Joeys greats return as First XVIII shines

ST Joseph’s College celebrated the past while looking to the future last week, as premiership heroes returned to Herne Hill Reserve for a special reunion alongside the school’s current First XVIII.

Members of the 2006 and 2016 Herald Sun Shield-winning teams gathered on the sidelines during the Reconciliation Round clash against St Bernard’s, with a host of AFL talent among those in attendance.

Carlton star Sam Walsh joined former Essendon player and St Mary’s midfielder Brayden Ham at the event, while former Geelong captain Cameron Ling also played a role in the evening.

On the field, St Joseph’s overcame difficult conditions to record a 33-point victory under lights.

Players from the 2016 Herald Sun Shield winning side were in attendance. Photo: St Joseph’s College.

Walsh presented the team’s Reconciliation guernseys before the match and spoke to players about the significance of representing the school.

Assistant coach Tom Breed said the team embraced the opportunity to hear from one of the program’s most successful graduates.

“It was really exciting for the group,” he said. “They were really engaged with Sam [Walsh].

“It was obviously really challenging conditions. We don’t often get to play under lights and we probably took a quarter to adjust to the conditions.

“St Bernard’s played really well. It was a bit of an arm wrestle; that’s how I’d describe the game.”

The 2006 Herald Sun Shield premiership team also reunited during the match. Photo: St Joseph’s College.

Forward-turned-defender Riley McLeod was awarded best-on-ground honours, receiving his medal from Ling, who later addressed the playing group ahead of next week’s Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) finals campaign.

Breed said both National Reconciliation Week and the reunion of former premiership players added significance to the occasion.

“We find it important to use the football as a good platform for those good occasions throughout the year,” he said.

The current First XVIII will now turn their attention to the ACC finals. Photo: Michael Chambers.

“The occasion of having the reunion off the field certainly wasn’t lost on the playing group, wanting to showcase how the program’s come a long way since those other groups came through.

“I really stressed to our current group that back in the day there wasn’t a designated football pathways program with the resources that they have now.

“They’re really lucky and fortunate to have that and those other cohorts would’ve been really blown away by where it’s got to now.”

St Joseph’s must win the ACC premiership to qualify for the Herald Sun Shield tournament, a title the school has not claimed since 2016.