Message from the Headmaster

Government Funding of Independent Schools – The Politics and the Reality

Dear Parents and Carers,

The letter pages of the daily press are relentless in expressing condemnation of Independent schools receiving Government money. The system is opaque, and easily misunderstood or distorted. Many people appear to believe that Independent schools are taking money from Government schools, that they receive more money from the Government than do Government schools, and that the money they receive is taken from the State schools sector. Those who work in Independent schools, or send their children to them, can be made to seem like robber barons and pariahs. None of these narratives are in fact correct.

The essential point in unravelling the complication and misunderstanding is that Independent schools receive most of whatever funding Governments provide from the Federal Government. Government schools receive most of the funding provided for them from State or Territory Governments. Sometimes, critics of the system confine themselves only to Federal funding, not mentioning State or Territory funding. Some who bemoan this conflict assert that at root, this is the politics of envy. Certainly, the scriptures encourage us not to covet: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house…” (Exodus 20:17). That said, as a former Government school Principal, I must agree that Government schools need more funding. This is an issue for Government, not the Independent sector.

In a nutshell, provision of Government money to Independent schools is on a sliding scale based on perceived need, as outlined below. Schools like Shore, where the statistics indicate most parents are reasonably affluent, receive relatively little Government money. Our statistic is that 92 percent of the income necessary to run Shore is contributed by parents, nearly all of it in school fees. Of the eight percent from Government, six percent is from the Federal Government and two percent is from the State Government. Contrary to the assertions of many critics, Shore and schools like Shore receive no Government money whatsoever for capital works.

At the opposite end of the scale, Independent schools, which are characteristically in growth corridors on the perimeter of Australia’s capital cities, are low fee, receive rather more money than a School like Shore, based on assessed need, and rather less than a Government school in the same demography. Historically, Government funding, of non-Government schools, phases out at a maximum of 70 percent of funding of their operational budgets.

It is not a zero sum game. If non-Government and other Independent schools did not exist, their students would be in State schools, where, unlike in non-Government and Independent schools, each student place would be fully funded, at much greater cost to Government.

How did Education in Australia get into this mess of confusion and adversarial politics? The short form answer is Goulburn 1962. In this year, the Catholic Bishop of Goulburn responded to a demand from Government that the bathrooms in Diocesan Catholic schools be improved, by closing all his schools (arguing they did not have the money to comply) and directing all parents to enrol their children at local Government schools. The State system could not cope with this influx and so State Aid for non-Government schools (and opposition to it) was born. The Menzies Government targeted the introduction of Science laboratories, and later Libraries, to all Australian High Schools.

In the 1990s, the Howard Government embarked on a Choice of Schools Policy that saw a funding model for Independent schools, rated according to categories 1 – 12 (in practice 1 – 10), with the schools with the highest numbers attracting more funding than those with the lowest. This system was extensively criticised as it was not flexible; schools were “stuck”, for good or bad at their initial level even if their client group and demography changed.

Earlier this century, the SES (Socio-Economic Status) model was introduced. Funding for Independent schools was based on small units called Census Districts, representing around 100 homes, where the average of income, as well as the mode of employment (professional, trades, unskilled) and the level of education of the adults in these homes, all reduced to a single number, became the unit score, whether or not many or most of these households had a child enrolled at the school under consideration for its SES score. This was criticised as a blunt instrument, which was not sufficiently granular to give an accurate outcome.

In recent years, the SES system has been replaced by DMI (Direct Measure of Income), based on individual tax return data. It is therefore much more accurate in that it is individual. It still has its problems: it only measures actual income as per tax returns, not assets, hence some parents at a school may be cash flow poor at the time, but actually very wealthy given their property holdings.

Currently, 36 percent of Australian students attend non-Government schools, comprising 18 percent in Independent schools like Shore, and 18 percent in systemic schools such as Diocesan Catholic schools, Steiner schools, Montessori schools, and Lutheran schools. This proportion has been increasing gradually, year by year, for some decades. In Sydney and Melbourne, about 50 percent of Year 11 and 12 students are in non-Government schools.

The Gonski models (Gonski 1.0 and Gonski 2.0) proposed “blind” funding irrespective of sector of school. Gonski has been buffeted by various interest groups and Governments to amend its original intention. However, the main difficulty with the Gonski proposals has been lack of funding from Government to fully implement them.

The ideological opponents of Independent schools caricature them as monochrome, represented by the facilities of the wealthiest schools only, and misrepresented as “holy huddles” who only enrol students of the preferred religion or denomination of the school and in that sense do not reflect pluralistic and multicultural Australia. These assertions are not true of Shore, nor of the majority of Independent schools. In fact, the cultural profile of most Independent schools differs little from that of most Government schools in the same demography.

One imagines, sadly, that the “funding wars” will continue while ever they excite the interests of the consumers of media. This is regrettable, as schools across the sectors have more in common than ways in which they are different, and a unity of vision would be most valuable for the nation.

Regards

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Chaplains’ Chat

Belief can be a powerful thing in our lives. It can shape, direct and motivate people to do all sorts of things in life. Sometimes, these beliefs might simply be a belief in one’s ability to perform a task. Some might think to themselves that they believe they have a talent for managing people, and so their actions in life and in relating to people might follow. The Oxford Dictionary says that belief is a firmly held opinion or conviction about something. Of course, in this regard, our beliefs may or may not come to fruition. I might well have a strong belief that my sporting team will win the competition, but can I really be sure?

When it comes to Christianity (or indeed any other world religion), many would ask the same question. You might have a belief in Christianity, but is it just wishful thinking? How can we really know? Is it just like a belief in my favourite sporting team? As we have looked at the basics of the Christian faith this Term in Chapel, we have tried to summarise these with the acronym DRSABCD (Danger ▻ Response ▻ Send for help ▻ Airway ▻ Breathing ▻ CPR ▻ Defibrillation). God is our Designer, yet we have rebelled against his way for us to live. God responds by Saving us through Jesus. Indeed, Christianity is All about Jesus. What are we to do? The Bible says we are to have Belief in Jesus. Belief in Jesus is simply knowing who he is and what he has done for us. Far from wishful thinking, the object of this Belief is secure, and this is a wonderful encouragement and comfort to us all.

Rev Anthony Benn
Chaplain

Confirmation 2025

For Year 10 Boys and above who wish to confirm and declare their Christian faith.

If you wish to be confirmed in the Shore Chapel in 2025, please apply to Rev Benn via email, abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au, before Wednesday 25 June, Term 2, Week 9.

The first meeting will be held in Week 2 of Term 3 at lunchtime in the Christian Studies Centre Room 21-3-3.

Any questions, please email Rev Benn.

The Shore Foundation 49th Annual General Meeting

Regional Boarding Expos

Our Boarding and Admissions teams will be at the 2025 Boarding Schools Expo events taking place across New South Wales and will also hold a regional tour throughout NSW to meet with families and prospective families interested in connecting with the Shore community.

Our staff look forward to meeting new faces and reconnecting with familiar ones as we showcase the opportunities Shore has to offer.

NSW Regional Tour

Please extend the below dinner invitations to friends and family who may be interested in their son/s joining our Boarding community:

Wagga Wagga, Friday 20 June: Book here
Scone, Friday 8 August: Book here
Armidale, Friday 22 August: Book here
Forbes, Friday 29 August: Book here
Orange (lunch), Saturday 30 August: Book here

Music Calendar

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

Term Dates 2025

Book Week is Coming

The Senior School will celebrate an extended Book Week between 12 and 24 June. There will be poetry slam, author visits, a book talk, jeopardy between the Houses, a bookmark design challenge, and a couple of guessing competitions. 

The literary celebrations will kick off with Poetry Slam on 12 and 13 June. Shore’s budding poets will perform their creations on the theme “Adventure” at lunchtime. Ms Allison Tait, author of The Fire Star, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot and others, will address Year 8 on 19 June. Mr Jeremy Lachlan, author of The Jane Chronicles, will speak to Year 7 on 20 June. The boys in Year 9 will listen to Young Adult literature specialist Mr Paul Macdonald speak about “The Reading Landscape Today – Current Trends and Top Reads” on 24 June. This should give them some good holiday reading suggestions.

The Library Service Captain and Deputy, Ethan and Will in Year 12, will run Book Jeopardy between the Houses at lunchtime. Each House will be represented by three boys. Last year, Gilmour won the trophy. Which House will be the champions this time?

Boys are encouraged to enter the bookmark design competition. The theme for the design is “Book an Adventure”. Entries are due on 18 June, and entry forms are available in the Library.

Boys will have the opportunity to test how well they know Shore staff members’ literary tastes by participating in a guessing competition where they will have to match ten staff members with their reading journey. Another guessing competition will test the boys’ familiarity with a couple of well-known books. Pages from old copies of three books have been torn into strips and strategically put in glass jars. Have a close look at the strips and see if you can work out which books the pages are from.

Mrs Eva White
Head of Library & Information Services

University of British Columbia Visits Shore!

Last Thursday, Shore welcomed Mr Stuart Floyd, Director of International Recruitment, Scholarships and Awards, from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, for an early morning information session. The session was open to all local schools in the area, and it was a wonderful opportunity for families to gain insights into tertiary study in Canada.

UBC has two campuses in the picturesque city of Vancouver and Okanagan and offers 45 different degree programmes with over 260 Majors. Degrees in Canada are four years in length, and at UBC, they are highly integrated with industry, including partnerships with Boeing, Microsoft, the World Health Organisation and Adidas. The first year offers general learning opportunities before students select their study specialisation from years two – four. This allows students who are uncertain of their areas of interest to explore different subjects before having to select a specific degree area.

UBC consistently ranks among the top 40 universities in the world, and its courses are world-renowned. In addition to the significant academic standing of its degrees, UBC has also been consistently ranked among the top five sustainable universities in the world. Sustainable practices govern everything about the university experience, even including how subjects are taught. For example, opportunities to teach subjects outside where students can engage with the environment are embraced, serving to save power and appreciate the environment.

Students wishing to participate in sports, either at an elite level or for enjoyment, have many opportunities. Elite sports pathways are equivalent to those in the USA. A variety of recreational sports and clubs also enhance the student experience with many international exchange programs. First-year students are guaranteed accommodation on campus in modern colleges and can either elect to stay or move beyond campus after the first year. With just 10,000 students on the Okanagan campus and 50,000 in Vancouver, UBC appears to balance the benefits of a well-resourced University with a personal and welcoming campus environment. International students are also entitled to a Post Graduate Work Permit for three years after the completion of their studies.

As the most international university in Canada, UBC attracts students from around the globe, thus creating a network of alumni that is truly global. The location of both campuses with close access to ski fields, waterways, and mountains for hiking and biking, there appears to be no shortage of outdoor activities to enjoy beyond university.

Ms Vanessa Shirriff
Careers Education

Dates for Term 2 and 3 Progress Meetings

Parents and students in Years 8, 10 and 11 are asked to note the following dates for Term 2 and Term 3 Progress Meetings:

Term 2

• Year 11 Progress Meetings: Tuesday 24 June (Week 9) between 4pm and 7pm

Term 3

• Year 8 Progress Meetings: Monday 28 July (Week 2) between 4pm and 7pm
• Year 10 Progress Meetings: Monday 4 August (Week 3) between 4pm and 7pm

Booking information and meeting details will be emailed to parents and published on Lampada two weeks before the meeting date. Progress meetings will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams.

Boys are expected to attend in School uniform.

There are no co-curricular activities on these dates for students attending Progress Meetings.

Ms Emma Campbell
Academic Data Manager

Mr Harry Guest Appointed Housemaster of Mackey House

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Harry Guest as the inaugural Housemaster of Mackey House, our newly established 19th Day House, opening in Term 1, 2026.

Harry brings experience and a deep commitment to pastoral care. He currently teaches English at Shore, serves as a Tutor in Eldershaw House, and coaches both Rugby and Cricket. He has previously acted as a Housemaster at Shore, Mather House in Term 1 2025, and is currently undertaking postgraduate study in Educational Leadership, further strengthening his capacity to lead boys and staff.

Before joining Shore, Harry held several pastoral roles at Geelong Grammar School, including that of Boarding Resident Tutor. His background reflects a strong foundation in student wellbeing, character development, and community building, qualities that align perfectly with the vision for Mackey House.

The opportunity to lead Mackey House marks an exciting new chapter, not only for Harry but for our whole community. As Housemaster, he will play a central role in shaping the culture and identity of the House, fostering a sense of belonging and connection from day one.

In the coming months, Harry will begin working closely with the pastoral team to build the student membership of Mackey House. Boys in Years 7 to 11 will soon have the opportunity to express interest in joining the House, and this process will be carefully guided to ensure a thoughtful and balanced beginning.

Please join us in congratulating Harry on this well-deserved appointment. We look forward to the energy, care, and leadership he will bring to Mackey House and to the exciting journey ahead.

Mr Derek Champion
Deputy Head Pastoral Care

Parent Seminar Series 2025

Debate, Diplomacy, and Distinction: Shore at MUNA

Recently, six of our Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) students at Shore had the unique opportunity to represent our School at the prestigious Rotary Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) competition. Held over one weekend, the event brought together students from across the region to engage in spirited debate, negotiation, and diplomacy, mirroring the real workings of the United Nations.

Our boys represented two designated member countries, Japan and Saudi Arabia, and debated six major international resolutions, including issues such as climate change, trade policy, space exploration, refugee management, and global environmental agreements. The Team Japan delegates were Joshua L, Henry M, and Yukai Y, while Team Saudi Arabia was represented by William C, Nicholas E, and Austin X. Each student played a key role in articulating their country’s position, demonstrating not only thorough research but also critical thinking and a deep understanding of global affairs.

The boys prepared meticulously for the event, examining the economic and political stances of the country they represented and crafting position papers to guide their diplomacy. Their debates were confident, persuasive, and respectful—qualities essential in real-world international relations. For example, during the resolution on trade policy, the team Japan opened their speech with the bold and attention-grabbing line, “You are jealous of us,” immediately setting a confident and humorous tone. They went on to deliver a compelling and witty argument that the use of tariffs as a core element of trade policy is counter-productive and self-defeating. Their blend of humour, logic, and diplomacy helped win over the room as they skilfully negotiated with other delegations to build support for freer and fairer global trade practices.

A particularly exciting element of the competition was The Point of Information section, where delegates had to respond to spontaneous questions and challenges posed by representatives of other nations. This required quick thinking, clarity, and composure under pressure. Our boys handled this section with remarkable poise—offering well-reasoned and articulate answers that reflected both their preparation and their diplomatic skill.

Another highlight was their participation in the resolution concerning the Antarctic Treaty. Here, the boys showcased both scientific insight and ethical reasoning, arguing passionately to protect one of Earth’s last pristine environments. Their ability to quote data, reference international protocols, and suggest realistic amendments earned praise from fellow delegates.

The competition also involved formal voting and parliamentary procedures, the proposal of amendments, behind-the-scenes lobbying through Bloc Meetings, and the strategic use of Diplomatic Notes—giving students an authentic taste of real-world diplomacy in action. The teams demonstrated maturity and adaptability in navigating shifting alliances and debates, while remaining composed and articulate throughout.

Team Japan delivered an outstanding performance throughout the weekend, earning a very close 2nd place overall—only one point away from qualifying for the national competition—a testament to their preparation, teamwork, and sharp diplomacy. Similarly, Team Saudi Arabia also demonstrated impressive skill and a strong presence in every debate, showcasing their dedication, collaboration, and strategic thinking.

Beyond the competition, the experience offered immeasurable value. It fostered teamwork, broadened global awareness, and honed public speaking and negotiation skills. Most importantly, it inspired a sense of global citizenship and responsibility.

I am extremely proud of our delegates for the professionalism, enthusiasm, and intellect they brought to MUNA. Events like this not only develop future leaders, but also help build empathy, resilience, and a commitment to positive change.

Congratulations to our MUNA boys on a stellar performance!

Ms Jingling Hu
Languages Teacher

Joshua L, representing the Delegation of Japan, has thoughtfully reflected on his participation in the Rotary Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) competition, gaining valuable insights from the experience:

“This experience fundamentally enhanced my ability to construct arguments and generate original ideas under time pressure—an essential skill when navigating the complexities of global issues. Having a platform to speak with conviction also gave me a valuable opportunity to strengthen my public speaking skills, particularly through the use of humour, engagement, and energy to appeal to fellow delegates and the Secretary-General.

Participating in the Rotary Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) allowed me to explore pressing socio-economic and political challenges around the world, while also developing core life skills such as ideation and effective communication. I would highly recommend this experience to others, as it offers unique insights into serious global issues and opens one’s mind to diverse cultural and economic perspectives that few other platforms can provide.”

From the Music Department

Congratulations to…

… Charles Anderson, Orlando Cain, William Chan, Henry Dockrill, Cameron Fischl, Joshua Nieland, Tom O’Neill, Luca Scott, Dhrish Shah and Lachlan Ward who performed solo at their piano studio concert last week. Thank you to Ms Broadbridge for her organisation of this concert.

Upcoming Events

Sydney Eisteddfod – Symphonic Winds Tuesday 10 June

Symphonic Winds will be participating in the Sydney Eisteddfod at Chatswood Concourse on Tuesday 10 June. The Band will meet in the Band Room at 3pm and will perform at the Concourse at approximately 5.45pm. Tickets may be purchased in support of the boys here. Thank you to Ms Robertson and the Music Mentors for providing this opportunity to Symphonic Winds, and we wish you all the very best.

Winter Concert – Chatswood Concourse Thursday 12 June

Winter Concert will be held this Term on Thursday 12 June, at Chatswood Concourse. This concert features all of our Core Ensembles in the one evening as well as Stage Band, Jazz Ensemble, Foreshore, String Quartets, Chamber Ensemble, Clockwork and some Year 12 soloists. It is building up to be a fantastic concert with something for everyone. Tickets can be purchased here.

Date Changes

In Term 3, the Band Concert will be on Tuesday 5 August, with the day rehearsal on Thursday 31 July, and Instrumental/Choral Concert will be on Tuesday 16 September, with a rehearsal on the day of the 16th. Both concerts are held at Shore.

Private Music Lessons

Private Music Lessons have recommenced for Term 2. If you would like your son to begin private Music lessons at Shore please complete the application form here.

Semester One Studio Concerts 2025

Term 2 Music Calendar

If you have any enquiries, please contact our administrative assistant – Performing Arts, Ms Nethery, at performingarts@shore.nsw.edu.au

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.

Cross Country Report

Saturday 31 May 2025

St Joseph’s College Invitation, Riverglade Reserve, Huntleys Cove

After last week’s cancellation at Riverview due to the terrible weather on Friday (and a lovely day on Saturday), St. Joseph’s College meet at Riverglade Reserve marked an important return to racing. On the line were both GPS vs CAS selection and CIS team qualifications; thus, the stakes were high. To add to the excitement was the fact that the course was entirely new terrain, with no one really knowing what to expect.

 The Junior team was first to face the mystery course, and they did not disappoint. Harry Nicholson was Shore’s first finisher, a remarkable effort made even more impressive by the fact that Harrison is only in Year 6!!!! His training with us has amazed everyone, pushing even the Senior boys to up the pace. Not far behind was the composed and consistent George Harvey with an excellent race on the new course. Hot on their heels, Jackson Harris and Alex Baxter raced as a unit, pushing each other all the way to the finish. Their teamwork and competitive drive are clear as day, and the boys continue to develop nicely as the season unfolds.

In the Intermediates, Shore’s strength again came through. James Warren put in what can only be described as a heroic effort, finishing as the 3rd GPS athlete overall and locking in his place on the GPS vs CAS team for 2025. His form, composure and determination were on full display, and he rightfully earns this week’s ‘Machine of the Week’ honours. Not far behind, Toby Ward came 5th among the GPS runners, claiming his place in the representative team as well. Jonty Jagger finished strongly just outside the cutoff in 10th place, and will no doubt use that as fuel in coming races. Hugo Stewart is still finding his rhythm post-injury but showed glimpses of his potential, and with time and a few more training sessions under his belt, he will certainly be one to watch heading into the back half of the season.

The Opens team, though short on numbers, produced a characteristic Shore display. With just four runners available on the day, despite most rival schools fielding larger teams, the Opens knew it would be tough but, as usual, took on the challenge. Tom Gray opted for a new race strategy, starting conservatively and executing a strong back half. His patience paid off, overtaking teammate James Bestic in the final 500m to be Shore’s first runner home. Fraser Pandit and Daniel Becker both showed steady improvements, no doubt assisted by recent hill training that is clearly beginning to yield results.

With no race next weekend due to the long weekend, the boys have a perfect opportunity to do some solid training. It’s a crucial moment in the season and time to build some momentum before the final block of races.

Shore Cross Country Machine of the Week:

Unanimously awarded to James Warren for his top-tier performance in the Intermediates and GPS vs CAS team selection. 

We’ll see you on course after the long weekend!

James Bestic
Captain of Cross Country 2025

Football Report

Saturday 31 May 2025

On Saturday 31 May, we matched up with Sydney Grammar (Grammar) with the First and Second XI teams playing in the first round of the GPS away from home. The Senior Squad (First and Second XI) also received their Jerseys on Thursday night at the 2025 Football Jersey Presentation held at the Football Pavilion, with close to 100 guests attending, including Director of Sport Mr Mark Ticehurst and Community Chaplain Rev Nick Foord.

We were able to get valuable wins with the Second XI, Fourth XI, Fifth XI, Sixth XI, Seventh XI, 15C, 15D, 15E, 15F, 14E, 13E and 13F’s.

First XI vs Grammar 2-3 loss

On Saturday morning, Shore’s First XI travelled to face up against a strong Grammar side in the opening round of the GPS season. After a few weeks of disappointing results, a week of continuous tactical training prepared the squad for this intense matchup. The game started off with a tense atmosphere where both sides had strong stints of maintaining possession, with some key chances happening for both teams. A strong formation from the boys proved difficult to penetrate, whilst the combination work throughout midfield and attack created some amazing chances. Shore went down 1-0 after a lapse of concentration in the backline, but some ruthless gameplay from Daniel Higgs brought it back to 1-1. In the last minute of the first half, multiple goal-line clearances from Joshua Izzard kept it all even as the half time whistle blew. As the second half began, a quick goal from Grammar provided them with the lead; however, a fast response from the Shore boys brought it back to 2-2. Unfortunately, Grammar scored a goal on the break, now leading 3-2, but Shore did not drop their heads. The boys fought until the dying moments of the game but were not capable of scoring again. The squad should be very proud of their improvements over the past couple of weeks, as they head into a tough two weeks of training before facing a strong Newington College side in round 2.

14E’s vs Grammar 5-4 win

The 14E’s secured their first win of the season in a thrilling 5–4 home game against Grammar, played at Northbridge F Ground. The team showed incredible resilience, teamwork, and spirit in what was one of the most exciting matches of the season so far. Despite conceding two early goals in the first quarter, the boys kept their composure and began to turn the momentum. A superb assist from Sam Golding set up Will Chadban for our first goal, quickly followed by a brilliant passage of play involving Will Folder, Anthony Virginiza, and James Wood, who scored his first goal of the season to level the match. As both sides traded chances, Blake Bruckner found the net just before half time, capitalising on a rebound to score his first goal of the season and giving us a 3–2 lead at the break. The second half started strong, with Will Chadban scoring again from just outside the box, assisted by James Wood, to make it 4–2. Sydney Grammar responded with two quick goals, levelling the game at 4–4. Defenders Henry Smith, Greg Urwin, and William Folder held strong during a tense period to keep us in the match. In the final minutes, a moment of brilliance from Ben Soh in midfield set up Will Chadban, who calmly completed his hat trick, securing a memorable 5–4 victory. The boys displayed outstanding attitude, teamwork, and determination from start to finish. It was a fantastic performance, and we look forward to carrying this spirit into the upcoming matches.

Mr Elvis DeMarchi
Head of Football

Results

NSW Junior State Surfing Titles

The NSW Junior state surfing titles were held at Coffs Harbour over the past week as part of the VW State Classic 2025, a historic event that saw five Surfing NSW State Titles: Junior, Masters, Longboard, SUP, High School, under one banner for the very first time.

Shore was represented in the U/18’s by Charlie C, who relished the experience of surfing at such a competitive event.

In the U/14’s, Jacques C progressed through the rounds and into the finals against the best Junior surfers in NSW.  In an outstanding result, he went on to win the U/14 final on Sunday to be crowned NSW state Champion.

Rugby Report

Saturday 31 May 2025

Shore vs Newington College (Newington) and Sydney Grammar (Grammar)

Shore took on Newington and Grammar last weekend in a round spread across Sydney. Newington is always dangerous – fielding strong A-sides but, unfortunately then not having the depth to match all the Shore sides. This is then an excellent chance to play some games against Sydney Grammar. This does mean that many Shore teams have to play higher opposing teams. However, Shore managed to win many of these arrangements or come very close to some upsets.

Our 14C’s continue to be Shore’s remaining undefeated team. They took on Newington 14B’s and closed out the game in the last few minutes in a thriller. Great to watch.

Our Sixth XV also deserves a shout-out. They took on Newington’s Fourth XV and narrowly went down 10-13. Considering the strength of Newington’s Firsts and Seconds, this was a huge result and illustrates great heart and progress from the team. Our Fourth XV also deserve a mention. They came within a whisker of defeating Newington’s Third XV and showed real grit against a side that would do well in the Third XV Competition if they were in it.

Shore’s 13A’s were on fire on the weekend, recording a massive win at Newington. The team welcomed back Gilbert Cay and he certainly made his mark. six tries! 

And good work to our Under 15s age group, who played a mixture of St Stanislaus College and Newington. Newington withdrew their A side from the weekend, and we are grateful that St Stanislaus College offered our boys a match instead. Our 15A’s had a tidy win, and our B’s played Grammar 15A’s and had perhaps an untidy win.

And a final shout out to the 16D’s. It always gets harder to match up a team when we get older and bigger, but they had a 36-22 win against Newington’s 16C’s. Both the 16D and Es are playing a good brand of rugby at the moment, playing different Newington and Grammar sides led by Coach Papworth and our Old Boy cohort.

The Third XV started its Competition with a Round 1 clash against the Grammar First XV at Weigall. The team has been in good form and prepared well in the week; however, no plans survive contact with the opposition, and the first half was tight. Shore went into the sheds 7-0 up. Shore lifted a gear in the second half and played some of our best rugby, when we received a yellow card. Two tries were scored in that time, and a try-of-the-year contender from George Lane really electrified the game and crowd. David Campese would have been proud of the goose step. A good all-round performance saw the Thirds win 28-5. 

The Second XV played in another really close tussle on the weekend and were unlucky to go down 7-15. The side welcomed back Luke Maclennan from injury, and it was great to see him show some attacking flair. Lachie Longes was also up for his debut and did not disappoint. This was a game that could have gone either way, and the Seconds are a real threat of cutting loose against the opposition. 

And in the First XV, unfortunately, the opposition cut loose against us. Starting slowly again, the Shore side let first points in and never got the ascendency back. Multiple length of the field tries from Newington actually did not illustrate the possession and territory that Shore had during the game. It was, however, an example of a side executing on opportunities and Shore not converting theirs. This was a game to put away and forget about. Shout out to Oscar d’Almeida, who dislocated his shoulder during the game. He has been in tremendous form, and we’ll miss him.

Enjoy the long weekend, boys and see you back at training next week!

Go Shore!

Mr David Mason-Jones
MIC Rugby

Results

Taekwondo Tournament and Training

Kudos to the black, blue and yellow belts during training this week. Wednesday’s training focused on introducing the white belts to sparring and kicking techniques. White belts were put through their paces, with older boys refereeing practice tournaments between them. The training resulted in camaraderie being built in the group.

Saturday 31 May 2025

Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview (Riverview) vs Shore
Barker College

Will G (Year 10) was up by two points to nil, then received a penalty, resulting in an unfortunate loss.

Next up was our Captain Andrew G (Year 12), who lost three-nil. He came out aggressively with some good kicks, but just got unlucky and was kicking a little bit low. Sadly, he didn’t get the rub of the green.

Josh L (Year 11) came out humming, trying to score his first initial points with big punches. He ended up scoring his first punches and then two more points with a turning kit. He won by beating his opponent, the captain of Riverview, three-nil.

The score was two (Riverview) games to one (Shore). Christian W (Year 11) needed to win this one to make it a one-game shootout. Christian lost his bout three-nil, so there was no chance of Shore winning this time.

There was one more bout to go. Benjamin P (Year 12) vs one of the Riverview yellow belts to hopefully make this game 3-2 instead of 4-1. He had a lot resting on his shoulders.

Benjamin was rushing, and he was winning early by 1. He won the dead rubber by three-nil. Kudos to Benjamin for marked improvement from last week. His win makes the total score Riverview 3 – 2 Shore.

Some hard but necessary lessons were learned this week; the boys should be proud of their high level of discipline. Go Shore!

Ms Fiona Gabanski-Sykes and Mr Steve Wyllie
Taekwondo Coaches