Saints ready to defend premiership

AFTER guiding St Mary’s to a triumphant Geelong Football League (GFL) premiership in 2025, the challenge for co-coach Luke Rayner now shifts from chasing history to defending it.

The Saints beat St Joseph’s in an entertaining grand final last season at GMHBA Stadium, and did so from fourth position after an up-and-down home and away campaign.

Rayner said the club had taken plenty of time to celebrate the achievement but are now focused on the task ahead – backing it up.

“We had a concerted effort when we returned to make sure that the message was clear that the 2025 season – the reflection, the celebrations, living in the moment – had passed.

“I think it’s really important that we now galvanise as one and also just really look forward rather than look back.

“It’s in the history books, it’s ours to keep forever, it’s the clubs to keep forever, but I think it’s really important for our group now to have a sole focus on 2026.”

As they turn from the hunter to the hunted, Rayner admitted he was conscious of how tight the GFL race is and has completely reset for this season.

“I think it’s about the narrative that you create with your player group,”he said.

“We really have a no expectations mantra… so whilst we’re the reigning premiers, we’re also very understanding that it was extremely even between five or six teams last year and I anticipate that it will be very even again between five, six, seven-odd teams again this season.

“It’s certainly a bit cliche, but we have no expectations that because we finished on top last year that we can just reclaim that position and do as we please. We have to get to work and make sure that we’ve got a good mindset week to week.”

The Saints will take in a relatively similar squad to last season. Among others, veteran Nick Connors moved to Western Australia in the off-season, Matt Copley retired and Sam Christensen moved to Barwon Heads in the Bellarine Football League.

Two-time Mathieson Medallist Harry Benson returns to the club after a short stint in the Queensland Australian Football League, while Lachlan Peck will return from a serious knee injury.

Rising star Josh Sanders has joined from Lara, and VFL-listed players like Charlie Lazzaro, Xavier Ivisic, Sam Azzi and Michael Rudd may feature at times across the season.

Rayner emphasised just how difficult winning a premiership is and said he had learned valuable lessons from the run that will put his side in good stead for 2026.

“[Winning was] confirmation that you need a lot of things to go right at the right time,” he said.

“Some of that you can plan for, and some of that is obviously fate, luck, however you might want to look at it.

“My big learning out of 2025, and I think something we’ll certainly carry on into this year, is that we’ve just developed a mindset and an environment where it’s very relaxed, it’s very enjoyable, it’s very accommodating, it’s very welcoming and it’s very equal.

“Our boys know what it takes to be prepared to play GFNL footy, both at senior and development level, so there’s no problems from that point of view. It’s now just for us to continue to create this environment that’s exactly what I’ve just sort of said – it’s enjoyable, people want to be there, players want to be there, staff want to be there.

“If this group can connect like the 2025 group, and of course there are zero guarantees of that, then it can be another really enjoyable and fun season once again.”

St Mary’s will open their season against Colac at Central Reserve tomorrow afternoon.