Little Leagues Report – Round 6
It was an extremely busy and exciting week for Cranbrook Junior School Sport. The highlight was the Year 3–6 Athletics Carnival held at SOPAC, where students showcased tremendous enthusiasm and athletic talent across all events. Meanwhile, our Paul Kelly Cup AFL team performed superbly to reach the regional finals, narrowly going down in the semi-final to the eventual tournament winners.
A strong Cranbrook contingent also represented the school at the Cross Country Championships held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre achieving some solid results.
Saturday Sport continued to deliver exciting moments across rugby, football, tennis and multi-sport. From hard-fought matches to dominant displays our students are all showing growth in their endeavours across our winter sports.
Yours in Sport,
James Roughan
Head of Sport and PDHPE
CIS Cross Country
The recent Combined Independent Schools (CIS) Cross Country Championships took place on Thursday, June 12th at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Cranbrook Junior School students performed admirably, a testament to their dedication and preparation.
Samuel P placed 17th in the 10s category.
In the 11s category, Eddie C (21st), Teddy B (22nd), Hugo C (24th), and Louis B (59th) all ran with determination.
Freddie F earned an impressive 28th place in the 12/13s category.
Each student contributed to a strong Cranbrook presence at the championships. Congratulations to all involved on an excellent cross-country season.
Kurt Fryer
Cross-Country Coach
Paul Kelly Cup Regional Finals
Last Wednesday, 15 Year 5 & 6 students travelled to Lane Cove for the Paul Kelly Cup Regional Final. Having won the Local Day in Week 9 of Term 1, the team has shown great dedication, showing up for weekly training in preparation for this event. Up against schools that play AFL, we knew that the games would be a challenge. Our students’ improvement was clear for all to see, as we won our first 2 games, 19-7, and 21-3. Going into our 3rd pool stage game, and having already secured our spot in the semi-final, it’s fair to say some complacency set in. After a very sluggish first half, we were down by 3 goals at the break. The team knew this was far from their best performance and came out firing in the second half. A brilliant fight back ended with a draw; 21-21, but to us, it felt like a win! We went into the semi-final with rediscovered confidence.
The semi-final was, as expected, a closely fought contest. The lead constantly see-sawed, and despite a late Cranbrook surge towards goal, our opposition was ahead when the final whistle blew, 26-32. A bitter-sweet finish, as we’d improved so much, and performed so well against strong opponents, but fallen just short. The students were disappointed, but should certainly hold their heads high for their outstanding commitment in the past months, and their impeccable sportsmanship on the day.
Eddie Lewis
Head of Sports Operations P-12
Rugby
Year 3
The Year 3 Sevens teams faced close contests at Koola Park. Despite the challenges, the teams emerged victorious and showed clear improvement with each match. The benefits of focused defensive training during Friday’s session were evident on the field.
Year 4A
The Year 4A team met a strong St Patrick’s outfit. A slow start impacted the early stages of the game, resulting in early tries due to missed tackles and errors. While the second half saw better execution, it wasn’t enough to turn the result around.
Year 5A
The Year 5A side took on a formidable Waverley team. Ben H opened up the match with excellent attacking play, stretching Waverley’s defence, while Bond M made his presence felt with some strong tackling. Despite these efforts, Waverley proved too strong on the day.
Year 5B
Cranbrook’s 5Bs had a fantastic start with a solid win over Riverview, driven by key contributions from Will and Sam. In their second match, they secured a well-earned draw against a strong Trinity team, capping off a successful day of rugby.
Year 6A
Score: Cranbrook 7 – Waverley 21
Cranbrook put up a spirited effort against Waverley at home. Inventive play from James C led to a try by William. However, Waverley capitalised on gaps in the defence to take control. Improving line speed on defence will be a focus in upcoming training sessions.
Peter Dumbleton
Head of Rugby
Football (Soccer)
Year 6
6A – 4-0 Win vs Sydney Grammar
Despite the strong scoreline, the team fell short of their usual high standards. Nonetheless, there were positives, especially in ball movement, use of width, and strategic play that will be vital as they transition to 11-a-side football.
6B – 3-1 Win
With only one substitute, the 6Bs played with tremendous energy. Henry opened the scoring with a superb strike, while Jayden and George controlled the midfield. Strong defensive work from Charlie and Sung, combined with Will’s goalkeeping, sealed the win.
6C – 7- 0 Win
A dominant performance from start to finish. Henry led with clinical finishing, supported by Julian and Jamie’s creativity. Special mention to Will W, who moved outfield late in the match and celebrated two goals in style.
Year 4
4A – 3-1 Win
After conceding early, the 4As responded with intelligent and composed play, creating numerous chances and finishing strongly.
4B – 5-0 Win
A commanding win highlighted by cohesive team play and a sensational long-range goal from Ricky.
4C – 4-4 Draw
A dramatic contest saw the 4Cs come from 2-0 down to lead 4-2, only to concede two late goals. A spirited and skilful performance throughout.
Year 3
3A – 10-0 Win
Another polished display extended the team’s winning streak. Will led the charge with smart link-up play. When Barker added two extra players in the second half, Cranbrook lifted their intensity in response.
3B – 10-0 Win
With only five players available, the 3Bs delivered an outstanding performance. Hugo starred with a hat-trick, while Oli and Xavier from the C team contributed impressively.
3C – 13-0 Win
A commanding performance led by Oli (6 goals), Xavier (3), and Freddie (2). The team controlled the match throughout, with the mercy rule eventually invoked.
3D – 2-0 Win
A tighter match saw Cranbrook break the deadlock in the second half with goals from Julius and Angus. Strong opposition goalkeeping kept the scoreline close, but Cranbrook were deserving winners.
Ben Rollison
Head of Football
Tennis
This week’s focus in the Winter Junior Tennis program was on developing tactical awareness and consistency. Players worked on cross-court rally drills, directional changes, and height variation using butterfly drills to build adaptability.
Serving was a major component, progressing from short to full-length serves to build power and precision.
Saturday match play continues to offer valuable opportunities for students to apply their training under pressure.
Special Mentions:
Avery T – Undefeated in the internal round-robin tournament.
Orlando F – Recognised for exceptional focus and discipline during training.
Both students have shown excellent progress as part of a growing group demonstrating strong improvement and commitment.
Ben Higgins
Head of Tennis
Multi-Sport
Round 6 was full of energy and skill-building. The session began with evasion-based tagging games, enhancing agility and spatial awareness, followed by striking drills focused on timing and coordination. To close, a fast-paced Numbers Indoor Football match encouraged teamwork and quick decision-making.
Player of the Week: Sam H, for his consistent effort and positive attitude throughout the session.
Josh Cohen
Assistant Head of Sport & PDHPE Teacher