OUR HISTORY - YEAR BY YEAR
2000 - 2009
2002
A Section
President: Alan Burrows
Secretary: Ian Jervis
Treasurer: Ron Hine
Firsts coach: Leigh Carlson
Reserves coach: Craig Neave
U19s coach (Section 2): Dean Peters
3rds coach (North): Jon Carnegie
Team Leaders
Firsts captains: Andrew Ramsden & Rob Phillips
Firsts vice-captains: Sam Kennedy & Adam Andrews
Reserves captain: Sam van der Venne
Reserves vice-captain: Lachlan Carter-Buszard
U19s captains: Nick Gordon & Matthew Davies
U19s vice-captains: Joel Aitken & Simon Amore
For only the second time in the Club’s history, a third consecutive year in A Section (the previous one was in 1977!).
We were spruiked by all and sundry for a top two finish in 2002. And given our playing list, the spruik was well founded. In addition to the usual suspects including Rob Phillips, David Burrows, Jeremy Sutcliffe, Travis Stephens, Chris Frost, Matt Greig, Matt Collins, Gabe Deane-Johns and Glenn Hatfield (four times state representative), we recruited Steve Brown (ex Horsham), Paul Gnatt (ex TGS and Oakleigh Chargers), Nathan Pirouet (ex OMs courtesy of Adam Andrews), Adam Contessa (Clint Hillas’s cousin ex Footscray, North Melbourne and Glenelg), Adam Gorman (ex Kyabram), Lucien Deane-Johns (ex Old Xaverians) and that very introverted couple, Anthony Parkin (dual premiership player ex Collegians) and Old Geelong Grammarian, Lincoln Reynolds (ex Footscray, OMs and AAFC Team of the Year representative 2003). Phil Stevens, then VAFA CEO, had a very significant hand in Reynolds recruitment but that’s another story for another time. And Dave Rogers returned from a long stint with Monash Blues. But as so often happens, we did not live up to expectations because egos ran absolutely rampant. However, we did manage to fittingly farewell Rob Phillips (six years club captain), Rogers and Parkin in round 18 with a one-point win over Uni Blues at home.
Andrew Ramsden and Mathew Grieg were selected in the VAFA state team (Andrew as captain), and Simon Amore, Nick Gordon and Jack Healey in the U19s. Andrew Ramsden was also selected in the Australian Amateur Football championship team of the year. Mathew Grieg topped the VAFA goal kicking with 74 goals.
Leigh Carlson was awarded the VAFA Certificate of Merit awarded to individuals going above and beyond the call of duty year after year.
After 9 rounds the Firsts and Reserves were struggling with the Firsts in 7th place (3-5) and the Reserves 6th 5-4. The 3rds were 8th (1-8). However, the U19s were sitting on top of the ladder, undefeated. Things didn’t get a lot better for the full age teams, the Firsts finishing the season in 7th place (7-10-1), the Reserves 5th (9-9) and the 3rds 8th (1-14). However, the U19s saved our pride, finishing 2nd with 15 wins and 3 losses.
But that was as good as it got, with the U19s making a straight sets departure from the finals race.
U19s second semi-final:
Old Essendon: 3.0 7.1 11.5 17.10.112
Old Trinity: 1.4 3.10 4.14 7.17.59
Goals: Cusumano 1, Chiffey 2, Troon 2, Hillas 1, Pretty 1
Best: Aitken, Pretty, Troon, Healy, Stebbins, Amore
U19s preliminary final:
Old Trinity: 3.5 5.8 8.13 10.14.74
Ormond: 2.1 5.4 8.7 14.11.95
Goals: Hillas 4, Hill 2, Sparsi, S Amore, Troon, Pretty
Best: Aitken, Healy, Crawford, Hillas, Davies, Stebbins
Award winners 2002
Firsts best & fairest (E.J. Weatherson Trophy): Andrew Ramsden
Runner-up: Toby van der Venne
Firsts coach’s award (Trevor Norman Trophy): Travis Stephens
Reserves best & fairest: Tim Cade
Runner-up: Jed Burgess
Reserves coach’s award (Michael Frost Trophy): Ben Blackmore
U19s best & fairest: Matthew Davies
Runner-up: Jack Healy
U19s coach’s award: Michael Crawford
U19s award for endeavour & commitment (John & Peter Quarterman Trophy): Joel Aitken
3rds best & fairest: Scott Langdon
Runner-up: Lucas Welsh
Best first year player: Paul Gnatt
Best club person (Tony Lyons Trophy): Ray Dean
Life member: Norm Latchford
150 games: Andrew Ramsden
100 games: Jono Cade
100 games: Sam Kennedy
100 games: Michael O’Shaughnessy