ISC AFL Round 10 – Saturday 5 August
| Team | Opposition | Venue | Score | Highlights |
| Shore Opens 2 | Newington College | ELS Hall No. 3 | Shore 114 (17.12) defeated NC 25 (4.1). Shore WON by 114. | Max McAlpine 3 |
| Shore Intermediate 2 | St Aloysius’ College | Bat and Ball Oval | Shore 35 (5.5) def. by SAC 36 (5.6). Shore Lost by 1. | |
| Shore Juniors 2 | Trinity Grammar School | Bat and Ball Oval | Shore 19 (3.1) def. by TGS 68 (9.14). Shore Lost by 49. | |
| Shore Juniors 3 | Cranbrook School | North Narrabeen Reserve AFL Field | Shore 13 (2.1) def. by CS 65 (9.11) . Shore Lost by 52. |
Note: For a student to make Highlights, they need to have kicked three (3) or more goals.
| Wins: | 1 |
| Losses: | 3 |
| Draws: | 0 |
| Byes/Internal: | 0 |
| Match Abandoned: | 0 |
Undefeated Teams: N/A
Last Saturday was our final game for the 2023 season. At the start of the season, as a coach, staff member or MIC of the program, you always set yourself two main goals; for each student to have an enjoyable time; and to have developed their game and become a better player than they were at the start of the season.
Watching the games on the weekend, I can truly say the standard of the players has improved dramatically. The results on the weekend may not represent the improvement of the players, but it came down to very minor things that can be developed over the years.
The Junior teams kicked off early in the morning. Division 3 played an even-fought game against Cranbrook that was great to watch, with many completed passes and kicks. The only difference was a couple of players from the opposing team who were far better than everyone. Luca Scott added to his tally of goals taking out the Golden Boot award, Hamish McKindley was awarded Most Improved player, and the little “Pocket Rocket”, William Thompson took out Best and Fairest with his die-hard attitude and commitment playing well above his size. The team finished in 3rd place with four wins and five losses. The Division Two team had a similar result. They played extremely well but were only beaten by a couple of highly classed players. Going into the match, both Thomas Hamilton and Aidan Kurtis were equal on top of the ladder for Golden Boot with 23 goals. Unfortunately, Thomas has been unable to play the last couple of games, including last Saturday, allowing Aidan to kick one goal and take out the Golden Boot, not just for the team but for the whole Shore AFL program finishing on 24 goals for the season. Not bad for someone who is new to the sport. Division Two finished in 3rd place with six wins and four losses.
Since the Intermediates had been relegated to Division Two, they had only lost two nail-biting games. Their third loss for the season, on the weekend by one point, was a heart-breaker to finish the season. They took the lead going into the final quarter, but St Aloysius managed to square it up and kick a crucial behind point in the dying stages. They finished the season up in 4th position with four wins and six losses. They can still take a lot of the season knowing their best players were playing up in First XVIII. Well done to Tom Fuzes from Year 9 for taking out Best and Fairest and Bill Goa for taking the double of Golden Boot award and Most Improved.
The First XVIII has had a breakout season this year. They were the first team to go to four training sessions a week, were involved in a Special Forces Challenge Day for pre-season, travelled down to Melbourne, staying at Xavier College and playing against Xavier and Melbourne Grammar School, and hosted the very first Presentation of the Guernsey night with special guest Lewis Roberts-Thomson presenting the guernsey’s to the boys. They played up in Division 1 and played against the best schoolboys’ teams in Sydney. Although our first win of the season did not come until Round 8, when we were relegated to Division 2, the boys should be proud of their achievements. Last Saturday was a great way for them to showcase how far they have come in developing their own skills and team structure. They played the top three teams in Division Two, and they demonstrated that they do belong in Division One. It’s important for us to challenge these top schools that we continue to work hard and aim towards our long-term goals; that is, to provide the groundwork for the junior boys coming through. The First XVIII was outstanding on the weekend, and it was great to see so many of the boys kicking their first goal, especially Will Cole, his first in six years. Next Friday night, we will be hosting the First XVIII End of Season Function. We will name the Golden Boot winner, Most Improved and the ‘Lewis Roberts-Thomson’ Best and Fairest Award. It will be a fun night to celebrate the season with the coaches, staff, players, and parents.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole AFL community for their commitment and support of the program. It’s been a pleasure working with everyone and witnessing the boys improving their game each week. I look forward to seeing everyone back again next year. In the meantime, enjoy your summer season.
“Success is not for the chosen, but for those who choose.”
Mr G Tesoriero
MIC of AFL