OCGA Annual Report 2023

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Old Camberwell

Grammarians’

Association

Notice of Meeting

Annual General Meeting 2024

Tuesday 5 March, 7.00pm

Camberwell Room

Camberwell Grammar School

55 Mont Albert Road

Canterbury Victoria 3126

AGENDA

3.

AnnuAl GenerAl MeetinG

Guest speAker - CrAiG turton (Founder 100Words)

Craig will share his story and why it is his mission to create happier generations of men through real conversations and connections. Founder of 100Words, the the OCGA has recently engaged with Craig and his team who are empowering men to support each other to improve mental health, make us happier and prevent suicide.

Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association Minutes of The Annual General Meeting held at 7.00 pm, Tuesday, 7 March 2023 in The Camberwell Room, Camberwell Grammar School

1. W ELCOME

1.1 Present

R. Munro, G. Ballard, G. Taplin, I. Lenton, R. Sturzaker, B. McPhail, G. Smith, T. Henley, C. Kelly, W. Edney, P. Kerkvliet, N. Schildberger, M. Pountney, J. Giovannucci, P. Deliyannis, R. Lee, T. Thackray, J. Fitzgerald, J. Amling, G. Gong.

1.2 In Attendance

R. Whitehead (Director of Development); P. Hicks (Headmaster); C.Parker (Development Associate); H. Sherrifs, W. Lardner

2. A POLOGIES

Apologies

B. Provan, C. Finley, I. Thomlinson, D. Brown, D. Bellairs. S. Taplin, R. Mullett, K. Houghton, P. Wheelton, A. Lane, M. Forwood, S. Cran, M. Koswig, M. Master, T. Lucarelli

3. C ONFIRMATION OF P REVIOUS M INUTES OF THE 2 02 2 AGM

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.

4. P RESIDENT ’ S R EPORT ( TABLED )

The President’s report was tabled, and he highlighted the following:-

• It was fantastic to return to mostly normal programming after two COVID interrupted years.

o Events were run on average every 10 days across the school year.

o Many reunions were triple headers.

o Interstate networking events took place in QLD, NSW, SA and WA

• The Annual Dinner returned and was an opportunity to farewell two retiring staff in Ken Schwab and Peter Robinson, after a combined teaching tenure of more than 75 years at CGS. They gave a stirring Toast to the School.

• The Gallery of Achievement dinner was back and 10 outstanding CGS alumni were added to the Gallery of Achievement.

• The OCGA versus Scotch Lawn Bowls saw a victory to the OCGA, and the golf, and Suma Park cricket days were well attended.

• The Art Exhibition and Sale was opened by Simon Swingler (a 1986 leaver), and featured wonderful works from alumni as well as past and current staff. Proceeds of the sales were donated to the Ron Wootton Memorial Fund.

• The OCGA Mentoring Program continued throughout the year with more matches being made via the Mentor Loop software package. I encourage any mentors or mentees to make contact with the community and development office if they want to be involved. It’s very rewarding.

• An Instagram page for the OCGA was launched to join the existing Facebook and LinkedIn pages. It’s become an important way to keep alumni aware of upcoming events, as well as

post photos and summaries after events. And I encourage you to follow the OCGA social pages.

• On the sporting field

o The OCGA Cricket Club fielded two teams. Andrew Richards led the 1sts to a Grand Final – unfortunately being beaten by East Malvern Tooronga, but a stellar effort. The 2nds captained by Johnathon Gumley won 11 games, but for the second season couldn’t progress past the Semi Finals. It’s the first time both teams have made finals… and off the field the OCGA cricket team has made a huge effort to stay in touch with the current CGS cricket teams, which is very much appreciated.

o The OCGA Football Club also had a very successful season with two teams reaching Grand Finals (mens and womens) and another two teams reaching Prelim Finals. In total there were 5 teams giving 170 young men and woman a chance to play. Off the field the Gala Ball was back, as was the Wellsmen lunch which was attended by 150 guests. The club is financially strong thanks to the hard work of the committee. And the link to current CGS boys is really strong with many 2022 leavers training.

• There’s more details of the full calendar of events and detailed reports of the sporting teams if you’d like to read further.

• Finally, I’d like to pass on my thanks to the Headmaster – Dr Hicks for his enthusiastic support of all that we do. And also The Head of Community and Development – Ryan Whitehead, Cindy Parker and the entire office team for successfully organising and running so many events across the year.

5. T REASURER ’ S AND I NVESTMENT R EPORTS

The Treasurer’s report was tabled, and he highlighted the following:-

• The OCGA is in a strong financial position

• $1.54M total equity

• Decrease of 12% from previous year

• OCGA had an operating deficit in 2022

• Total income was $172k – three main sources were Life Memberships, dividends and receipts from functions

• Total expenditure was $107k – major expenses were costs of functions and grants to sporting bodies

The accounts were approved unanimously by the meeting.

6. E LECTION OF HONORARY AUDITOR

Nick thanked McPhail and Partners for their work this year.

McPhail and Partners were nominated as Honorary Auditors for the coming year.

McPhail and Partners were elected Honorary Auditors unanimously by the meeting.

7. E LECTION OF C OMMITTEE FOR 20 2 3

The OCGA Committee for 2023 was accepted

Jack Amling (2019)

Peter Deliyannis (2013)

Warren Edney (1975)

Jack Fitzgerald (2018) – Vice President

Julian Giovannucci (2011) – Vice President

Geoffrey Gong (2020)

Chris Kelly (1970)

9. G ENERAL BUSINESS

10 . C LOSURE AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Michael Koswig (1986)

Richard Lee (2014)

John Mills (1984)

Michael Pountney (2001)

Nick Schildberger (1997) - President

The meeting was closed at 7.13pm. The Annual General Meeting 2024 will be on Tuesday 5 March at 7.00pm

Old Camberwell Grammarians’ assOCiatiOn

President’s Report

The OCGA had another very busy year in 2023, with events being held for alumni on average every ten days across the entire school year. Participation levels across all these activities were extremely high.

With the COVID interrupted years behind us, we took the opportunity to revisit the OCGA’s Strategic Plan, and redefined our purpose, mission and strategic priorities as follows:

Purpose: The OCGA exists to foster a supportive and inclusive community for Old Camberwell Grammarians to maximise their happiness and wellbeing in their personal and professional lives.

Mission: To provide opportunities and experiences that motivate Old Camberwell Grammarians to connect and engage with the community and become the best versions of themselves.

Strategic Priorities:

• Communication

• Connection

• Career

• Wellbeing

Wellbeing was seen as an important addition to our priorities and we ran our first event in 2023. Craig Turton from 100Words was invited as the guest speaker at a casual event to support the 2016 cohort of leavers.

Another highlight of the year was the presentation of our first Andrew Lane Prize for Service to the CGS Community. Noah Smith was the Year 9 recipient and Anson Lim the Year 10 recipient. Andrew Lane presented the first of these annual awards in Senior School Assembly. Andrew Lane was made an Honorary Member of the OCGA in November 2011 as acknowledgment of his several decades and continued service to the Camberwell Grammar School community - a very appropriate name to be added to this important prize.

OCGA sports teams, Golf and Lawn Bowls Days and Battle of the Decades Tennis were in full swing. It was a special Gallery of Achievement dinner with four outstanding alumni added.

The full calendar of OCGA activities depends on the goodwill, support, expertise and hard work of many volunteers. I thank everyone who assisted the OCGA Committee over the last year. In particular, I’d like to extend my gratitude to the Camberwell Grammar School Community and Development Office, led by Ryan Whitehead (1994), with invaluable support from Cindy Parker, for continuing to support CGS leavers no matter where their life takes them.

Life Membership

All 176 leavers from Camberwell Grammar School in 2023 joined as new Life Members of the OCGA and we are delighted to welcome them to the Association.

Finance & Investments

The reporting period for the OCGA is from 1 January to 31 December 2023. The OCGA continues to maintain a strong financial position with total equity at year end of $1,744,401. This was an increase of 13% from the prior year, mostly due to the performance of the investment portfolio which outperformed the relative Accumulation Index benchmarks and balanced funds like Vanguards Global Balanced fund which has a mix of International equities, fixed interests and cash which return 9.5%. Both income and expenditure were down slightly in the 2023 financial year due to a number of factors. The decrease in income was largely contributed by the decrease in dividends received and the decision made in early 2023 by the OCGA to no longer charge for reunion attendances. Whereas expenditure was down due to the Annual Dinner not being held in 2023. The net result for the year was a healthy surplus of $102,577, which had a favourable impact from the profit on disposal of investments of $62,282.

Total income was $132,379. The three major sources of income for the OCGA are dividends from the investment portfolio, Life Memberships, and receipts from functions. Total expenditure was $92,084. The major expenses are costs of functions and grants to sporting bodies.

I would like to thank the Finance and Investment Committee, Chaired by Warren Edney (1975) as well as our Treasurer Peter Deliyannis (2013) for these results.

Calendar of Events

8 February – OCGA versus Old Scotch Lawn Bowls. A team of seven alumni (1968 - 2021), current and past staff, current and past parents and two guests took on Old Scotch for the “Keith Weymouth Perpetual Trophy for Lawn Bowls” at MCC Bowls Club, Hawthorn. The OCGA were successful on 4 out of 5 rinks snaring the “threepeat”.

24 February – 27th Golf Challenge was once again a great success. 29 alumni (including three who are past parents and current grandparents), past parents, current parents, sponsors, staff and guests competed in an Ambrose competition. Congratulations to William Dalrymple (2016), Jesse Ward (2016), James Ramm (2016) and Charlie Simondson (guest) who were successful on the day.

7 March – Annual General Meeting was held in the Camberwell Room. 21 alumni, two staff and two current students attended. The Committee was elected for 2023 as follows:

Nick Schildberger (1997) – President

Julian Giovannucci (2011) – Vice President

Jack Fitzgerald (2018) – Vice President

Peter Deliyannis (2013) – Treasurer

Jack Amling (2019)

Warren Edney (1975)

Geoffrey Gong (2020)

Chris Kelly (1969)

Michael Koswig (1986)

Richard Lee (2014)

John Mills (1984)

17 March – Battle of the Decades Tennis Tournament was held at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. Arbel Givargis (1996) was the Best Individual Player followed by Benjamin Yep (2017). 24 alumni, and one current parent from the classes of 1974 to 2021 played for the perpetual trophy. The 10’s were the winning decade. Tennis was followed by a buffet dinner.

22 March – Generations Breakfast was held in the Wilson/Phillips room. Alumni from the class of 1959 through to 2000 came with their sons, grandsons and nephews from Year 1 to Year 12. We had three 3rd Generation and one 4th Generation family in attendance.

31 March – 30 Year Reunion (Class of 1993) was held in the Camberwell Room. 15 alumni and three current and one past staff member attended.

4 April – Careers Night saw 28 alumni from the classes of 1988 to 2020 return to Camberwell Grammar School to speak to Year 10 students. Alumni in Building & Construction, Business & Finance, Creative Arts, Engineering, Health & Medicine, Law & Society, Marketing & Media and Science & Technology spoke about their careers and experiences.

7 May – 50 Year Lunch was held in the Camberwell Room. Dr Paul Hicks welcomed the attendees and grace was said by Mr Chris Jensen (1973). Past Director of Music Trevor Henley (1969) led the singing of the school song. The toast to the school was given by Mr Hugh Hetherington (1973). 91 alumni from classes of 1948 to 1973, 36 guests, four musicians, six current staff and two past staff attended the lunch.

16 May – ACT Network Function was held at Molly Bar in Canberra. 13 alumni from 1959 to 2021, three guests and three current staff attended the event.

26 May – 10 Year Reunion (Class of 2013) was held in the Camberwell Room. 55 alumni and seven current and one past staff member attended.

15 June – Vocational Dinner 2023 – Law was held in the Camberwell Room. Alumni from the Class of 1972 through to 2020 spoke to alumni, parents and Senior School students on their careers in law, law enforcement and a current university student. The two panels answered questions on whether a

profession in law is the same as depicted in TV/movies, how AI will revolutionise the legal profession, finding work/life balance and which university they studied at and why.

Panellists were Peter Jopling AM KC (1972), David Pringle (1988), James Cheshire (1989), Venn King (1989), Tom Clarke (1991), Nick Li (1992), Christian Gorman (2012) and Geoffrey Gong (2020). 10 alumni (two who are also current parents), 13 students and seven parents attended the evening.

21 July – 20 Year Reunion (Class of 2003) was held in the Camberwell Room. 44 alumni and four current and five past staff members attended.

27 July – NSW Network Function was held in Sydney. 14 alumni, two guests and two staff members attended. Ian Robertson AO (1973) hosted the evening.

28 July – QLD Network Function was held in Surfers Paradise at Hyde @ Paradiso. 17 alumni, three guests and two staff members attended.

10 August – London Network Function was held at Savile Club and hosted by Paul Hicks and Susan Hicks. 17 alumni and two guests attended.

10 August – Roystead Society and Gallery of Achievement

Dinner was held in the Camberwell Room. 21 alumni, 26 guests, 20 staff and two senior students attended. 2023 inductees into the Gallery of Achievement were:

• Professor Peter Danchin (1987) for his achievements in the Law

• John Hart (1991) in recognition of his involvement in coaching the sport of Gymnastics

• Christopher Wong (2012) for his achievements as a National Ice Hockey player

• Dan Houston (2015) for his sporting achievements as an AFL player with Port Adelaide Lachlan O’Neill (Year 12) received the Charles Francis Award for Ethics. Professor Craig Hassed OAM (1977) addressed the dinner and shared stories of his time at CGS and early experiences with mindfulness.

7 October – Open Day saw alumni participate in sporting matches against School teams in Badminton, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey and Tennis. The OCGA defeated the School team in Hockey and lost in Badminton, Basketball, Cricket and Tennis. Terence (1994) and Simon Chong (2000) have supported an annual Badminton Trophy in their name. Alumni were invited to gather in the Camberwell Room after their matches for sandwiches and mingling.

13 October – Year 12 Cufflink Presentation saw 12 alumni fathers and OCGA President Nick Schildberger return to the School to present their sons and classmates with OCGA cufflinks.

27 October – 40 Year Reunion (Class of 1983) was held in the Camberwell Room. 25 alumni and two current and three past staff members attended.

2 November – WA Network Function was hosted by William Robinson (2003) in the office of Wootton + Kearney. Nine alumni, three past staff, three guests, Dr Paul Hicks, Mrs Susan Hicks and Mr Ryan Whitehead attended the event.

3 November – SA Network Function was held at Icarus Wine Bar in Adelaide. Seven alumni, one past staff, one guest, Dr Paul Hicks, Mrs Susan Hicks and Mr Ryan Whitehead attended the event.

15 November – 60 Year Lunch (Class of 1963 and prior) was held in the Camberwell Room. 42 alumni, nine guests, the President of the OCGA and three staff attended the event.

19 November – OCGA Social Lawn Bowls Day was held at the MCC Bowls Club, Hawthorn. 11 alumni and nine past and current staff attended the event.

21 November – OCGA Business Breakfast was held at the Athenaeum Club, Melbourne. 27 alumni, one current parent, three guests and two staff attended. Dan Woods (1986), Venn King (1989) and Nick Sims (1994) shared their experience and advice regarding leadership in a post-Covid world.

30 November – 5 Year Reunion (Class of 2018) was held in the Camberwell Room. 67 alumni and nine current and two past staff members attended.

Gallery of Achievement

This year we inducted four past students into the Gallery of Achievement for 2023. Some of these men were nominated by other alumni and some were identified through research of archival material. Once again this year the inductees span a range of achievements. They are highlighted later in this booklet.

General

The OCGA continues to work closely with the School and be involved in several other major ongoing projects. The following is a brief review of that participation:

• Participation in the Annual Giving program with the CGS Foundation.

• Support for the School archives and museum.

• Providing grants and sponsorship to current students and alumni to pursue sporting events representing Australia, as well as some smaller specific grants for particularly worthy overseas study or volunteering.

• Providing grants to OCGA sporting and arts clubs/ associations – and encouraging a strong link between these groups and current aligned bodies within the School.

• Organising speakers for the School Careers Night.

Mentoring Program

For a number of years now, the OCGA has facilitated a mentoring program for members which is powered by a software driven package called Mentor Loop. The OCGA Committee has been impressed by the take-up by both mentors and mentees and will continue to seek opportunities to support alumni on their career journeys. If you’d like more information on the mentoring program, or would like to participate, please make contact with the Community and Development Office.

Conclusion

I would like to thank the Headmaster, Dr Paul Hicks, whose enthusiastic support of all our activities is crucial to our ongoing success. Likewise, the support of the School Council and the staff of the school are invaluable, and greatly appreciated.

I thank all Committee Members for their work and advice throughout the year and the Community and Development Office staff for their organisation and support of all our activities. Overall, it was wonderful to see so many alumni participating and contributing to our active and thriving association across our full range of events and activities across 2023. However, we are always seeking input from you as we try to cater for as many interests as possible and are always willing to add, and support, new activities.

I wish our entire community a prosperous year ahead. I look forward to meeting you at an OCGA function or event soon.

Nick Schildberger (1997), President Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association

Sporting Clubs & Affiliates

OCGA Cricket Club

For those unfamiliar with the OCGCC, here is a quick snapshot of recent developments. Starting off in the Mercantile Cricket Association and being based at Crawford Oval (Princes Park), we began a transition towards the MCC Club XI Competition in the 2019/20 season, entering our 2nd XI into that competition and winning a flag. Two years later, both teams were in. The MCC Club XI is the unofficial alumni competition where the likes of Old Scotch, Old Trinity, Old Xavier (and so on) compete on schoolboy decks - natural environment for us.

Fast-forward to March 2023 and both teams are playing semifinals, the second year in a row we have achieved such a feat. Unfortunately, both the 1st XI and 2nd XI lost their semi-finals against Old Whitefriars and Melbourne High, respectively. The 2022/23 season ended with a mixture of success and disappointment.

While we didn’t achieve the on-field success we had hoped for, we did have cause for celebration as Stuart Sharp (2008) won the league bowling award for our 1st XI (Division 3), taking 20 wickets @ 11.85. Mark Nothdurft (2010) shadowed him in second place with 18 @ 19.94. Andrew Richards (2010) finished 3rd in the runs with 411 runs @ 37.36.

In our 2nd XI (Division 4), the danger man himself, Attrish Sharma took home the chocolates as the competition’s best bowler with 25 wickets @ 8.52, while Drew Tudor finished second in league batting (265 runs @ 26.5).

With whistles wettened, we pushed into this 2023/24 season determined for success. With the ongoing assistance of Liz Sayers, Ryan Whitehead and the rest of the OCGA, we have spent the season sharpening our swords (or oiling our bats?) at the school training facilities on a Thursday evening, and done battle at home (Wilson’s Road Reserve, Doncaster). A huge shout out to the School and the OCGA for their continued strong support of our Club. Truly we would not be here without them.

The Club leadership structure remained the same with Andrew Richards (2010) and Jonathan Gumley (2006) retaining President and Treasurer portfolios, as well as Captains of the 1st XI and 2nd XI respectively.

This year the OCGCC alumni contingent were invited to a season opener with an Open Day T20 exhibition against the current CGS 1st XI. Comprised of a wide range of school alumni, including current players Rhett Nothdurft (2013), Jackson Haar (2012) and Vaibhav Chandra (2006), and Andrew Richards, it was a great opportunity to meet school leavers and connect with the current generation of schoolboys all vying for a spot in the 1st XI.

The CGS 1st XI were victorious, but the OCGCC acquitted themselves well under a difficult bowling attack. An amazing opportunity that we hope will become a tradition in the years to come.

The usual wet early start to the season did not come this year, so we were able to get into the swing of things early. After a first round win, the 1st XI suffered two losses before a seven-game winning streak secured us the minor premiership. This year saw the inclusion of Nicholas (2023) and John (2018) Graves whose talent has been a great addition to our 1st XI. A late cameo from Stuart Brooks (2015) in the final round was the cherry on top of an outstanding year for our deepening connection with Alumni.

The 2nd XI has had less luck with both the weather and grounds which have caused them to miss a number of games; however, they notched together six wins, earning them 4th place and the coveted semi-finals berth. With the 2023/24 postseason bearing down on us, the OCGCC will be doing all that they can to achieve ultimate victory.

We take to the field this Sunday 3 March in the semi-finals. The 1st XI vs Melbourne High, and 2nd XI vs Maccabi AJAX. The 1st are 1-1 for the season against MHOSB, the 2s 0-2 vs Maccabi. We’re looking to go one (and hopefully two) better than we did last year.

We are, as always, thankful for the efforts of all our players for all

their sacrifices during the season. Stuart Sharp (2008) continues to do an amazing job as our senior coach as he has done over the past few years, and we hope he can steer us to success this season.

The club is keeping afloat with many thanks to the OCGA and other fundraising efforts such as our now annual Bunnings Fundraising BBQ at the Hawthorn East location.

OCGCC are always looking for past students to join us on our quest for park cricket glory. We have space for players of all levels to grow their game, help us compete or just enjoy a bit of social cricket. We have players who have returned after a long break, and some who have never stopped, and we pride ourselves on just having a supportive environment to play. If you want to know more, we’d love to hear from you either through our Instagram (@ocgcc), Facebook page, or email secretary. ocgcc@gmail.com.

Mitchell Anderson, Secretary

Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Cricket Club

OCGA Football Club

Following a successful 2022 season, 2023 came with a great sense of anticipation with the club returning to C grade for the first time since 2019. The club recruited well – a number of former Camberwell Grammarians returned to the club, adding depth and class, and together with a strong crop of school leavers, helped create depth in the playing ranks that had rarely been seen before. This depth was called upon regularly during the season. Pent-up demand for post-Covid European travel saw many players across all teams miss multiple matches. Playing resources were severely stretched, to the extent that the Third XVIII were forced to forfeit two games as their players were promoted to the Reserves to cover absences there.

Despite these challenges, which admittedly were shared by most clubs, we were able to participate in a senior men’s grand final and an Under 19’s preliminary final. And although a premiership eluded us, Old Camberwell achieved promotion to B grade, for just the third time in the club’s 63-year history.

Just as importantly, the club continued to flourish in many other ways. In this day and age, young men’s and women’s health and wellbeing is critical. At Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Amateur Football Club, we are focused on making a positive difference to the lives of young men and women, and I am so proud that our club is able to do that year after year.

Highlights of the year included two sensational Wellsmen lunches attended by over 150 past players and supporters, and a very glamorous Best and Fairest Awards Night at Leonda. The club continues to be in sound shape, but the challenge of B grade will stretch our resources, both from a financial and operational perspective.

The hard work starts now!

On Field

After being promoted from Division 1 in 2022, the main objective for the men’s senior team in 2023 was to consolidate in C grade and possibly push for a finals berth. In that context, a grand final appearance should be viewed as an outstanding achievement. It is just the second time in the club’s history that it has achieved promotion in consecutive years, and only the third time that the club has been promoted to B grade.

After recruiting well, some early wins, including coming from 42 points down at three-quarter time at Ivanhoe in round 2, generated real confidence. The roll continued throughout the home and away rounds, and culminated in Old Camberwell finishing on top of the ladder having recorded 14 wins and just two losses.

Following a disappointing loss to Old Ivanhoe in the second semifinal, the boys regrouped to defeat Parkdale in the preliminary final, ensuring a second grand final appearance in two years.

Unfortunately, Old Ivanhoe proved to be too good on the day, benefitting from an extra week’s rest and showing too much class and skill.

Pleasingly, over 85% of the grand final team attended the school, and four of the 22 were eligible to play in the Under 19s. This bodes well for the future.

Under new coach Steve Warr the men’s reserves team suffered from a long injury list and player unavailability. Post-Covid European travel took its toll on a number of teams!

Despite these challenges, at their best, the reserves were highly competitive. This was demonstrated by a nine-point loss to thirdplaced Marcellin in round 17, and a victory over fourth-placed Parkdale in round 18, meaning we missed the finals by percentage only.

The women’s team also suffered from the unavailability of several key players at various stages of the season.

Nevertheless, they showed great commitment, and if not for some errant goal kicking, could have won a number of close games and perhaps challenged for finals. Women’s football in general is going through a consolidation phase after the initial enthusiasm associated with its introduction to the VAFA in 2017.

We need to work hard to maintain the momentum and recruit well for 2024.

The Under 19s started the season with four wins and were regraded to Division 2.

Despite this jump in class, Matt Beechey’s team defied the odds and continued to win games, eventually falling to a strong Old Carey side in the preliminary final. A fantastic achievement – especially considering several of the Under 19 boys played in the senior side for much of the year, a number of others were hampered by injury, and several more missed multiple games due to overseas travel.

As per normal, the Third XVIII had a good year, winning as many as they lost, and having a lot of fun along the way. It was great

to see the Cottrell boys, Matt and Brett, taking the field together, with their father Tim taking on the role of team manager.

A big thank you to all our coaches: Anson Brownless, Tim Killworth, Ben Hart, Steve Warr, David Cooper, Anna Sallows, Matthew Beechey and Andrew Lacki. Your commitment and enthusiasm is unparalleled and greatly appreciated.

The Coaches Reviews go into detail about the year and pay tribute to all the helpers, leaders and supporters who have made this Season possible and I would also like to thank them for their incredible contributions to OCGAFC.

2024 will be challenging for all teams. B grade will represent a big jump in standard for the men’s senior teams, and will require some sound recruiting and a renewed effort and commitment from all involved.

Our women will face a new era with the likely retirement of some of our older players.

This represents a great opportunity for the younger brigade to shape the team going forward.

The Under 19s should look to 2024 with great confidence. Many current year players remain eligible to play Under 19s again next year, and the current CGS leavers have indicated a real interest in joining OCGAFC next year.

Off Field

Following the “retirement” of Kath Bithavis and Bec Kertes from the committee last year, we were joined by several new faces in 2023.

The “newbies” (Jim Smith, James Allen, Emma Vogel, Alannah Frampton and Will Woods) have all made a fantastic contribution this year. Their new ideas and enthusiasm have been a breath of fresh air for the club.

I would like to thank all committee members for their support and encouragement this year, it has been a pleasure to work with such a fine group of people. The number of hours behind the scenes given by them and our volunteers to ensure we put teams on the field week in week out is testament to everyone here and the dozens of others who make this football club great.

We fielded five football teams in 2023 – four men’s and one women’s, giving over 150 young men and women the opportunity to play our great game which is a significant achievement in and of itself. As mentioned above, it was also encouraging to note that 85% of the men’s preliminary final team attended Camberwell Grammar School, and during the year nine Under 19 boys were given the opportunity to play senior football.

Football clubs, like all good organisations, strive for continuous improvement. 2023 saw a consolidation of the good work of previous years, and included the following highlights:

A glamorous Best and Fairest Awards Night at Leonda that proved to be a fitting end to the season.

Two successful Wellsmen’s lunches attended by over 150 guests in total, the second of which culminated in the presentation of the David Stevens medal to the best senior men’s player that day.

Continuation of the closer alignment with the CGS football program including attending the jumper presentation and the Friends of Football presentation night and hosting a breakfast for Year 12 school leavers.

We developed closer links with Boroondara Council through the work of Alan Vickery.

After some turnover last year, I am pleased to report that all current committee members will remain in 2024. This stability leaves us well placed to tackle the challenges of the year ahead.

I would also like to thank the following volunteers who continue to humble us with their support. We know how important you are to the fabric of our club and thank you sincerely:

Steve Derry

Tim Cottrell

Karen and Peter Taverner

Warren ‘Wearly’ Earl

John Lagzdins

Peter Woodbridge

Captains and our leadership groups

Trainers and medical staff

Peak Physiotherapy – Andrew Kokinos

Club Awards

Church Family Award (All Club best contribution)

Carole Anjou

Ron Wootton Award (Men’s Teams best contribution)

Jim Smith

Ken Schwab Award (Women’s Teams best contribution)

Alannah Frampton

Bryan Horskins Award (President’s Award)

Charlie Urwin, Dave Frearson

The Committee

After some change last year, the committee is likely to be stable this year, and in 2024 we will look to create a Strategic Plan for the next three years. We will consult with players, coaches, volunteers, supporters, sponsors and all the OCGAFC community and ask themz: What do we want to be as a football club? What will Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Amateur Football Club be?

It is a challenging time for all sporting clubs with young people having many leisure activities to choose from, with many deciding they do not wish to commit so much time and effort to a team sport. But the one thing that was reinforced to me this year through the Wellness lunches and Golf Day, and the fantastic support all of our teams enjoyed (particularly at finals matches) is just how much this club means to so many people. I am certain they are just itching to help secure the future of the Club.

As outlined, the committee organised their activities around portfolios and assigned Committee Members to various portfolios. Our portfolios for 2023 were:

• Oversight and Governance – Gavin Powell and Adam Kyriacou

• Player Welfare – Gavin Powell and Adam Kyriacou

• Finance – Alex Vickery

• Football Operations – Charlie Urwin

• VAFA Liaison – Jim Smith

• Council Liaison – Alan Vickery

• Social, Events and Entertainment – Carole Anjou, James Allen

• Marketing, Communications and Merchandise – Alannah Frampton, Will Woods, Emma Vogel

• Sponsorship, Donations and Membership – Adam Kyriacou and Alex Taverner

• Website – Craig Sampson

• Bar and Facility Upkeep – Alan Vickery

Financial Position

Financial statements availabile on request.

It was disappointing to note that the club incurred a loss for the second year in a row, on the back of lower player subscriptions and rising costs. A meeting was recently held with key supporters to focus on increasing revenue by 40% in 2024, with several ideas being canvassed. These include a focus on player sponsorships, a player led reverse raffle, a membership day, a Wellsmen supported season launch breakfast and the launch of a Patron Club.

Sponsorship

The club retained its key sponsors in 2023 but will look to add to the list in 2024, all the while acknowledging that we are operating in a difficult environment. Encouraging all players to find a player sponsor will be a focus.

I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the committee, players and our supporters to the following key sponsors:

• The Wellsmen Coterie Group representing past players, presidents and supporters of OCGAFC

• The Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association (OCGA)

• Camberwell Grammar School

• The Elgin Inn, Hawthorn

• Alan Mitchell & Mitchell Partners

• ACCRU

• Vicpole

• Bluemouth Interactive

• Anjou & Scalora

• Peak Physiotherapy

• Bergs Productions

Membership

The club had just over 30 members in 2023, but I can’t help but think there is an enormous opportunity for us to develop and then promote/sell this to our community including past players,

parents, supporters, friends and families. If we are to grow and create further success as a club we need to develop this area for future success.

We intend to run a membership day in 2024 where a number of Wellsmen will contact their peer group and ask them to join up.

Planning For 2024

We are pleased that the planning process for 2024 is already well underway. To summarise here:

• Coaching appointments made for men’s firsts and seconds, women’s and under 19s, with the Third XVIII to be addressed early in the new year

• Football department structure including coaching coordinator role remain in place

• Player recruitment meetings held and targets identified

• Resources – ground allocations, equipment, personnel

• Player welfare – how to do this better (e.g. rehab/injury support)

• Meetings held with key supporters to identify fundraising initiatives.

Other key areas of focus for the 2024 season include:

• Attracting new sponsors, including individual player sponsors

• Undertaking a membership drive

• Painting and refitting the gymnasium

• Improve clubroom facilities including a trophy cabinet, magnetic sponsors board and changing room OCGAFC signage.

Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Football Club

Camberwell Grammarians’ Theatre Company

In 2023, CGTC put on its first production in nearly two years: Memory’s Recess. Directed by Andrew Stocker and written by Benjamin Chesler (2018), this comedy-drama explores a high school reunion that quickly falls off the rails. With a stellar cast featuring Hayden Whiteford (2020), Nicholas Sarlos-Welsh (2020), Lucy Butler, and Cyrus Chan (2018), the production performed to over 250 people over 3 nights in February 2023. While our second production of 2023 was called off, we are proud of the impact that this thought-provoking piece had on all who attended.

CGTC also belatedly received a Judges Award for the 2021 production of What The Butler Saw in recognition of our ability to pivot to a successful online performance.

CGTC is already working hard on two productions for 2024, so keep your eyes peeled across our socials for updates!

Ben Chesler (2018)

Gavin Powell, President

Old Camberwell Grammarians' Association Inc.

Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 31 December 2023

Statement of Financial Position

Statement of Changes in Equity

For the Year Ended 31 December 2023

Statement of Cash Flow s

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 31 December 2023

1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of Preparation

This financial report is a special purpose financial statements prepared in order to satisfy the financial reporting requirements of the Constitution. The committee has determined that the not-for-profit Association is not a reporting entity.

The financial report has been prepared on an accruals and is based on historic costs and does not take into account changing money values or, except where specifically stated, current valuations of non-current assets.

The following significant accounting policies, which are consistent with the previous year unless otherwise stated, have been adopted in the preparation of this financial report.

(b) Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Tax Office. In these circumstances, the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the expense. Receivables and payables in the statement of financial position are shown inclusive of GST.

(c) Investments and other financial assets

Investments held are originally recognised at cost, which includes transaction costs. They are subsequently measured at fair value which is equivalent to their market bid price at the end of the reporting period. Movements in fair value are recognised through an equity reserve.

Old Camberw ell Grammarians' Association Inc.

Directors' Declaration

The committee has determined that the Association is not a reporting entity and that this special purpose financial report should be prepared in accordance with the accounting policies outlined in Note 1 to the financial statements.

In the opinion of the committee the financial report as set out on pages 1-5:

1. Presents fairly the financial position of Old Camberwell Grammarians' Association Inc. as at 31 December 2023 and its performance for the year ended on that date.

2. At the date of this statement, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Old Camberwell Grammarians' Association Inc. will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.

This statement is made in accordance with a resolution of the committee and is signed for and on behalf of the committee by:

Treasurer

P Deliyannis

Dated 21 February 2024

Independent Auditor’s Review Report

To the Members of Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association Inc

Conclusion

We have reviewed the special purpose financial report of Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association Inc (the “Association”), which comprises the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2023, the statement of profit or loss, the statement of changes in equity and the statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information, and the directors’ declaration

Based on our review, which is not an audit, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the accompanying special purpose financial report of the Association does not comply with the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 including:

(a) giving a true and fair view of the Association’s financial position as at 31 December 2023 and of its financial performance for the year then ended; and

(b) complying with Australian Accounting Standards to the extent described in Note 1 to the financial report, and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012

Basis for Conclusion

We conducted our review in accordance with ASRE 2410 Review of a Financial Report Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity . Our responsibilities are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Review of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the Association in accordance with the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the annual financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code

Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report

The Committee is responsible for the preparation of the financial report and have determined that the basis of preparation described in Note 1 to the financial report is appropriate to meet the needs of the members, the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 and for such internal control as the Committee determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Review of the Financial Report

Our responsibility is to express a conclusion on the financial report based on our review. ASRE 2410 requires us to conclude whether anything has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the financial report does not give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Association as at 31 December 2023 and of its financial performance and its cash flows for the year ended on that date, in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards to the extent described in Note 1 to the financial report and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012

A review of a financial report consists of making enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures. A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards and consequently does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion

21 February 2024 Melbourne

E. F. McPHAIL & PARTNERS

WAYNE C. DURDIN Partner

Gallery of Achievement 2023

Professor Peter G DANCHIN (1987)

Peter Danchin completed his B.A. in Classics and LL.B. with first class honors at the University of Melbourne in 1994 where he was President of the Law Students’ Society. He was named a Lionel Murphy Scholar in 1996 and went on to study International Law at Columbia University in New York. In 1999, he was a law clerk to Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson at the Constitutional Court of South Africa before returning to Columbia where, from 2000 to 2006, he directed the Human Rights Program at the School of International and Public Affairs.

After completing his doctorate on freedom of religion in international law, he became Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Maryland in Baltimore in 2006. He was appointed to Professor in 2011 and Jacob A. France Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty in 2020. For the last decade, he has directed the school’s International and Comparative Law Program teaching courses, conducting research and leading research projects in Australia, Egypt, Europe, Ireland, Latin America, Southern Africa, and Taiwan.

He was a Senior Research Fellow at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton in 2014-15 and A.W. Mellon Visiting Fellow in Law and Religious Studies at the University of Cape Town in 2013-14. He has held visiting fellowships and was appointed as an Honorary Professor in the College of Law at the Australian National University in Canberra in 2023.

He has published widely in the fields of international law, human rights, and comparative constitutionalism with a focus on the politics of religious freedom in legal, political, and moral thought. His publications include Protecting the Human Rights of Religious Minorities in Eastern Europe (Columbia 2002), United Nations Reform and the New Collective Security (Cambridge 2010), and Politics of Religious Freedom (Chicago 2015).

Mr John K M HART (1991)

John has been involved in coaching the sport of Gymnastics for more than 30 years. Over this time, John has coached athletes to represent Australia at ten World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games. Notably, he is the only Australian Gymnastics coach to have had gymnasts represent Australia at the past four consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) as well as being the only Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Australian coach to have had gymnasts medal at the last four consecutive Commonwealth Games (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).

John has been named in the Coaching Team of the Year numerous times over the years by both Gymnastics Victoria and Gymnastics Australia, has been a finalist for Victorian Sport Coach of the Year on three occasions, and was the Australian Women’s Gymnastics Head Coach at the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games.

John received a Centenary of Federation Scholarship in 2001 and was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2021. Most recently, he received the International Gymnastics Federation Honorary Coaches’ Diploma which is awarded to a coach who has represented his or her country at a minimum of eight International Gymnastics Federation competitions (Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, World Championships) as a National Coach or a personal coach. John is one of the first WAG coaches in Australia to be awarded this Diploma.

John is renowned for his exceptional coaching techniques, work ethic and passion for learning, and is considered one of Australia’s most highly regarded Gymnastics coaches.

Mr Dan Cameron HOUSTON (2015)

Dan made his debut with the Port Adelaide Football Club in 2017 after he was their third selection and fortyfifth overall in the 2016 rookie draft. Prior to the start of the 2017 Season, he was promoted to the senior list and subsequently made his debut in the twenty-eight point win against Sydney in the opening round of the season at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Dan received the AFL Rising Star nomination in 2017 for Round 21 after gathering 21 disposals and kicking his first AFL goal in the 27-point win over Collingwood at the Adelaide Oval.

In 2018, Dan received the Gavin Wanganeen Medal awarded to the Port Adelaide’s best performing AFL player under the age of 21. Dan also received the Coaches’ Award as player who is deemed to be the most improved by the coaches.

Dan has finished third for the John Cahill Medal for the best performing Port Adelaide AFL player in both the 2019 and 2022 season. In 2019, Dan was named in the 22 Under 22 team, an honorary representative Australian Rules Football team created by the AFL Players’ Association that seeks to recognise the best young talent in the Australian Football League.

Dan has signed to stay at Port Adelaide until at least the end of 2027.

Mr Christopher Hoi-Kit WONG (2012)

Chris joined Camberwell Grammar in 2007 and has always been an avid Ice Hockey player. He first represented Victoria in 2005 and continued to represent Victoria in multiple age groups, captaining multiple teams to gold and silver medals in state championships throughout his years at the School.

In 2011, he was selected for the Under 18 Australian National team as their youngest player at 15 years old, where they won gold at the World Championships. He also signed his first contract in the semi-professional Australian Ice Hockey League with the Melbourne Ice, winning back-to-back National Championships.

In 2012, Chris represented Australia again in the Under 18 World Championships and in 2013 he captained the Under 18 National team. During 2010 – 2013 Chris played in junior teams in Finland to hone his skills, returing home to complete the school year.

In 2014, Chris represented Australia in the Under 20 national team in the World Championships. In 2016, he was selected to play for the Australian Men’s National team in Romania, winning silver. In 2017, Chris played a career-best season with the Melbourne Ice and set a new league record with the most wins, and eventually took out the National Championship, the 3rd in his Hockey career. Following the impressive season, he was signed for his first professional contract to play in Sweden Division 2, playing one season with Sweden’s Boro Vetlanda. Chris represented the Australian men’s team two more times winning another silver and a bronze medal in Netherlands and Serbia respectively.

Away from Hockey, Chris studied industrial design and married fellow designer Christine Comelli in 2022. They have now both moved away from design and run their own business, Porcupine Eatery, transitioning from designer to a chef and restaurateur.

The Camberwell Grammar School Gallery of Achievement was established to acknowledge and celebrate the success of generations of Old Camberwell Grammarians.

It is an ongoing, evolving project, which aims to inspire current and future students to pursue excellence in a wide range of careers, community service and sport.

A detailed biography of each past student inducted will be included in a Gallery of Achievement Perpetual File, to be held in the Camberwell Grammar School Community and Development Office.

Some of these biographies have been edited for space. Full biographies are available at www.ocga.org.au.

Old Camberwell Grammarians’ assOCiatiOn neW liFe MeMbers 2023

Luke Alateras

Darcy Albert

James Alexandrakis

William Allsop

Aj Ananthapavan

Freddie Askew

Christien Aung

Henry Baker

Nicholas Banjac

Sebastian Beck

Joshua Blew

Billy Booth

Hayden Bourke

Felix Brown

Timothy Bryson

James Cai

Charles Campbell-Cowan

Roger Cao

Cooper Carbone

Rafael Carmel

Denton Chan

Ebyn Chan

Lucas Chan

Jet Chao

Tony Chen

Yiyu Chen

Kevin Chen

Ned Chesler

Michael Cheung

Henry Chew

Anthony Choi

Elliot Choi

Alexander Choong

Samuel Choong

James Ciro

Jacob Clark

Andy Congshen

William Couttie

Owen Cox

Thomas Cross

Alex Dai

Ravin Desai

Jimmy Devine

Tiger Diao

James Dixon

Jack Dobbyn

Aren Dosser

Cam Dunne

Frank Fan

Zane Fares

Jason Fieldhouse

Ryan Fieldhouse

Roy Fleming

William Fraser

Elliot Fry

Owen Gao

Charles Ghostine

Alex Giang

Matthieu Gibert

Max Grant

Nicholas Graves

William Grigg

Albert Guan

Rick Gui

Abhinav Gujjari

Tom Guo

Gabriel Guorgi

Matthew Haig

Keelan Hale

Andrew Hare

Lachlan Harker

Alexander Harris

Alexander Hatzicostas

Cameron Haw

Ray He

Flynn Helmer

Owen Henderson

Samuel Hindhaugh

Patrick Homes

Tim Howard

Joshua Hu

Louis Huang

Jordan Huang

Joshua Hui

Connor Inston

Rui Jiang

Robert Johnston

Shivansh Kakkar

Sam Keenan

James Kerferd

Thomas Kohne

Rick Kovos

Alexander Lau

Rhys Lee

Charlie Leong

Jarrod Leong

Nathan Leung

Cooper Lewis

Marcus Liew

Marcus Lim

Isaac Lin

Richard Liu

Oliver Liu-Mu

Darcy Livingstone

William Lombardi

Ed Lord

Archie Lowe

Ashton Lu

Matthew Lu

Justin Lu

Eamon Luu

Alex Ma

Jack Maitland

Liam McCarthy

Lachlan McFarland

Angus McNeill

Charles Mills

Joshua Muehlebach

Thomas Newman

Jordan Ng

Lachlan Nguyen

Tom Nguyen

Jack Nicholson

Alexander Nielsen

Patrick Niu

Ryan O’Hoy

Lachlan O’Neill

Andrew Ong

Blake Pahos

Liam Papas

Tane Parkinson

Hugo Pringle

Stef Raydan

Charlie Reid-Pettett

Hao Ren

Nathan Rice

Michael Rigby

Thomas Rigby

Taran Rose

Calum Sandie

Oliver Scotter

Oliver Seeley

Daniel Senior

Nicholas Shim

Henry Shirrefs

Erik Simo-Orgonas

Oscar Smith

Harry Stambanis

Will Stamper

Connor Stavrakis

Daniel Stephen

Isaac Tan

Alan Tian

Adam Tiong

Oliver To

Max Vago

Ben Vause

Matthew Wakefield

Michael Wang

Steven Wang

Harry Watson

Ben Wishart

Thomas Wong

Jimmy Wu

Kunjie Wu

Stanley Xiao

Kevin Xu

Jordan Yang

Thomas Yang

Timothy Yap

Aydan Yim

William Zhang

Tin Lok Zhang

Tony Zhao

Jason Zhao

Justin Zhu

oCGA CoMMittee 2024

Jack Amling (2019)

Peter Deliyannis (2013)

Warren Edney (1975)

Julian Giovannucci (2011)

Jack Fitzgerald (2018)

Geoffrey Gong (2020)

Chris Kelly (1969)

Michael Koswig (1986)

John Mills (1984)

Michael Pountney (2001)

Nick Schildberger (1997)

Paul Hicks Headmaster

Ryan Whitehead Executive Officer (1994)

Cindy Parker Development Associate