New U19s Coach announced!

Trevor Little will take on the role of U19s Head Coach in 2024!

Trevor has played a pivotal role in the Senior Men’s success over the last few years as an Assistant Coach. His commitment and expertise have not only contributed to the success of the team but have also left a positive impact on the players.

Trevor has been actively involved with the Junior Club as well, and has a passion for developing young talent within the St Mary’s Community, which is why we’re excited to see him coach the U19s!

Trevor’s appointment follows current U19s coach Scott McLaughlin’s decision to step down. Scott has taken on a new job outside of footy, and decided to focus on it and his family, but hopes to continue contributing to St Mary’s in a different capacity.

We want to thank Soxy for his contributions this year and hope to see him continue to play a role in our community.

Troy Bickerton returns as Senior Women’s Head Coach

Troy Bickerton is returning as our Senior Women’s Head Coach for 2024!

The Premiership-winning coach is gearing up for Division 1 next season. Division 1 will present new challenge for the team, but with Troy’s expertise and commitment, we’re sure to see another fantastic season from the women’s team.

St Mary’s clean up at NFNL Awards

It was a great night at the NFNL’s Rosbrook Medal on Wednesday as it was our most successful one yet!

Things kicked off with Josh Fry winning the Division 2 Under 19.5 Best & Fairest. It’s been 13 long years since one of our players won this award, and we couldn’t be more excited to see it go to Josh after a fantastic season for himself and the Under 19.5s. Not only did Josh excel at the U19.5 level, but he also showcased his talents in the senior side this year, proving that he’s an immensely skilled player.

Next, in her very first season in senior footy, Meg Girolami dominated the field, earning herself the title of the highest goal scorer and runner-up position in the Best & Fairest for Division 2 Women’s Football.

Clare Derham then took out runner up in the Division 6 Netball Best & Fairest. With over 120 netball games for St Mary’s over more than a decade, Clare is a true example of dedication and commitment and it’s no wonder she was our Captain this year. Not only that, but Clare has won League Best & Fairest award not once, not twice, but three times already.

Finally, Senior Men’s player Tane Cotter won the Best & Fairest for Senior Men’s Division 2 – the first time anyone in our Club has had this honour. In our best Div 2 season yet, Tane’s performance truly stood out. With 23 goals and 7 best-on-ground appearances in 18 games, he’s been a key part of our first finals series.

You can see all votes on the NFNL website.

Josh Fry
Meg Girolami

Over $1000 raised in the Toyota Good for Footy Raffle

Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket in the Toyota Good for Footy Raffle this year!

Each $5 ticket you purchased goes straight to our Club and we have raised $1,140 to invest back into our community.

On the leaderboard this also put us at #209 our of 745 clubs around the country which is a great effort.

Winners will be drawn this Friday 22 September, so stay tuned to see if you’re a lucky owner of a brand new Toyota.

3 players named in Senior Men’s Division 2 Team of the Year

Congratulations to Jeremiah Antypas, Rory Hanlon and Tane Cotter for their well-deserved recognition in the NFNL Division 2 Team of the Year!

It’s fantastic to see them being acknowledged by the league for their outstanding contributions which saw the team make their first finals debut.

Jeremiah and Tane’s knack for goal-scoring and Rory’s exceptional skills in the midfield have made a significant impact on the team’s success this season.

Here’s to more success for Jeremiah, Rory, Tane, and the entire team in the future!

Supporting R U OK Day 2023

Today St Mary’s is supporting R U OK? Day to remind everyone to stay connected and make asking, ‘R U OK?’ a part of our everyday.

The mental demands of sport can be just as taxing as the physical demands. Success in sport is often defined by winning and the pressure to succeed can be overwhelming. The competitive nature of sport can also foster a stressful environment, and the culture of many sports dictates that athletes should be “tough” both physically and mentally which can discourage players from seeking help for mental health issues.

So this year, we’re asking everyone to join us and to let the people you care about know you’re here, to really hear them. Asking R U OK? is the first step, but you also need to genuinely listen to what comes next.

Listening and giving someone your time might be just what they need to help them through.

See our earlier post for resources to help you through these conversations.

Preparing for R U OK? Day 2023

On Thursday 14th September we’re supporting R U OK? Day to remind everyone to stay connected and make asking, ‘R U OK?’ a part of our everyday.

This year, R U OK? is calling on all of us to let the people you care about know you’re here, to really hear them.  Asking R U OK? is the first step, but you also need to genuinely listen to what comes next. 

R U OK? conducted research to understand what a meaningful R U OK? conversation looks like for Australians in 2023. People commonly mentioned three things: 

  • Trust: they need to know the person they speak to is someone they trust, and, for many, someone they are close to. 
  • Authenticity: they want to know the person asking them genuinely wants to hear answer. 
  • Environment: people prefer to have these conversations in a private space with enough time to share what they want to say. 

By taking the time for an R U OK? conversation and genuinely listening with an open mind, we can all help the people in our world feel supported and connected.

Here’s resources to help you be prepared for R U OK? Day this year:

Listen to our Premiership Players on Smash FM

After an incredible Grand Final win Smash FM were keen to speak to our Senior Women’s team to find out how they achieved such success!

Some of the stars of the team, including Madi Bickerton, Meg Girolami, Georgia Girolami, Jess Hardy, Natalie Cora, Charlotte Evans, and Elyssa Rees, shared their experiences from the season, the intense buildup to the Grand Final, and the feeling of winning the coveted trophy.

Thanks Will for coming down last night to interview the team!

Listen here on Spreaker.

B2B & Burra 45 Thank you Event

After the 19s and Seniors finals on Saturday, swing by the clubrooms!

The AFL will be on the tv while you enjoy drinks with your mates to celebrate a great season.

Complimentary food and drink will be available for Burra 45 members. This is our small way of saying thank you to our incredible Burra 45 members for your support in 2023.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!