done, but that is what I cherish with my career with making a hundred

and taking wickets,” Shaw said.

Shaw also featured in multiple country week games and tour matches for a country XI, were he was lucky enough to take five wickets against a touring English XI which included the wicket of English Test batsman Ray Illingworth.

Now living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Shaw was made a life member of the Shepparton Cricket Association and Old Students in 2004 and was honoured with his name on the overall best-on medal for each year which is voted by the players and is a highly-cherished medal for all players across the Shepparton competition.

Shaw is excited, but humble about making the shortlist for the Team of the Century.

“There were so many cricketers in my era for all the clubs who were amazing and so to be part of the list it is amazing,” he said.

Ian Sartori

The story of Ian Sartori is one for the sporting romantics.

A master with cricket bat and ball in hand, he was also a skilful footballer and played 65 games as a forward for St Kilda and Richmond.

He rubbed shoulders with the likes of cricket stars Greg Chappell and Garry Sobers to VFL legends Alex Jesaulenko and Francis Bourke.

Sartori, who grew up at Daylesford, started his cricketing journey playing at Musk Cricket Club with his father in the 1974-75 season.

At age 15 Sartori won his only premiership in cricket in that debut year with a swashbuckling century in the Daylesford Cricket Association A-grade final.

Sartori went from premiership glory as a 15-year-old to playing for North Melbourne Cricket Club.

Ian Satori was a champion cricketer across Shepparton, but also a top player at the premier level.

The gifted right-hand bat would travel from Daylesford to North Melbourne, where he played 123 First XI matches from 1976-77 to 1989-90.

“We had a young side; playing with names like Ian Chappell and Garry Sobers was a unique experience and captaining the team was great,” he said.

During the winter months Sartori would play the rough and tumble of VFL football.

Sartori played 47 games at St Kilda before a disagreement regarding the clash between cricket and football meant Sartori left for Richmond Football Club.

Sartori’s time at Richmond was marred by injury and further grand final heartbreak — where he was a member of the losing 1982 grand final side.

Sartori would go on to play another 18 league football games before he gave it away for a move back to the country.

Sartori’s entrance to Shepparton cricket came through him moving to Katandra to buy a business in the early 1990s.

He plied his trade at a fledging Katandra side where he gave the Eagles a taste of A-grade cricket.

“We tried developing the side the best we could. It was a great bunch of guys to play with,” Sartori said.

A change to Numurkah had premiership heartbreak continue to follow Sartori, with the Blues suffering defeat in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons.

Sartori said the 1999-2000 defeat was the one that hurt the most.

“You get nervous sweats thinking about it and what could of been, but that’s cricket,” he said.

But it wasn’t all premiership heartbreak for Sartori during his cricketing time in the Goulburn Valley.

He led the Cricket Shepparton representative side to victory at Melbourne Country Week in 1996.

Asked how he felt about being nominated for Cricket Shepparton’s Team of the Century, Sartori said he was “pretty rapt” to make it.

Dave Shaw (left with bat) waiting to bat with partner Norm McCarthur for Old Students in 1962.

Ryan Sidebottom

From running down the famed slope at cricket’s spiritual home Lord’s to making his Sheffield Shield debut for Victoria — the game has taken Northerners product Ryan Sidebottom to great heights.

But if it wasn’t for one conversation with local legend Rohan Larkin after a 2009–10 Haisman Shield grand final loss to Central Park-St Brendan’s the trajectory of not only his cricket career but his life could have been incredibly different.

A 19-year-old opening bowler for Karramomus at the time, Sidebottom reflected on that interaction and how it shaped the rest of his cricket journey.

“A lot of what I managed to achieve in cricket stems from that grand final we played against Central Park in 2009–10,” Sidebottom said.

“It was a losing grand final, but I remember after the game having a great chat with Rohan Larkin and it was him or put the thought in my

mind and asked if I’d be interested in going down to Melbourne and taking my game to the next level.

“When I see him (Rohan) next I’ll definitely have to buy him a beer.”

But while that conversation was the flame that ignited Sidebottom’s rise to first class cricket, it was growing up in Tallygaroopna where his passion for sport was born.

One of five brothers — that includes Collingwood football legend Steele —Sidebottom grew up desperately wanting to follow the lead of his elders, which subsequently led him to the game of cricket.

The peak of Sidebottom’s rapid rise would come in March 2013, where after a string of strong performances in Victoria’s second XI he was handed a surprise Sheffield Shield debut against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.

“I got selected in the 14-man squad for the game but remember being told when I was picked that I was more-so heading down for

the experience of being around the group — I wasn’t expecting to actually play,” Sidebottom said.

“We then rocked up the next morning and they didn’t announce the team until the toss, so I was just doing a bit of fielding and the captain Cam White came over, told me the news and from there the rest was just a blur.”

Opening the bowling, Sidebottom would take the wicket of Mark Cosgrove as he finished the first innings with figures of 1–68 before backing it up with a second innings return of 0–25.

Unfortunately Victoria was handsomely beaten in the match, and

“After not being offered a contract with Victoria I was a bit unsure of what to do, but with Mum being born in the UK I made the call to get my English passport and made the call to go over to England with no real expectations,” he said.

Having been part of Birmingham based County club Warwickshire since that fateful summer of 2017, Sidebottom has continued to take his game to new heights over the past five years, enjoying some incredible highlights along the way.

“Over my time with Warwickshire I’ve been lucky enough to play at Lords four times now, and being able to be part of the history of that ground is very special,” he said.

“Last season we were also crowned County champions, I only played a small part of it but a small part is better than no part and being part of that team was certainly a highlight.

“I’ve now built a life over in England as well, I’m married and have got a four month old baby girl, so I do owe a lot to the game of cricket.”

Scott Real Estate Congratulate the nominees in the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century

Gagliardi

Sidebottom would never feature in another Shield encounter.

Northerners’ Ryan Sidebottom has taken his career to incredible heights.

Team of the Century

Raelee Thompson

If you were to describe the cricket career of Raelee Thompson in one word, it would be quite a simple task.

Hailing from humble beginnings in the Shepparton region, Thompson blossomed into one of the greatest female cricketers Australia has seen, representing her country in 16 Test matches and 23 one-day internationals from 1972 to 1985.

But arguably it was her work off the field that had more of a lasting impact, being at the forefront of the meteoric rise of women’s cricket in Australia in the past two decades.

Having such a great influence on the game, her list of accolades is a mile long, with places in the Australian Cricket and Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame just the tip of the iceberg.

Now being recognised as the only female in the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century shortlist, Thompson said it was an honour to see her feats celebrated with a number of the other greats of the region.

“It is a thrill to be honoured with something like this,” Thompson said.

“Receiving things like this, it is always very humbling and it is fantastic to be included with so many great players and be seen as one the most influential cricketers from our region.

“I have always loved my home town and I love coming back to receive awards like this, after all these years I thought they would have forgotten about me.”

For Thompson, it wasn’t until Form

4 at Shepparton High School that she discovered the game that would end up shaping her life.

She described how the game was thrust upon her and some of the early battles associated with being able to play.

“The start of the journey was at Shepp High, my sports mistress when I was in Form 4 she changed the sport we had to play from vigoro to cricket and that is where I started playing,” Thompson said.

“When I left school I was lost to cricket for about 18 months while I was working at the Mooroopna Base Hospital because there was no teams for girls in Shepparton at the time.

“But when I furthered my career and came to Melbourne to work in the Fairfield Hospital I was able to play with Collingwood Cricket Club and it all began from there.”

Playing club cricket for the first time at the age of 21, Thompson was something of a late bloomer, immediately having an impact in the metropolitan competition with her ability to take wickets as an opening bowler.

While at Collingwood she would also get the opportunity to play alongside national level cricketers and be mentored by state selectors, which ended up forging her pathway to higher honours.

“I was very lucky when I first came to Melbourne that I played in a team with Australian players and you learn a lot from them,” she said.

“And then also at the time we had

a Victorian selector as our coach, so she saw me week in and week out and thought I had potential.

“So I was selected in the second XI pretty quickly in about 1968–69 before I eventually played my first game for Victoria in 1970–71 — I then managed to take a few wickets and from there my career took off.”

But making it to state level wasn’t enough for the ambitious Thompson.

Continuing to improve with every passing game, she was quick to get on the radar of national selectors and was eventually handed her Australian debut in a Test match against New Zealand in Melbourne on February 5, 1972.

“It wasn’t a really good memory for me playing-wise because I just took the one wicket for the whole match and we got beaten,” Thompson said of her debut Test.

“But to represent Australia was a fantastic experience, there is no feeling like walking out onto the field and representing your country, I just loved every minute of it.”

Similarly to her domestic career, Thompson had an immediate impact at international level and became a key fixture in the Australian side for 13 years — taking 57 Test wickets and 24 in one-day internationals.

But the highlight of her career in the national side came in her final series, where she assumed the captaincy and took 5–30 in the last Test to help

secure a 2–1 victory for Australia.

“It (the captaincy) was thrust open me because I was the vice-captain and the captain got injured, so I had to take over — to be honest I didn’t want to captain,” she said.

“But I did it and in an epic five Test series we beat England 2–1, which made for a great ending to my career.”

Following her international career Thompson returned to club cricket for a further decade, while also serving as an Australian selector and delegate to the cricket council.

This is where she would become a major advocate for the growth of women’s cricket in the game, taking a key role in coaching the girls that would become the stars of the modern game.

Now a keen follower of women’s cricket, Thompson said she was filled with joy watching how far it had come.

“I think it is great how far the game has come and it makes me a proud to be an Australian,” she said.

“I love watching the girls play, travelling around the country and the world to support them, I just absolutely love being part of it.

“Cricket is such a great game, they were the best years of my life being a cricketer, some of the places you go and the people you meet, they are memories that last forever.”

Raelee Thompson is no stranger to an accolade, being inducted into the Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame.

Raelee Thompson fires off a delivery as Jeff Thomson waits to run during a promotional game in Brisbane in the 1980s.

Peter Whitelock

Shepparton Youth Club has forever been in the blood of Peter Whitelock.

Following in the footsteps of his father — who played more than 400 games for the club — Whitelock grew up in and around SYC, watching the legends that came before him and dreaming of one day donning the famous blue and yellow cap at A-grade level.

That dream would become a reality for Whitelock at the ripe old age of 16, as he entered the world that is A-grade cricket a raw, but talented all-rounder.

“My father had a long and decorated career at SYC, which meant growing up I was always around the club watching him play and learning the game,” Whitelock said of his humble beginnings.

“I started going to training with Dad when I was about six years old and from that point on it was just a given I would be playing for Youth Club at some stage.

“My on-field journey began when I was 10 years old in the juniors, started in the under-15s and worked my way up to a senior debut when I was just 16 years old — and at the time playing one game was such a thrill.”

What succeeded that debut in the late 1970s was arguably the most accomplished cricket career in Shepparton Youth Club history, as Whitelock became the figurehead of one of the region’s greatest cricket dynasties.

From 1979–80 to 1989–90, SYC won an astonishing eight premierships, with Whitelock captaining the side to seven of those triumphs.

He described his early days playing at the top level and how the club built itself into a Cricket Shepparton powerhouse.

“Coming into the A-grade playing against these legends of Shepparton cricket like Colin Edwards and Des Campbell, for me as a 16-year-old facing those guys it was a great experience and one that held me in good stead,” Whitelock said.

“Playing cricket for SYC during the ‘80s was such great fun, when we won our first premiership all 11 players in that side came up through our juniors, which was unheard of at that time.

“Our success as a club was built on developing that home grown talent, and we changed the way other clubs

in the region went about building their teams.

“They were good sides and a lot of great players came through the club through that decade, but more importantly we had great people too.”

During that decade of glory, Whitelock and his teammates would experience countless moments of success that many others would see as career highlights.

Looking back on that incredible time, he said there was one particular match that stood out above all else.

“For me the first premiership in ‘79–80 was the big one,” he said.

“We were a young side and the expectations probably weren’t there for the club to do as well as it did that year.

“But in the grand final we managed to post a massive total of over 500 and Katandra actually conceded defeat on the third day, and that changed the rules as to how finals would be played.

“Personally I got a hundred in that game, which added a bit of a cherry on top, and from there we were able to build an incredible decade of success.”

As a result of the SYC dynasty, Whitelock can call himself one of three players in Cricket Shepparton history to captain a team to seven A-grade premierships — alongside Central Park-St Brendan’s legend Rohan Larkin and Old Students star Dave Shaw.

“Being the captain of the side through that time, it was such an honour,” Whitelock said.

“Our side was full of great players and great people, so to have the opportunity to work with them and lead them out each week, I’ll treasure it forever.

“But at the end of the day the captain is only as good as the team and I was very fortunate to have that group of players who loved representing the club behind me.”

So how does the man himself describe his incredible cricketing feats and being shortlisted for the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century?

Well the answer, as is his nature, was as humble as could be.

“It is a tough one to answer, but I’d probably describe myself as competitive but fair,” he said.

“Being nominated for this Team of the Century it is an absolute honour, I’ve played with and against a lot of great cricketers over the 30-plus years I’ve played.

“So to be in that company it is very humbling.”

Peter Whitelock led Shepparton Youth Club to seven A-grade premierships in the 1980s.

Peter Whitelock in the latter part of his career playing for Shepparton Youth Club.

Team of the Century

Damien Woodman

For top order batters across the Shepparton region in the 1990s there was no more frightening sight than Damien Woodman standing at the top of his mark.

An imposing figure at 203 cm, Woodman’s pace and bounce would have him challenge the opposition in a way few could, with his exploits pivotal in the early ‘90s dominance of Kialla Cricket Club.

During the journey, the bustling fast bowler would amass two premierships and four-straight association bowling awards — while also making countless

Robert Wood

For Katandra and Central Park-St Brendan’s legend Robert Wood there was one secret to his near two decades of success.

It was nothing particularly groundbreaking or special, but for any athlete it is something incredibly important.

Hard work.

By his own admission, not the most naturally-talented cricketer, Wood consistently put in the hard yards to improve, with his love of the game and teammates constantly bringing him back.

And as a result the all-rounder is regarded as one of the greatest players the region has seen, winning two Lightfoot medals and constantly finding himself at the top of Cricket Shepparton’s batting and bowling charts in the 1980s and 1990s.

Now one of the 30 players shortlisted for the association’s Team of the Century, Wood said it was surreal to be thought of in the same breath as some of the greats of local cricket.

“It was completely unexpected and it’s a real honour,” Wood said.

“Seeing some of the other names in the 30 selected it is certainly humbling, as I never saw myself as a player with much natural talent.

“Rather I was somebody that got the most out of what I had and worked hard to be the best player I could be.”

The beginning of Wood’s cricket journey mirrors most players that have come out of regional areas.

Frequently heading down to watch his beloved Katandra side growing up,

he idolised those players in the senior team dreaming one day he could work among them.

And then one day as a small teenager, he would get that chance, filling in for the seniors in an experience he said changed his life forever.

“We lived on a dairy farm out at Katandra and were only a couple of kilometres from the cricket ground, so growing up I used to often go down and watch the seniors play,” he said.

“And then one day I got the chance to fill in for the senior side at Katandra, I took a catch, didn’t make any runs, but batted for about 20 minutes and was just this little guy playing among all these adults.

“I think that day I truly fell in love with the game and that kick-started my cricket journey.”

Following that day filling in for the seniors became a regular occurrence, as he would play juniors in the morning before testing himself against the adults.

He said those formative years were some of the most enjoyable of his career, with his work ethic and eagerness to learn having him quickly climb the ranks.

“The love that all those guys in the seniors had for the game really rubbed off on me as a kid coming through,” he said.

“Through that time I developed a love of the contest, going against the best players in the region and just getting into battles on the field.

“It gave me such a good grounding playing with and against those guys and tested me in a way that put me

Country Week appearances and representing Victoria Country and Australia Country.

Boasting such an illustrious resume it is no surprise he now finds himself shortlisted for the Cricket Shepparton Team of the Century, but to the man himself the news came as a big shock.

“It was certainly a surprise (to be included), it is such an honour to be nominated,” Woodman said.

“There are just so many good players that have come through the region, so to be thought of in that company it is very humbling and

something I will cherish.”

Woodman began his cricket journey at Central Park as a raw, but talented, prospect working under the tutelage of the great Rob Doloudis.

Establishing himself as a top-class quick in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with the Tigers, he would make a decision that would shape the rest of his career in the lead up to the 1993–94 season.

“I had some great years playing with Central Park, but prior to the ‘93–94 season I thought it was time for a change and made the move to Kialla,”

for me in the sense that I made runs almost every week, I bowled really well and took a number of great catches.

“It was the sort of year where everything worked for me and at the time the team at Katandra was just such a fun group to be around.”

Following that golden season, Wood would make the move back to Deakin Reserve to feature in the newly amalgamated Central ParkSt Brendan’s.

Quickly becoming a key part of the Tigers’ side, Wood would add another Lightfoot Medal to his collection in the summer of 1985–86.

Robert Wood was well renowned for his consistency in the 1980s and 1990s. (Wood is the bowler).

in great stead as I became a senior cricketer.”

After finishing his junior career with his home town Katandra, Wood moved to Central Park for the opportunity to play in the A-grade competition.

Forcing his way into the senior side as a reliable all-rounder, he would begin to garner a reputation as one of the top players in the region before moving back to Katandra when the club was bumped up into A-grade.

His second stint at the Eagles was where he truly blossomed and in the summer of 1983–84 he officially took the mantle of the competition’s best player, winning his first Lightfoot Medal.

“That first Lightfoot win was just a bumper season,” he said.

“Everything seemed to turn to gold

“When Central Park merged with St Brendan’s I saw it as a great opportunity to go back and progress my career even further and be part of a great team of guys,” he said.

“That second (Lightfoot) win was more of a surprise, I thought I had a solid season, but it certainly wasn’t my best, but that’s cricket some times.”

While Wood’s career was one filled with great highlights and a mountain of personal accolades, there is one thing that will always plague him.

Forming part of successful sides with Katandra and Central Park, Wood would take part in six grand finals, but unfortunately did not taste victory in a single one.

“Not winning a premiership was easily my biggest regret,” he said.

“We got so close so many times and some of those years with Central Park-St Brendan’s the quality of the A-grade team was incredible, so to not win one was disappointing.

“But after my time the club enjoyed a lot of great success and I’d like to think those teams of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s helped build that foundation.”

Damien Woodman was an imposing figure opening the bowling for Kialla in the 1990s.

he said.

“Rob Douloudis had been an impact on my career and had gotten me to where I was and he was heading out to Kialla, so I didn’t exactly follow him, but I thought if he was going there it would be a good place to go.”

The decision would prove to be an inspired one, as Kialla immediately rose to the top of the Cricket Shepparton mountain and won backto-back flags in ‘93–94 and ‘94–95.

“Those days playing with Kialla were amazing,” Woodman said.

“The cricket in the ‘90s was in my opinion the best cricket there has been in the region.

“Every team in the competition was strong, there were so many good

players and so many great battles.”

Picking out a highlight of his time playing for Kialla through the ‘90s, he said the first grand final victory stood out above all else.

“That first grand final win is one that will always stick out for me, it was such an amazing game,” he said.

“We had to chase over 300 to win and we managed to get it done with one wicket in hand and three balls to go.

“We also beat Central Park that day, the team I’d come from, which made it all the more sweet — I can just recall there being so much excitement.”

Despite his dominance on the local scene, Woodman is perhaps more revered for his achievements on the

Clyde Young

*This was Clyde’s final interview with the News before he passed. Walking into the home office of Old Students legend Clyde Young his influence on cricket in the region is clear to see.

Service awards, hall of fame certificates and framed articles of his exploits adorn the walls, and in a custom-made wooden box his prized baggy cricket caps can be found — serving as wonderful reminders of wonderful times representing Old Students and Country Victoria.

For more than 25 years Young graced cricket grounds across the Cricket Shepparton area, donning the famous blue and white of Old Students and taking his customary position behind the stumps.

On the field you will struggle to find a more skilled wicketkeeper through the 100-year history of Cricket Shepparton, as he played a key role in Old Students’ run of four premierships in six years in the 1970s.

And off the field his influence was just as great, following in the footsteps of local cricket icon and great friend Bert Lightfoot in being president of the association from 1989 to 1994.

Young enjoyed his life with longtime wife Val and making regular trips to Shepparton Golf Club and Shepparton RSL, Young would often thinks back to those wonderful times playing cricket for Old Students.

But when asked what game stood

out among his decorated career, he was quick to mention the day he made his one and only century.

For Val this story will forever live in the memory bank of the Young family.

“I was walking to the ground with three children and somebody came racing out to me on the street and yelled out ‘Youngy is about to make his century’,” Val said fondly.

“So we raced out to the boundary and watched on, I was shocked to see him finally get there to be honest.

“But that day will always be a great memory for our family, life for us centred around going out to cricket, helping where we could around the club and supporting Clyde and the team.”

The cricket career of Young has humble beginnings.

Growing up in Shepparton he was introduced to the game and Old Students Cricket Club, from an early age taking a keen interest in wicketkeeping that would give him an opportunity to attend the prestigious Wesley College in Melbourne.

But those early days at Old Students would always sit fondly in his memory bank and when the chance came to return to the club after school he said he took it with both hands.

“I started with the club’s juniors through attending Shepparton High School before moving down to Melbourne to finish school at Wesley College, but when I came back I went back to Old Students and from there never left,” Young said.

From that point on Young quickly

representative stage.

Showcasing his talents against the best they had to offer at Country Week, there was one particular performance in 1991 which will forever go down in the local cricket folklore.

“It was the last day of the week and we were coming up against Wangaratta,” he said.

“I’d looked after myself well throughout the week and that day, for some reason, it all just came together and I took 8–35.

“I was well supported by my teammates who took great catches and sometimes as a bowler things go your way — you take it when you can get it.”

Looking over the career of Woodman there a host of superlatives you could use to describe his talents and impact on the game in the region.

But when asked about how he would like to remembered his answer, as his nature, was as humble as could be.

“I was lucky enough to be born with the size to be an opening bowler, so that helped,” he said.

“I had great influences around me growing up as a cricketer, I trained hard and during the games my focus was just not to let the opposition score runs.

“I was just a guy that tried his best every game and gave his all to help his team win.”

these days could only dream of.

Whether it was playing on the MCG during Country Week or flying the flag for the region in countless representative games, his career was filled with highlights.

But one day in 1972 at Deakin Reserve will always stand out, when the Pakistan Test team came to town for a one-off practice match against the best country Victoria had to offer.

“What happened was back in those days they would pick a team of all the best country cricketers and, that year, I was lucky enough to be selected as the wicketkeeper,” he said.

became a pillar of Old Students’ incredible success, partnering skipper and much-loved friend Dave Shaw as they built one of Cricket Shepparton’s most revered dynasties.

“We won a lot, so much so I reckon they got sick of us by the end, but I loved every minute of it” he said.

“Everybody at the club was very keen on it at the time, we always had three teams and everyone was great friends.

“The connection I had with Shawy (Dave Shaw) was special, from the start we were great friends and did everything together, the influence he had on both my cricket and life was huge.

“Those times playing with Old Students and winning premierships, I’ll never forget them.”

Forging a reputation as one of the top cricketers in country Victoria, Young was given opportunities players

“Pakistan came over for a tour of Australia in 1972 and we got the opportunity to play against them at Deakin Reserve, and that day I was fortunate enough to take a few catches.

“Although we lost the match, to be out on the field playing against Test cricketers, that was easily a highlight of my career.”

But it was at Old Students where Young was truly in his element, with that love for the club and his teammates always bringing him back, despite the fact he would “retire” briefly on a number of occasions in the latter years of his career.

And, while the on-field journey would eventually come to an end in 1978, his legacy certainly did not.

To this day cricketers can see the influence he had on local cricket, with the Cricket Shepparton B-grade competition named the Clyde Young Shield after his exploits.

“It is a massive honour to be seen in that way,” Young said.

“To have my name part of Cricket Shepparton forever, it is very special.”

The legacy of Old Students wicketkeeper Clyde Young will live on in Cricket Shepparton circles forever.

Team of the Century

Ramadan Yze

Like a fine wine, Central Park-St Brendan’s legend Ramadan Yze just keeps on getting better with age.

Making his A-grade debut back in 1995 at the ripe old age of 14, Yze came on to the scene a raw but talented prospect, testing opposition batters with his cunning skill with ball in hand.

Fast forward some 28 years, and he can be found doing the exact same thing, donning the yellow and black every Saturday in the summer and terrorising the region’s top batters.

In season 2021–22, his 28th as an A-grade cricketer, Yze took 21 wickets at 14.90 to be the 12th most prolific bowler across the association — proving he certainly still has it.

Over his 365-game career, Yze has claimed a whopping 457 wickets at a remarkable average of 17.49.

To put that in perspective, the great Glenn McGrath ended his 124-match Test career with an average of 21.64.

Throw in a whopping 8316 runs with the bat at an impressive average of 29.18, and the numbers alone suggest Yze is one of the best cricketers the region has ever seen.

But we all know cricket is more than the numbers, and you will struggle to find a man who has been part of more success than Yze.

Across all grades, he has been involved in a staggering 28 premierships, and produced a plethora of epic finals performances that have seen him garner a reputation as one of the association’s greatest big-game players.

So how did this epic journey begin?

Well, like many young boys growing up, for Yze his early years were all about shadowing his father and older brothers.

“My dad and my brothers played cricket at Central Park so I just followed in their footsteps, being the youngest,” Yze said.

“Growing up around the club it was unreal, heading along to senior training as a young kid following my brothers around, I learnt so much and fell in love with the game.

“I started playing in the A-grade when I was 14 and here I am 28 years later still playing, so the club has been a massive part of my life, and to be honest, I don’t know any different than playing cricket with Central Park in the summer.”

Mixing it with the region’s top cricketers at such a young age, it was truly a sink or swim situation for Yze in the early part of his career, with those experiences paving the way for his incredible success.

“The early days were very daunting as a young kid, to be honest, playing against men, and quality men, too,” he said.

“There was a bit of lip going on in those days as well, and being the young kid you’d certainly cop it, but as I grew older I learned how to deal with it and get the best out of myself.

“Settling into A-grade cricket so early on, it really helped me become the cricketer I am today, and the rest was history.”

Solidifying his spot in the Central Park side, Yze would first taste premiership success five years into his career, playing a key role in the Tigers’ drought-breaking triumph in 1999/2000.

But it wasn’t until 2004–05 that the Central Park dynasty would truly begin, as the arrival of esteemed skipper Rohan Larkin brought about a run of glory unmatched by any other club in Cricket Shepparton history — with the club winning an astonishing seven Haisman Shield titles on the trot.

“Being a part of those sides in the early 2000s, it was just unbelievable really,” Yze said.

“We were really close-knit as a group, Larko (Rohan Larkin) came in and cleaned the club a bit, he had a direction and we all jumped on board and followed his lead.

“As a group we were all leaders and pushed each other to greater heights, training was like life or death and it’s no secret the harder you work the more success you will have.

“Those years, being part of something so special, they will be in the memory bank for ever — I played with some really great people, performed in a few grand finals and just had so much fun.”

Throughout the epic dynasty there were a plethora of incredible highlights that will forever stick in the memory for Yze.

But what was more memorable was the way his team seized the key moments that made them so great.

“There are lots of different key moments, it could only be a little

thing like taking a sharp catch that changes the course of a game or taking a key wicket, there are so many moments that stick out,” he said.

“Every player, whether they won a best-on medal or not, played a hand in every premiership win.

“So while there were some incredible individual efforts that will be remembered for ever, it was those smaller moments that stick out to me.”

The Central Park-St Brendan’s winning streak would eventually come to an end in the summer of 2010–11, but with the greatness of Yze leading the charge, it wasn’t long until the Tigers were back on top.

Beginning in 2013–14, the club would win another three consecutive Haisman Shield titles, taking Yze’s tally to 11.

But his most recent premiership success, in the summer of 2015–16, would be his most treasured, as he captained the club to glory for the first time.

“It is always good when you can get back to the top, every club is coming at you, so to put together another three-peat was a result of the hard work we put in,” he said.

“To captain the winning side in that last flag was an incredible honour and something I will cherish for ever, but whether I have the title or not I’ve always just tried to be a leader at the club and help the young guys along.”

For Yze, the final chapter of his storied career is still yet to be written, as he continues to play a key role in Central Park’s A-grade side.

And having not tasted Haisman Shield premiership success in six years, he said his love for the game and the club was what kept him coming back, as he strived to get the Tigers back to the top of the mountain.

“I just love sport, I love the game,” he said.

“I’ve never known any different from a young age, and with such great support around me from my wife and three children I know they will always have my back.

“The goal for me is to help get this club back to the top; we are in a great place now, with some great players, so I just want to keep playing my role and taste another premiership.”

Ramadan Yze celebrates one of his 28 premiership, this one a 2012 T20 triumph over Northerners.

Ramadan Yze continues to plague opposition batters at the age of 42. Ramadan Yze poses ahead of his 300th game in 2018.

For Property Management

For Property Management

Colleen Sutton and herteam are your go-to experts for great results & there is a reason whytheir portfolio continues to grow. Our philosophy is...

Colleen Sutton and herteam are your go-to experts for great results & there is a reason whytheir portfolio continues to grow. Our philosophy is...

“Ifwe wouldn’t put them in our property, we wont put them in yours.”

“Ifwe wouldn’t put them in our property, we wont put them in yours.”

Award Winning Sales Team

For Property Management

Colleen Sutton and herteam are your go-to experts for great results & there is a reason whytheir portfolio continues to grow. Our philosophy is...

Colleen Sutton and herteam are your go-to experts for great results & there is a reason whytheir portfolio continues to grow. Our philosophy is...

“Ifwe wouldn’t put them in our property, we wont put them in yours.”

Award Winning Sales Team

Left

Left to right:

Covering Greater Shepparton, Kialla,

Covering

Property

Left to right: Ellie Darcy, Emma Burke, Elivia Hall, Lindi Caramone, Torrie Jochova & Colleen Sutton

to right: Ellie Darcy, Emma Burke, Elivia Hall, Lindi Caramone, Torrie Jochova & Colleen Sutton

Peter Cardamone Director

Brad Campbell Sales Executive

Emma Burke Assistant Property Manager

Brendan Webb Personal Assistant to Peter Cardamone

Peter Cardamone Director & O cer in E ective Control

Ella Suveges Sales & Marketing Coordinator

Ellie Darcy, Emma Burke, Elivia Hall, Lindi Caramone, Torrie Jochova & Colleen Sutton

Management Team

Peter Cardamone Director & O cer in E ective Control

Left to right: Ellie Darcy, Emma Burke, Elivia Hall, Lindi Caramone, Torrie Jochova & Colleen Sutton

Brad Campbell Sales Executive

Jordyn Squire O ce Administration

Ellie

Elivia Hall O ce Administrator

Lindi Cardamone

Johnston

Cricket Shepparton

TEAM OF THE CENTURY

1922 ~ 2022

Sam Ahmet

Aiden Blizzard

Barry Baldi

Fred Brown

Des Campbell

Greg Connors

Shane Davidson

Bryan Doyle

Liam Gledhill

Glen Hart

Peter Holland

Bill Jones

Chris Keady

Alex Keath

Brendan Kenna

Rohan Larkin

Greg Luscombe

Norm McArthur

John McPhillamy

Rod McLeod

Gary O’Brien David Shaw

Ian Sartori

Ryan Sidebottom

Raelee Thompson

Peter Whitelock

Robert Wood

Damian Woodman

Clyde Young

Ramadan Yze