Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents and Carers

Recognition and celebration of International Women’s Day last week has timed well with peak activities with one of our major partner girls’ schools. The powerful advocacy of women’s rights and respect for women and girls at last week’s Assembly by Ms Douglas, Principal of Wenona, the Wenona Head Prefect, Zara Yee, and our own Senior Prefect, Angus Leslie, was followed on Monday by our Annual Cadet Passing Out Parade. Nearly 700 students from Shore and Wenona combined together in military pageantry to reflect the best traditions of the Australian Army. Women are now able to serve in all roles in the Australian Army, including combat positions, receiving the same training, salaries and opportunities as men. Similarly, the Shore and Wenona Student Officer Corps is comprised of boys and girls. The Cadet Unit is a peak activity of the positive relationship Shore has established with seven leading girls’ schools within easy transport of Shore.

The Cadet week of prominence, one of several throughout the year, concluded with a magnificent Cadet Dining-In Night on Thursday evening with the Cadets from both schools resplendent in their dress uniforms. The rapport between students of our two participating schools is a very positive aspect of our partnership.

This notion of respect is consistent with our Anglican heritage. Jesus broke down all of these divides and discriminations: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. Galatians 3:28

This week, we celebrate Harmony Day. Each year, Shore invites the Senior Executive and student leaders from Holroyd High School in Merrylands to address our boys at Senior School Assembly. What we hear from their girls (only boys came this year) is characteristically that they have fled oppression in other countries, such as Afghanistan. It is impressive that they are so articulate as many under repressive regimes were denied education in their home countries. While we may not be able to exercise much immediate effect on such situations, we can include our voices in this condemnation of denial of fundamental rights to women.

Shore’s annual WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) Report has also arrived within this same timespan. It indicates that the average salaries of our women on staff exceed the salaries of our men. This compares to the lingering gender pay gap across the education sector and the wider Australian workforce, with women continuing to be paid less on average. Our results are essentially for two reasons: we have notionally equal numbers of male and female teachers but most of our sporting coaches are young males and most of these are casual employees paid at rates according to their age and level of experience, hence a lower rate of pay compared to the work performed by women.  However, the positive skewing towards female salaries also masks that at Executive Leadership Team level, two thirds of the members are male and one third female. We anticipate this discrepancy will resolve over time; it is axiomatic that women, being half the population, will represent 50% of the skills base for such positions.

Shore has made gains in the upper middle pay quartile with more professional women employed as managers and directors. In the recent past, we have appointed more females than males to managerial roles, mostly at middle leadership level, and currently have 40% women and 60% men in management (an increase of 5% on last year). Shore is committed to gender equity and to respect for men and women. Important programs which are designed to assist our boys to develop healthy respect include the teaching of the Consent curriculum to mixed groups of Shore boys and girls from our partner schools.

In essence, Shore offers single sex education which concentrates on pedagogy which is effective for boys, but within a framework of sound structured programs for our boys and the girls of our seven partner schools, and within a context where Shore models effective adulthood of men and women with authority over our boys. Good manhood absolutely requires respect for women and girls.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Chaplains’ Chat

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

This passage from the Gospel of Matthew challenges us to reflect deeply on what we value most in life and where we place our trust. It’s a passage all about investment, not what to invest in but where your investment lies. We all want secure investments, whether in relationships, jobs, time or finances. We all want safety and assurance.

This week in Chapel, Mr Ng shared these words of Jesus, encouraging us to evaluate what we treasure in our hearts. He reminded us that the issue at the core of Jesus’ teaching is security—because so many things in this world simply don’t last. In his talk, Mr Ng shared some stories of people whose treasures failed to satisfy: the YouTuber Benji Plant, whose life was devastated when his L.A. home was destroyed in January during the fires; NBA star Kevin Durant, who expressed a feeling of emptiness, even after achieving his championship goal, and a personal story of academic disappointment after receiving one of his HSC results in Year 12. The fact is that often, these earthly treasures, though good things, fail to meet our deeper needs or lead to disappointment.

These examples remind us that earthly successes and possessions often fail to meet the deeper needs of our hearts. Jesus’ words invite us to reconsider what we are striving for and to turn our focus toward treasures that hold eternal value. True security is found not in the things of this world but in the hope and promises of heaven. By reorienting our hearts toward God’s kingdom, we find a treasure that satisfies in ways nothing else can. A treasure that promises forgiveness, peace and eternal life to all who seek it.

Rev John Sheldon
Chaplain (Acting)

CRU Update

At CRU this week, we continued to delve into the book of Exodus, specifically during the aftermath of Pharaoh’s rebellion against Moses and God. After a quick ‘10 Plagues’ game, Jack Holt interviewed Will McCowan on his personal life (“What’s your favourite holiday destination?”) but more importantly, deeper questions about Christianity such as what it means to be Christian. After that, Will gave the Bible Reading on Exodus 7 — a chapter that explained the first of 10 plagues onto the Egyptians after Pharaoh’s disobedience to God, turning the Nile River completely into blood.

Caleb Schmidt began the talk by asking a core question — why does God do the things he does? We usually see him do merciful things such as creating humanity and sending Jesus to free us of our sins, but in Exodus and notably the plagues, we see him using his great power. Caleb taught a couple of key lessons.

The first is that God has complete control over his creation. Often when we think about God, we see him as an abstract being — someone we only consider after death and who doesn’t play a role in everyday events. The story of the 10 plagues completely subverts this. It highlights that God has power over all of nature and humanity. When God turns the Nile into blood, he is showing Pharaoh that he is in control over Pharaoh. In Chapter 9, he even tells Pharaoh “For now I could have stretched out my hand…and wiped you off the Earth”. Thus, God is not only intending to harm the Egyptians, he is also demonstrating to Pharaoh (and to us) his omnipotence over creation.

The second lesson (and reason that God turned the Nile into blood) is that God uses his power not to harm but instead to raise his people. The enslaved Israelites had been subject to awful conditions. God highlights his mercy towards his people by using his power to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites out of Egypt — essentially the only way that Pharaoh would be convinced into freeing the Israelites out of slavery. This great display of power and mercy goes to show the extent of God’s care for his people. Note that God’s people encompasses all of us and all of his creation, not just the Israelites, and his love and mercy over us can be seen everywhere — most notably in sacrificing his only son Jesus to free us from death.

Moving forward, we will have CRU on Thursday lunchtimes for Years 7 to 8 and Friday lunchtimes for Years 9 to 12. In addition, there is a weekly Bible study run every lunch for each Year Group. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Bible, especially for new Year 7 boys. You do not need to be a Christian to come to CRU — all you need is yourself and an interest in looking further into Christianity with a supportive group of friends, a soft drink and a sausage sandwich.

Jayden Pan
Year 11

AAGPS Sporting Events

Year Group Compulsory Event Dates

Each year, the major AAGPS Sporting events provide an opportunity for the boys of the School to come together to show support for their School and our athletes.

In 2025, the following year groups will be attending the AAGPS Events:

Head of the River, Saturday 22 March

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 9. Year 11 and 12 are welcome to attend.
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Swimming Carnival, Friday 28 March

• Compulsory for all Year 10 and 11 (except those participating in the Musical).
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Athletics Carnival, Saturday 20 September

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 10. Year 12 are welcome to attend.
• Winter School uniform (no boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Transport will be arranged.

Communications will be sent home to parents with relevant details closer to each event.

Dr Andrew Mansfield
Deputy Head Operations

Lampada Tips and Tricks

Following last week’s tip on Accessing Student Information, this week, we’re focusing on how you can find your child’s Sport training and match fixtures within Lampada.

How to Access Sport Information

1. On the Lampada homepage, simply scroll down, and click on the “Calendar” button located under your child’s name.

2. This will take you to a new page displaying the full calendar of your selected child. Training fixtures and weekend Sport can be found within the calendar.

3. The calendar items can then be clicked to show more information.

Additionally, weekend fixtures can also be accessed by clicking on the “Weekend Sporting Fixtures” button located on the Lampada homepage. This will take you to the sporting fixtures page on the Shore website.

Click here for more Lampada help information.

School Photos Now Available

Having strengthened privacy measures around accessing student photos, Melba Studios now has the following 2025 photos available:

• Individual Portrait, available for instant download
• House Photo and Composite Year Photo, digital copies can be requested and will be sent via file transfer service WeTransfer within 48 hours. Group photos will no longer be available for preview before digital distribution and/or purchase.
• Printed packages are available to order at various price points.
  
  Please find all instructions on Lampada here.

Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) Tennis Day

Last Friday was a fantastic day at Northbridge Tennis Pavilion for the SPA Tennis Day. 

Despite the damp weather, Parents and Carers enjoyed a workout on the courts as well as lots of socialising on the sidelines. A big THANK YOU to Mrs Rachel Hadfield for all her hard work behind the scenes to coordinate a fabulous SPA Tennis Day.

Click here to see the photo gallery.

Southern Highlands Invitation

Dear Old Boys and Shore parent community,

You and your partner are warmly invited to a morning tea.

Date: Wednesday 26 March

Time: 10:00am – 11.30am

Venue: The Pavilion at ‘Hopewood House’
201 Centennial Road, Bowral

We are delighted to announce that our special guest is the Chair of Council, Mr Rob Clarke (’81). We are very fortunate that Mr Clarke will be sharing with us and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet him.

Our Community Chaplain Rev Dr Nick Foord will also be in attendance. Please spread the word and we look forward to seeing you at this event. Our sincere thanks once again to Mr and Mrs Tim and Janet Storrier for graciously hosting us at their beautiful home.

RSVP: Please email oldboys@shore.nsw.edu.au by Thursday 20 March

Maria Black
Alumni Community Manager
Phone: 02 9956 1123 or Email: oldboys@shore.nsw.edu.au

Sydney FC’s Autumn Clinics Are Back

Sydney FC’s Autumn Holiday Clinics, in partnership with Shore, are back and better than ever, giving your child the chance to level up their skills, make new friends, and have a blast these holidays! ⚽️  

Date: Tuesday 22 April to Thursday 24 April 2025

Time: 9.00am – 3.00pm each day

Location: Shore Playing Fields, Northbridge Campus

🔥 Three Days of Football Fun, Games, and Challenges! 
Give your child the ultimate football experience these school holidays with three action-packed days of games, skill-building and friendly competition. 

⚽ Level up your skills with coaching from the pros! 
Our expert Sydney FC coaches will guide your child through fun drills and techniques, helping them develop their football skills and boost their confidence. 

🎯 Perfect for soccer fans in Year 7! (Ages 5-12) 
Whether your child is a beginner or already has some experience, our clinics are designed to meet all skill levels, ensuring they have a blast while improving their game. Kick off the holidays in style and secure your little footballer’s spot today!

Year 7 Family BBQ

Last weekend’s Year 7 BBQ was a fantastic success. Thank you to the Year 7 families who attended. Parents and students came together to enjoy a day filled with casual cricket and rugby matches, and enjoyed the sunny weather on their picnic blankets.

It was a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet new friends, connect with familiar faces, and strengthen Shore’s community spirit.

Special thanks to the dedicated parents who volunteered their time to ensure the event ran smoothly. Your efforts in running the stalls added an extra layer of enjoyment for everyone involved.

We look forward to more opportunities to come together both in year groups and as part of wider school events throughout the remainder of the year.

Click here for the full photo gallery.

Music Calendar

All dates and events are subject to change, please confirm with the Music Department.

Shore’s Production of Newsies – A Must-See Musical

Step into the bustling streets of turn-of-the-century New York City as our students bring to the stage the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Newsies! Inspired by the true story of the Newsboy’s Strike of 1899, the largest child-led strike in history, this high-energy production follows Jack Kelly and his fellow newsies as they stand up against injustice and fight for what’s right. With thrilling choreography, powerful storytelling, and iconic songs like Seize the Day and King of New York, Newsies is a must-see event for the whole family.

Proudly joined by students from Wenona, Queenwood, Roseville College and SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

Don’t miss this must-see production!

Dates: 

• Thursday 27 March
• Friday 28 March
• Saturday 29 March
• Wednesday 2 April
• Thursday 3 April
• Friday 4 April
• Saturday 5 April

Time: 7.30pm

Location: Smith Auditorium

Book Tickets

2025 Athletics Carnival

The following races will occur in Week 10 of Term 1. All students are invited to turn up and race at either or both events, and no sign up is necessary. Students who compete will be given a House Point towards the Athletics Carnival House Points tally. Students who place in their race will accumulate points towards Age Group Champion.

• U13 – OPENS 1500m
  Monday 31 March
  7am
  School Oval

• OPENS 3000m
  Thursday 3 April
  7am
  School Oval

Mr Sparks
MIC Athletics

Shore Athletics Carnival 2025

Top 10 in your age group?

Expressions of Interest (EOI) to be involved in a Championship Race at the Athletics Carnival (Tuesday 1 April).

100m / 200m/ 400m / 800m / Hurdles (hurdles experience required)

Submit your EOI through Clipboard Activity here.

Mr Jono Sparks
MIC Athletics

Shore Rugby – 2025

As the Winter season approaches, please note the following key dates for boys in Term 1 in preparation for the season’s commencement.

Term 1

Saturday 15 March

• Final Summer Sport weekend (excluding Head of the River crews)
• Rest week for coaches and boys

Tuesday 18 and Thursday 20 March

• 14A/B, 15A/B, 16A/B “Return to Contact” 15min sessions in gym 3-3:15pm or 3:15-3:30pm.

Monday 24 March

• Training commences for all age groups. Under 13s and Under 14s will train on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Saturday 29 March

• Internal training and trials – Under 13s (Northbridge)
• 14A/B, 15A/B, 16A/B vs Hunter Wildfires (Northbridge)
• Opens and all other age group internal trials (Northbridge)

Friday 4 April

• Shore Rugby Season Launch – The Buena, Mosman – 6pm (Parents only – ALL rugby parents are invited)

Saturday 5 April

• First, Second, Third XV and 16A vs Waverley (Queens Park)
• 13A, 14A, 15A vs Waverley (Northbridge)
• All other age groups, internal trials (Northbridge)

Thursday 10 April

• Under 13s, Under 14s overnight camp in Shore Boarding houses (North Sydney)
• Third XV Scrimmage vs St Aloysius 3:30pm (Northbridge)

Friday 11 April

• First and Second XV Trial Games vs Cranbrook (Cranbrook)

Term 1 – Holiday Schedule

• Week 1: Open gym (all teams (optional)
• Week 2: Under 15s tour of Darwin and 16A and Opens (First, Second, Third XV) Tour of Lennox Head

Mr David Mason-Jones
MIC Rugby

Shore Surfing Competition

Attention all Surfers. This year’s Shore surfing competition will be held on Saturday 29 March at Long Reef Beach. The competition will commence at 7.15am. Heat times and draw available before the event. There will be two divisions – Junior (Year 7 to 9) and Senior (Year 10 to 12).

Entry forms are now available from Mr McClelland and should be signed and returned ASAP.

Term Dates 2025

Stories Worth Telling

As part of their study of ‘Stories Worth Telling: Life Lessons to Remember’, Shore’s Year 9 English cohort welcomed Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin from Our Big Kitchen and Angus Megarrity from Rough Edges to share their stories and advice. The English Department worked alongside Mr Huw Blood, the Head of Service Learning, to plan an event that offered valuable insight into the speakers’ remarkable lives, the significance of charitable services in our society, and the importance of sharing stories with others.

Both speakers shared deeply personal stories, reflecting on their personal experiences and work assisting those in need in the Sydney community. These reflections revealed powerful life lessons to the young men of Year 9.

Students will have the opportunity to visit Our Big Kitchen with their House Groups in the coming weeks and Rough Edges in their Senior Years at Shore. In the coming weeks, the Year 9 cohort will continue their study by exploring Eddie Jaku’s The Happiest Man on Earth and composing their personal account of an important story from an individual in their extended family, considering how personal stories can illuminate important lessons about humanity.

Mr Harry Guest
Teacher, English
Mathers Housemaster (Acting)

Careers News

At the recent Macquarie University Schools Symposium last Friday. Ashley Fell, Director of Advisory at McCrindle presented a thought provoking keynote about the Future of Work and Education. Some interesting findings from McCrindle’s research include:

• 65% of primary school kids today will work in jobs that do not exist yet.
• A school leaver will have 18 jobs across six careers.
• AI fluency is an important survival skill.

The future workforce in Generation Z — defined as people born from 1997 to 2012 — are much more purpose-driven than previous generations however finding purpose with so many options is challenging.

“This is the options generation, with unlimited pathways. But we do them no favours to set them up with endless opportunities with no purpose.” – Mark McCrindle

This is where careers education, experiences and meaningful conversations can greatly assist students in the self-discovery and exploration process. With much information for this generation sourced through TikTok and social media, it is essential that information is critically discerned and verified.

Generation Z’s top desires for careers include:

• 72% want purpose and meaning in their work
• 68% want work to align with their core values
• 65% want a workplace that is a community of strong social connections
• 64% want the work they do to have a positive impact on the world around them
• 64% want workplace flexibility.

With work making up such a significant proportion of our lives, it is encouraging to see research that supports Generation Z’s focus on making positive contributions.

No matter what students study and in what industry, there are core transferable skills which all employers seek. These include:

• Analytical thinking
• Resilience, flexibility and agility
• Leadership and social influence
• Creative thinking
• Motivation and self-awareness.

For the future (2025-2030) emerging core skills required include:

• AI and big data
• Network and cybersecurity
• Technological literacy
• Creative thinking
• Resilience, flexibility and agility.

Upcoming Events at Macquarie University

Early Entry Applications

Mrs Vanessa Shirriff
Head of Careers Education

Year 12 Progress Meetings

Year 12 Progress Meetings are being held on Tuesday 25 March between 4pm and 7pm.

• Booking information and meeting details will be emailed to parents two weeks prior to the meeting
• Meetings are conducted online via Teams
• Boys are expected to attend in school uniform
• There are no co-curricular activities for students who have Progress Meetings

Ms Emma Campbell
Academic Data Manager

Harmony Week 2025

Pre-Purchase Your Tickets For The Food Trucks

As part of the Harmony Week celebrations, we will have Food Trucks at Shore serving some delicious recess and lunch options – Pizza, Gozleme, Chicken, Tacos and Fries.

Tuesday 18 March and Friday 21 March

To join in the fun of the day, pre-purchase your lunch tickets online here.

Ticket sales close Sunday 16 March 2025. 

*Please note – There will be no cash or card sales on the day. Tickets must be pre-purchased.

The following Houses will be able to access the food trucks on Tuesday 21 March:

• Anderson
• Barry
• Burns
• Burrell
• Colebrook
• Dickson
• Eldershaw
• Emery
• Hodges

The following Houses will be able to access the food trucks on Friday 21 March:

• Gillespie
• Gilmour
• Mathers
• Pascoe
• Robson
• Sawkins
• School
• Tiley
• Whight

Parent Seminar Series 2025

Year 11 Parent and Student Immersion Information Evening 2025

We consider immersions, service trips and Co-Curricular opportunities to be a valuable extension of the education offered at Shore.

You are warmly invited to attend an information evening about the opportunities available for your son this year regarding immersions and service opportunities at Shore.

Venue: Playfair Hall, North Sydney

Date: Monday 17 March 2025

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Guests: Year 11 students and their parents or carers

RSVP: To assist with numbers, please register your attendance here.

For students and parent/s unable to attend the evening, a recorded version will be accessible shortly after, via Lampada.

On the evening, you will hear from the following staff:

• Welcome: Dr Luke Gilmour, Deputy Head Co-Curricular 
• North-East Arnhem land, First Nations Immersion (Culture College): Mrs Paola Tamberlin and Mr Braydon Mundy (Indigenous Programme Team)
• Sony Camp: Mrs Jeri-Lee Apter (MIC Sony Camp, Shore)
• Philippines Service Trip (ICM) and Duke of Edinburgh Award: Mr Tim Scouller (MIC Philippines/DOE)
• Concluding remarks – Mr Huw Blood (Head of Service Learning) 

Mr Huw Blood
Head of Service Learning 

From the Music Department

Congratulations

A huge congratulations to William L who was awarded his Associate Diploma in Music on Violin. This is an outstanding achievement, and we are very proud of his wonderful accomplishments.

Band Camp 5-6 March

Last week members of Concert Band and Symphonic Winds were provided the privilege of having two days of intense music playing, with expert tuition from instrumental specialists, including Ms Sarah Bernard, Mr Ben Blunt, Ms Laura Duque-Cash, Mr Angus Key, Mr Jeremy Kindl, Mr Oscar Lewis, Ms Megan Lipworth and Mr Will Naayan. Our guest conductor, Mr James Pensini, enabled the bands to further develop their skills as an ensemble. Both days were made possible by the hard work put in by the tutors, Mr Pensini, the music department staff, and of course the boys. Special mention and our thanks to Old Boy mentor Mr Charlie Corbett-Jones, Ms Bai who assisted the ensembles, Dr Gilmour who conducted Concert Band, and Ms Robertson who conducted Symphonic Winds and organised the two-day event. The days were split into sectional tutorials and ensemble rehearsals, with a particularly engaging joint performance held on Wednesday. Ms Robertson had the great idea that the only thing possibly better than one ensemble was two ensembles combined! Wednesday afternoon was an enjoyable time of playing as one big band by sight-reading through Pelican Dance and Rampage. The camp was a wonderful learning experience and we are all very grateful to everyone involved in making it such a success.

Joe Stephens
Year 11 Symphonic Winds Electric Bass player

Concert Group – James Ehnes with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Last week, Shore music students were able to experience the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) perform Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto with celebrated violinist James Ehnes as soloist. Brahms’ monumental concerto is renowned for its demanding technical passages and emotional depth, showing Ehnes virtuosity. In addition to Brahms Violin Concerto, the SSO also performed Maurice Ravel’s Mother Goose. Originally composed as a set of short piano pieces and later expanded into a ballet, Mother Goose is celebrated for its imaginative orchestration and storytelling with each movement inspired by fairy tales. 

For many in attendance, however, the highlight of the evening was James Ehnes’s appearance. From Canada, Ehnes is known for his exceptional technique and warm sound. He has performed with many of the world’s foremost orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, earning critical acclaim and multiple prestigious awards for both his performances and recordings. His commanding presence on stage and profound musicality have established him as one of the leading violinists of his generation.

Shore music students thoroughly enjoyed this performance and look forward to the upcoming performance of Candide. 

JJ Black
Year 12 Music student

Upcoming Dates

Ms Kim Barber
Head of Music

Student Articles Available in Lampada

In keeping with tradition, printed copies of student articles are handed out at the Senior School gates every Friday. This allows us to honour the Shore Weekly Record’s mission, ‘by the boys, for the boys,’ while making the digital version more concise for parents. A PDF of the student articles is also available each week on Lampada in the publications page.

Cricket Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

From The Bush To The City

Moree, Forbes, Mudgee, Hong Kong, Wagga Wagga, Maitland, Japan, Bathurst, Armidale, Illabo, Spring Ridge, Dunedoo, Orange, Wellington, Newcastle, Bowral Curlewis… this could easily be a verse from the famous Lucky Star song I’ve Been Everywhere Man.

In fact, it is just a few of the places that our cricketers call home.

At Shore we have over 35 cricketers that Board either full time or weekly across our 17 teams. We are lucky to have them.

We have opening bats from Bathurst, quicks from Maitland, captains from Curlewis and skippers from Moree, six-hitters from Illabo, chatty ‘keepers from Hong Kong, run-machines from Forbes, leggies from Wagga Wagga, newbies from Japan and all-rounders from Mudgee plus many more.

These players bring different cricketing backgrounds and experiences to Shore Cricket, and all teams are better for it. Travelling two hours for a club game is often the norm. Playing ‘up’ to fill in numbers against boys five years older and twice as big to help out their club is expected.

Recent visits to Northbridge by parents from Wagga Wagga (five hours away) and Moree (eight hours away) gives a new appreciation for being able to watch your son play cricket. It was great to host them at Northbridge and for them to see their sons play and get a feel for the cricket programme we have. Boarders’ parents are always most welcome.

Sydney-based parents have the luxury (while often juggling multiple Saturday commitments) of being able to watch as many or as few games as possible. They can come and go or plan to watch just their son bat or bowl after a quick SMS with match updates.

We love the family atmosphere each Saturday brings at Northbridge with so many friends and family supporting the cricket teams across all grounds.

Special thanks to the generous Shore parents who take it upon themselves to help the cricketing Boarders with pick-ups and drop-offs and ferrying around the students throughout the season.

Enjoy your last game of cricket this weekend (Round 13 v Scots).

Mr Brett Hunter
Head of Cricket

Results

First XI Report

Last Saturday the Shore First XI turned out at Northbridge for the last time this season against The Scots College (Scots). After an emotional caps presentation to our departing Year 12 players, the scene was set for a good day of cricket. Scots won the toss and elected to bat first under cloudy skies. Tom Fuzes returned to the team after missing the last round through injury and he and Oli Higgins opened the bowling. Tom made his presence felt immediately trapping one of the Scots openers in front with the fourth ball of the innings. In the fourth over Oli nicked off their Number 3 and Scots were in trouble at 2/7. Tom snared his second and Scots were now 3/14. After ten overs Scots had crawled to 3/21 and were finding scoring difficult. The experienced pair of Ben Hocking and Sam Walton then entered the attack. With 99 competition wickets between them the race to 100 was on. In the twelfth over Sam took a very sharp catch and bowled to bring up the 100th wicket. Ben then claimed two wickets in quick succession leaving Scots 6/48 after twenty overs. Off spinners Stian Constable and Captain Toby Robinson were then introduced with Tom and Oli rotated at the other end. Between them they took a wicket each and only went for 25 runs from seventeen economical overs. With Scots now 8/71 Shore was determined to finish the innings quickly. Matt Melville (1/5) and the return of Sam (2/9) into the attack ended Scots innings on 87 at the end of the forty ninth over. 

After lunch, Shore set about chasing the modest 88 run target. The message was a clear one to the batsmen. They were to apply themselves, be patient, disciplined and play straight. A steady start from Fraser Pandit and new opening partner Matt saw Shore’s total progress to 12 before Fraser was caught at gully. In the next over Toby was caught behind and Noah Quayle had his stumps disturbed. In the space of eight deliveries Shore was on the back foot and under some pressure. Four overs later things went from bad to worse with Oli bowled and Tom Glasson being caught behind. Shore was now 5/19 and a long way from the victory target. Monte Cairns then arrived at the crease playing in only his second First XI match. He backed himself and hit four crisply struck boundaries to edge Shore closer to victory. However, in the twentieth over he was dismissed caught trying to loft the ball over cover. Ben came and went quickly, and Shore was now 7 for 55 and 33 runs short of the target. Stian then joined the patient Matt who had shown great application batting for 86 deliveries. This pair took the score to 76 before Matt’s fine hand ended caught behind in the thirty first over. Tom joined Stian, and the pair navigated a lot of pressure and tight bowling to see Shore reach the victory target in the 35th over. 

Shore will play their final match of the season away at Stanmore on Saturday against Newington College. The team have a lot to play for. A victory would secure Shore 2nd place in the competition.

16A Match Report

After a rain affected start, the match was adjusted to a T20 with Shore sent in to bat. The top order set a good platform with Jude Terry (14), Will Langfield (14) and Hugo Lloyd (15) all making starts. There was a flurry of wickets in the middle order before Angus Brooks (15) and Ben Sullivan (37) helping to post a solid total of 119. Scots started well with both openers scoring quickly, but the economical bowling of Tom Penney (1/16 off 3) and Finn Hillam (2/6 off 3) put Shore in a strong position. The boys continued to bowl good lines and the opposition wasn’t able to keep up with the required run-rate, leaving them falling short on 102. Shore looks forward to finishing the season well with their final match against Newington this week. 

14A Match Report

A gloomy day in the East was met with groans and grumbles when it was confirmed that Queens Park 9 is an astroturf wicket. We won the toss and went in to bat, an early wicket and a Big Pepper List worthy run-out put the weight of the innings onto Harry Klineberg and Henry Hollebone’s shoulders. This was a weight easily carried by Henry as he teed off scoring 82 runs, including multiple wonderful boundaries and some excellent running. He formed the backbone of the innings with the rest of the team scoring around the edges. Reaching 157 was an impressive feat on a dense and damp outfield. 

Feeling confident going into the second innings, our first 16 overs was characterised by exceptional bowling from Billy Rogers, Harvey Cloke, Angus Murdoch-Tilmuth and Rishab Reddy keeping Scots to just 2/40! Despite the dominant position Shore was in, it took another 15 overs to see Scots bowled out for an anaemic 81. Exceptional work in the field allowed us to just pin them down and allow our tremendously deep bowling order get the job done. An exceptional win from an exceptional group of young men.

13C Match Report

The Shore 13C Cricket XI this week was scheduled to play up a grade against the St Ignatius’ College Riverview (Riverview) 13B side, and after winning the toss elected to bat first on a tricky wicket. Runs were hard to come by with the ball flying through at variable heights, but a gritty and courageous 35 from Charlie Pressley helped Shore reach a defendable total of 96 against a good bowling attack, the best we had faced this season.

Nonetheless, the highlight of Shore’s performance was, without doubt, its bowling and fielding where they restricted the strong Riverview side to 72 runs. The lines and lengths were just as the team had trained for and discussed before the match, while the fielding was absolutely outstanding. Not a catch was dropped and six were taken, mostly in very difficult circumstances, the last at deep fine leg by Neelan Nanthakumaran, to end our opposition’s innings was simply brilliant. Cooper Inches was again excellent with the ball, taking 3 wickets, while Barney Court and Josh Quinn were almost unplayable, taking two wickets apiece.

It was a tremendous performance by every single player who contributed in their own way to an outstanding result.

Golf Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

Saturday saw all 11 teams in the Combined Independent Schools Golf Series converge at Strathfield Golf Club for the season finale. As the top two finishers, Shore faced off against St Aloysius’ College (Aloysius) for the inaugural Marty Collins Playoff Cup—a new trophy named in honor of Marty Collins, a longtime teacher at St Ignatius’ College who has convened inter-school golf for over 20 years. With his retirement this year, the cup serves as a tribute to his invaluable contributions to schoolboy golf.

Alongside our four competitors — Zach France, Harrison Graetz, Archie Frewin, and Matthew Goddard — the entire squad was on hand to support the team. Reaching the final was a full team effort, with every player who competed throughout the season contributing valuable points along the way.

As was the case in last week’s playoff against Knox Grammar School (Knox), we had a shaky start with the team managing just one half and three losses on the opening hole. Matthew quickly responded, making birdie on the second to shift momentum in his match, before a wild par-5 third saw both players scramble to halve the hole.

Both Zach and Harrison fought hard on the front nine, but their opponents got off to fast starts. Zach found himself up against a top-seeded opponent who barely made a mistake all day. Even when he did, he found ways to recover, getting up and down to maintain control. A chip-in eagle on the par-4 14th took him to five under par, sealing a five and four win for Aloysius.

Meanwhile, Archie displayed remarkable composure. Trailing by two through eight holes, he stormed back by winning the next five straight, turning the match completely in his favour. A steady par on the 14th closed out a five and four victory for Shore.

Matthew has emerged as the team’s most in-form player in recent weeks and his performance in the final was no exception. With two birdies on the card, he took the lead on the second hole and never looked back. Playing smart, controlled golf, he secured a four and three win—guaranteeing Shore a share of the trophy.

That left Harrison’s match as the decider. If Aloysius won, the trophy would be shared; if Harrison could secure a half or better, Shore would claim it outright.

With a large crowd now gathered, Harrison had an opportunity on the 15th to square his match but narrowly missed a crucial putt. On the 16th, his tee shot found the very back of a steep greenside bunker, leaving him in an awkward stance. Despite his best efforts, he could not get up and down, going dormie two down with two to play.

A brilliant drive and approach on the 17th gave Harrison a chance to extend the match, but his opponent responded with an excellent bunker shot, forcing a curly 10-foot putt to win the hole. Harrison’s putt caught the hole but heartbreakingly stayed out, resulting in a two and one loss, and a 2-2 overall draw.

With the result, the Marty Collins Playoff Cup was shared — an outcome that felt like a fitting reflection of the hard-fought contest. Congratulations to Aloysius for their outstanding season, backing up their premiership win with a share of the inaugural trophy.

Following the final, the squad gathered for our 2024-25 season awards presentation:
🏆 Leon Li Strokeplay Champion – Zach France
🏆 Matchplay Player of the Season – Archie Frewin
🏆 Northbridge Player of the Season – Kaya Macpherson
🏆 Handicap Award Winner – Thomas Gocher

A massive thank you to all players, parents, and supporters who made this season such a success. Congratulations to the team on an excellent campaign.

Mr Hugh Morgan
MIC Golf

Rowing Report

Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March 2025

First VIII Takes Positive Strides Forward While Junior Quads Claim the NSW Schoolboy Point Score

Last weekend was a very full weekend for the Shore Boat Club. It felt like every patch of water in Sydney had a Shore crew racing on it!

Saturday started nice and early with the running of the third All Schools Event in Canada Bay. The Year 8 and 9 Quads went into battle against a draw dominated by St Joseph’s College (St Joseph’s), Newington College and Sydney Grammar crews. In a massive day for the Shore junior shed, we sent 18 crews to the start line across both age groups and recorded 17 1st places and one 2nd place — an amazing performance from these two very impressive age groups!

There was a great showdown early in the regatta with our mighty Tenth Year 8 Quad matched up against our Eighth Year 8 Quad. It was a race for the ages with plenty of pre-race ‘chat’ between the two combatants as they got on the water. The rivalry was so fierce both crews were directed to use separate pontoons at the Gladesville Boathouse! Ultimately this ding-dong battle down the course fell the way of the Tenth Quad with the crew of James Whitby, Hugo White, Josh Hugo, Harry Bors and Angus Manfield claiming the win over a very fast finishing Shore number Eight combination. This race showcased the amazing depth we have in this age group with several crews so closely ranked.

Our Year 9 Quads enjoyed a great day out as well, producing some amazing performances. Outside of the brilliant results, it was the way our crews raced that I found so impressive. Right from the start of their programme, from the Eighth boat to the First boat, they showed a steely resolve and discipline to move as one. It was great to see and bodes well for the shed as we move forward. It was also rewarding to see the tight tussle in the First Year 9 Quad race, with the crew of Louis Corcoran, Will Scammell, Lawson Wood, Charlie Bassingthwaighte and Will Johnston maintaining their focus and taking the race away from the Hunters Hill combination that has shown a lot of promise in this category.

Our Third and Fourth Year 10 Quads also competed and it was a first up victory for Julian Noakes in the stroke seat of the Third boat. This was a huge challenge for Julian, but for a young rower who has shown plenty of promise this season he proved he was able to handle the extra responsibility. The crew easily accounted for St Joseph’s and now look forward to the next challenge – taking on the Head of the River (HOTR)! The Fourth crew had their usual drag race against Riverview with the crews again only separated by a boat length for the duration of the 1500m course.

Our mighty Third VIII finished this programme with their final race before the HOTR with a sound victory over the St Joseph’s crew. This came after the usual Mr Collins training session prior to the race start time!

Our Senior Programme had the opportunity to compete on the Nepean River, most certainly bringing back a lot of memories for the coaching staff (at least those that were born pre-1980). It was no surprise to see King of the River Mr Garry Uebergang, assisted by Mr Jackson Kench claiming a win in the GPS Third and Fourth IV. Our Second IV performed well in the heats before misfiring a little in the final but still showed enough class to secure 3rd place, while our GPS First IV had another good battle with St Ignatius’ College Riverview (Riverview) to lock in 2nd place.

The Second VIII completed another solid weekend of racing, locking down a win in the heat and a win in the final over a greatly improved Scots College combination. But the big movers in this regatta were our First VIII who have shown a steady amount of improvement in recent weeks. While they were not racing the lead crew to date from Riverview, they raced Scotch College from Victoria and finished just shy of a boat length behind the lead Victorian school. In a more encouraging measure, the margin between 2nd and 3rd has increased to double digits.

This was a ‘Double Header’ weekend for our crews, with a group of Junior Quads descending on the International Regatta Centre to compete in the NSW Schoolboy Head of the River. This regatta is seen as the finale for non-GPS schools and always produces great racing. We entered four of our Year 8 Quads and seven of our Year 9 Quads. Our Year 8 Quads had a great day securing a resounding four gold medals from four starts with impressive close racing from the First and Fourth crews and very dominant displays from the Second and Third combinations.

Our Year 9 Quads continued the pleasing results, achieving an impressive three gold, three silver and one bronze from their seven starts. It was great to see our First Quad combination getting another shot at the Kinross combination while our Second Quad of Tom Armati, Nathan Klante, Oliver Wilson, Harry Fergusson and Owen King showed great discipline and maturity to row back from a slow start to go through the field and claim the win.  

It was a massive weekend from all our boys and I am very proud of their efforts. It was a nice final reward to win the overall point score at the Sunday event, especially as we only had a section of our Junior Quads competing.

Mr Glenn Bates
MIC Rowing

Surf Life Saving Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

Year 7 and 8 Nippers

Due to the long-range effects of Cyclone Alfred, the Nippers experienced a mid-week cancellation due to beach closures. Nevertheless, Long Reef remained relatively sheltered from the predominant easterly swell on Saturday with the beach reopening. The boys enjoyed a packed morning of competitive events, including flags, beach runs, board races and relays. The flags event saw fierce competition between the boys, some of which was captured in the images below.

Year 9 and 10 Intermediates

With a wild and formidable surf running, the Year 9 and 10 Intermediate group were not able to participate in regular training and competition this week, so an unconventional Surf Life Saving session was programmed with the inaugural Beach Soccer tournament! All five teams competed in a fast and furious beach futsal tournament in which some amazing goals were scored, and the level of competition was extremely high. The event finale was a very tense, five-shot-per-team penalty shootout.

The day was completed with a two-round bodyboard expression session in which teams were given 15 minutes per heat to impress the judges with their bodyboarding skills. Some big, late drops were taken with very impressive wave riding on show.

The following results were recorded in Saturday’s competitive events:

Mr Gareth Jones
MIC Surf Life Saving

Surfing Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

The surf was a mess on Saturday, with a strong onshore wind and falling tide making it tricky to find good waves. There was plenty of power in the waves, so the Shore surfers set up inside the bombie where we ran a technique session.

Surfer of the day was Henry Peters who made the best of the messy conditions. Oscar Hanson and Will Lacroix got some nice waves early in the session, while Sam Pockley was using his back-up board to good effect.

Plenty of waves were ridden with Will Hoy, Oliver Roxburgh, Charlie Martin and Noah Kordek all showing good form. Most committed turn of the day went to Charlie Coppin who attacked the big close out sections over the shallow bank.

Mr John McClelland
MIC Surfing

Swimming Report

Friday 7 March 2025

GPS 3 – Shore Swim Team

On Friday 7 March, the Swim Team headed to Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) for GPS 3 and a hotly contested evening of swimming as the number of point-scoring events considerably increased from GPS 1 and 2.

Heading into the evening, Shore was ranked 1st for the Open Relay, and 2nd across all Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories — a remarkable start to our season and one the team hoped to build upon.

Opens 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay

Continuing from tremendous victories in the Open Relays from GPS 1 and 2, the team of James Bestic, Ethan Ng, Noah McLaren and William Bestic lined up for the 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay. James opened proceedings with a national qualifying time going 24.88, handing over to Ethan who split a 24.69 – his fastest ever – who gave it to Noah who got incredibly close to a sub-24 swim, splitting 24.05, with William jumping into the water with a commanding lead over The Scots College (Scots) and Newington College (Newington) and swimming a blistering 23.98 anchor leg.

This team broke the previous GPS record in a time of 1:37.60, a sensational performance and a time which — outside of Shore’s team next year — will be incredibly difficult to break. This record could stand for a long time!

Junior / Intermediate / Senior – 400m Freestyle

Next up was the 400m Freestyle where Harrison Ayer placed 1st for Juniors, Oliver Kelly 2nd in the Intermediate division and Ethan Cook 3rd in Seniors, putting up great swims to come away with a significant amount of points.

Shore achieves THREE new GPS Records!

It is an absolute privilege to be writing this. At GPS 3, Shore broke three GPS records! In addition to the 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay we also achieved the following results:

• Intermediate 4 x 50m Medley Relay
  The remarkable team of Jonty Jagger (Backstroke – 28.79), Sam Chan (Breaststroke – 34.01), William Bestic (Butterfly – 25.32) and Noah McLaren (Freestyle – 24.18) broke the record by over a second to set a new time of 1:52.30. Incredible swimming from these boys!
  
  
• 16 Years 50m Butterfly – William Bestic
  William, who was also part of the Opens 4 x 50m Freestyle and the Intermediate 4 x 50m Medley, stepped up for the individual 50m Butterfly and set a new personal best for himself, and in the process broke the GPS record by a 0.01 margin to set the new benchmark at 25.72.

Other Top Three performances on the night included:

The evening was capped with the medley relays, with Shore finishing 4th in Juniors, 1st in Intermediates (with a GPS record) and 2nd in the Seniors.

After these terrific performances, the point scores are looking great across the board with Shore currently placed as follows

• Open Relay – 1st
• Junior – 2nd – behind St Joseph’s College by only 8.5 points
• Intermediate – 1st
• Senior – 2nd – behind St Ignatius’ College Riverview by 1 point

It is onwards and upwards as we turn our attention to GPS 4 on 14 March before a week off and the big GPS 5 on Friday 28 March.

Go Shore!

Mr Tom O’Keeffe
Head of Swimming

Tennis Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

Firsts Report

The Firsts went down 5-4 in their first home loss in almost two seasons following an exceptional display of tennis from both schools. Felix Harrop and Ollie Wilcox won their singles and their doubles match along with with an impressive three set win from Ari Ganassin. While the boys put everything they could into it, they narrowly lost the other matches. Shore leads the premiership by one point going into the final week, with a must-win at Newington College deciding the result of the premiership. As many boys possible are encouraged to attend to help get the Firsts over the line as they aim to make history with back-to-back premierships.

Oliver Wilcox
Firsts Captain

Seconds Report

Shore’s Seconds lost 8-1 playing away at The Scots College. Despite the score the team had many close matches and fought hard in rainy conditions. In doubles the number one pair, Josh Cottee and Connor Fung, fought hard in the first set to win 7-5, winning the second 6-2 set displaying deep ground strokes and aggressive net plays to close out points. The second pair, Alex Yu and Taj Gupta, showed big serves and approaches to the net but were unable to close out the game despite great net plays and serves. The third doubles pair, Chris Hunter and Anay Mishra Mall, were also beaten but showed great determination when building up points and encouraging each other to win the next points. In the singles, number one player Connor was beaten 6-4 in the first set but played well holding his opponent at the base line. Taj played phenomenally, losing the first tie break 11-9, then unfortunately losing the second tie break 8-6. He served amazingly well to secure service games and approached the net to close out his points. Finally, after losing his first set Anay came back from 4-2 down in the second to taking the set to a tie break. He ended up losing the tie break 8-6 however he built up points and pressured his opponent to make mistakes extremely well. The team is ready to improve for a better score next week.

Alex Yu
Seconds Captain

Opens

Thirds: Win 5-1

The Thirds showed dominant form with a 5-1 victory. Ralphie Fowler and Daniel Burgess kicked things off with a solid 6-3 win. Unfortunately, George Story and Archie Jones were on the losing side, falling 3-6. However, individual performances were strong: Ralphie won his match 6-4; George triumphed 6-2; Archie J secured a 6-4 victory; and Daniel clinched his match 6-3.

Fourths: Win 5-1

The Fourths also enjoyed a 5-1 win. Oliver Moufarrige and Andrew Gilchrist delivered a confident 6-3 win, while Austin Xu and Jono Loy lost 2-6. Singles performances were excellent, with Oliver securing a 6-3 win, Andrew triumphing 6-2, Conrad Lo winning 6-4, and Austin adding a 6-4 victory to the tally.

Fifths: Loss 1-5

The Fifths struggled with a 1-5 loss. In the doubles Hugo Mason-Jones and Jared Lin were defeated 3-6, and Alex Taubman and Hamish Richards lost 2-6. However, Hugo came through with a 6-4 win in his singles match. Alex faced a tough 1-6 loss, Jared went down 3-6, and Hamish was defeated 4-6 in his singles match.

Sixths: Win 4-2

The Sixths managed a 4-2 win. Lachlan Tam and Dylan Germain lost a close match 5-6 (4-7), but Jayden Pan and Jaeyun Koh turned things around with a 6-2 win. Lachlan then dominated his match, winning 6-0, though Dylan fell 2-6. Jayden fought hard for a 6-5 (7-3) victory, and Jaeyun sealed the win with a 6-1 triumph.

Water Polo Report

Saturday 8 March 2025

Firsts

The Firsts delivered a historical victory against Newington College (Newington) on Saturday to claim the Premiership in the CIS competition for the first time in Shore’s history. In a dramatic and hard-fought contest, the team showcased resilience, firepower and composure under pressure, culminating in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

Jett Semmens delivered a sensational performance, netting an incredible seven goals, while Cooper Semmens added four to keep the Firsts in contention throughout the match. The attacking duo, alongside key contributions from Charlie Lewcock and Anderton Stock, ensured the team remained competitive against a formidable Newington side. At the other end of the pool, Alex Woolfe was exceptional in goals, making crucial saves that proved vital in securing the title. Defensively, Chase Harvey, Charlie Kovacs and JJ Black put in a strong performance, shutting down key plays and keeping the opposition under pressure.

The game finished in an 11-11 draw and headed into a penalty shoot-out where the pressure was immense. Jett, Charlie, George Kennedy, and Hamish Walls stepped up with clinical finishes, sealing the victory in dramatic fashion with multiple saves made by Alex. The final result was a 15-14 win, with the Firsts undefeated for the season. The team achieved the treble of the Thomas Whalan Cup, GPS Premiership and CIS Premierships!

Seconds

The Seconds Water Polo team capped off their CIS campaign with a thrilling 6-5 victory over Knox, securing a commendable 3rd place finish in the competition. In a tightly contested match, Richie Lotz led the charge with two crucial goals, while Tom Larcombe, Ollie Kelly, Sam Hassall and Liam Sidwell also found the net. The team displayed outstanding resilience and composure under pressure, with goalkeeper Derby Turner delivering an excellent performance, making crucial saves to keep Knox at bay. Their strong performances throughout the season showcased their depth and determination, making their podium finish a well-earned achievement. The team finished 2nd in the GPS competition and 3rd in the CIS competition which is an outstanding achievement.

16As

The 16As Water Polo team put up a valiant fight in the CIS Competition grand final against Trinity but ultimately fell short in a hard-fought 7-10 defeat. Russell Yuan led the scoring with an impressive hat-trick, while Hamilton Ward, Henry Baxter, Will Bestic and Brody Semmens also scored impressive goals. Despite the loss, the team showcased exceptional skill and determination, pushing their opponents to the limit. Their journey to the grand final was a testament to their resilience and teamwork, and they can be proud of their efforts throughout the season. The team was undefeated in the GPS competition and earnt an impressive second place in the CIS competition. Well done on a great season!

RESULTS

Miss Zoe Dowdell
Firsts Coach