A letter from incoming President, Tom Clarke
OBGFC Captain & President
Captain Harry Hill (L) with incoming President Tom Clarke (R)
On behalf of the Old Brighton Grammarian’s Football Club, I would like to extend an enormous thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers, supporters, coaches and players for making 2022 such a successful year.
Old Brighton is a great club on the back of its people. Your contributions allow the club to function, for our players to compete, and for Old Brighton to be such a positive place for all involved.
The last few years have highlighted how important community sport plays in our lives. It is a privilege to be involved with Old Brighton and to be able to work with a group of people that give so much and get so much out of the club.
Football is obviously central to our club, and it is the role of the Committee and our Football Department to do what we can to give our players the opportunity to play great football, to continuously improve and work together to achieve ultimate success. That is what we are all working towards.
However, the football club is much more than that. It is a place which should give our players the opportunity to develop as people. Where they can make lifelong friends, learn valuable life lessons, and be afforded great opportunities.
Old Brighton has been that place for so many people for 65 years, and thanks to your support and involvement, it continues to be that place for our current and future players.
Whilst we are already excited for 2023, there were incredible achievements in 2022 which should be celebrated, and some special people who deserve our thanks and acknowledgement.
Achievements
For the first time in the club’s history we fielded 7 teams, and had more players than ever represent Old Brighton. Five of our seven sides made the finals. A fantastic achievement.
Senior Men’s side played off in the Premier Grand Final for the second time in the club’s history, losing to St Kevin’s 5.16-46 to 3.6-24.
We have a young and exciting list. The average age of our Senior Men’s Grand Final side was 23, with 16 players 23 or under. Seven U19 aged players made their senior debut this season, including Sam Collins, Tom Blamires, Darby Hipwell, Gus Edgar, Tom Howard, Tom Burnell and Jordy Segar (who was one of only three players to play every senior game).
Our Senior Men’s Captain Harry Hill had a career best season, culminating in being voted Old Brighton’s first ever Woodrow Medalist. Harry also won the VAFA Coaches MVP, earned his fourth Club Best and Fairest and was named Captain of the Premier Team of the Year. Well done H!
Our Women’s Football program fielded two teams for the first time in our history, with over 55 women representing the Club in 2022.
Our Senior Women’s side was amongst the top 2 all season and made the Preliminary Final, losing to eventual premiers and our arch rivals since our inaugural season, Old Scotch.
Cat O’Brien, Indi Tait, Sienna Visentini and Annie Grant all made the Premier B Team of the Year.
Women’s Co-Captain, Indi Tait, won her fourth Club Best and Fairest, joining Harry Hill and club legends Andrew Pryor and Bob McLellan as the only players in the Club’s history to win four BnFs.
Eva Hamilton became our first ever Best and Fairest winner for the Women’s Reserve side.
Our Under 19s competed in the very strong Premier Division. Past player Matt “Boots” McClellan took over as coach, and led the boys all the way to the Grand Final where we went down to Old Xavs. The future is bright with the quality of our U19 list, and school boys coming through next year.
Our Thirds and Fourths teams added a whole new dimension to our club, balancing a more social approach to footy with the necessary dedication and camaraderie to have success. Both teams made the finals, with the Fourths going down to Ivanhoe in the Grand Final 8.7-55 to 12.11-83. Most impressively was the fact that these teams were established, organized and run by group of young players, most notably Harry Osborne, Liam Farrell and Alex Karanicolas. Congratulations and thank you for your significant contributions lads!
Thanks & Acknowledgements
Our club is built on its people. Whilst there are far too many people to individually acknowledge, there are a few who deserve special mention.
Shane Young. Firstly, and most significantly, thank you to outgoing President Shane ‘Gonzo’ Young. Shane took over as President at the end of 2013 and has overseen incredible change and success during his 9-year tenure, the longest of any Old Brighton President. In this time, the club re-generated its playing list, claimed the 2017 Premier B Premiership, founded its Women’s Football program, and grew from three to seven teams – amongst a swag of on and off field achievements. Remarkably, before all of this, Gonzo had already fitted in enough to be elected a life member of the club.
Thank you to Gonzo for the passion, dedication, hard work and love you have given Old Brighton in your time as President, and for the years before you took on the role. We look forward to your continued involvement in the club, and to thanking you formally at the first opportunity in 2023.
Shane Young - OBGFC’s longest serving President
Outgoing Committee. Thanks also to our other Committee members who are stepping down, John Rawlinson, Frank Cavallaro, Jan Davis, Alex Wilkinson and Corne Olivier. The football club has been extremely lucky to have such good people be involved, and for what you have brought to the club in your time.
We hope to see all of you at as many matches as possible in 2023, and that you can enjoy the lunches, social events and matches without the responsibility of the roles you have played so well for many years.
Greg Hutchison. Thank you to Greg Hutchison for the impact you have made over 8 years as the Senior Coach of the club. Hutchy came on board after the Club endured a tough 2014 and was relegated from Premier into Premier B division. He quickly instilled a fierce, relentless game plan and in 2017 lifted the Premiership Cup with Co-Captains Harry Hill and Dylan Verney after a triumphant win over Old Scotch. Five years later, Hutchy led the group to the Premier Grand Final for only the second time in our existence and leaves the Club in an incredibly strong position. Old Brighton has been lucky to have a coach and person of the quality of Greg.
Hutchy, we look forward to welcoming you down in 2023, and seeing you enjoy a few games with, I dare say, a much more relaxed mindset than you are used to! Thanks for everything mate.
Greg Hutchison - OBGFC’s longest serving coach
Our Sponsors and Members. I can’t emphasise enough how thankful we are to all of our sponsors and members for the support they provide our great club. A special thank you to our Premier Partners, Hodges and TLC Healthcare, and to Major Sponsors Winnings Appliances, StorePro, Marine Hotel, Airmaster, Riva, and John Trotter for their generous and ongoing support.
Looking Forward to 2023
There has never been a better time to be a part of Old Brighton.
Thanks to the performances of our playing group, the exciting crop of talent we have coming through, and the quality of the group as people, there has been overwhelming interest from people who are keen to get involved (or back involved, or more involved!) with our footy club.
Our Women’s Football Program continues to go from strength to strength, and a dedicated group of parents and volunteers have formed a Women’s Football sub-committee to help ensure the sustainability and success of Women’s Football at our club. Old Brighton is committed to ensuring that Women’s Football continues to be a significant and positive part of our club for years to come.
We have welcomed in newly appointed Senior Coach, Dan Donati, whose experience, values and approach has already energized the group. We welcome back club legends Marcel Bruin and Josh Homann as assistants, as well as former Geelong Falcons coach, Luke Daffy.
2023 COACHING APPOINTMENTS Welcome Back Soupy and Josh!
CLUB STATEMENT Appointment of Daniel Donati as Men’s Senior Coach
The boys are exceptionally led by Harry Hill and his Vice Captain’s Tom Fisher and Michael Karayannis. Whilst Kara hit the big 3-0 in 2022 (and got engaged to his partner, Eliana - congratulations Mikey!) at 25 and 26 Harry and Tom have quickly become the stalwarts of our senior side.
Our Under 19 cohort is as strong as ever. As mentioned, we had seven U19 aged boys play senior football this year, and there are many more who will be primed to debut in 2023. We also look forward to welcoming in our new players, which will of course include members of the Brighton Grammar APS Premiership winning side of 2022.
There will be a strong focus on developing this young talent over the next few years as we strive to remain at the top end of the competition. There is huge potential and opportunity for the group of young players coming through to make a real impact in 2023 and beyond.
It is a great privilege for me to be involved with Old Brighton, and an even greater one to take on the responsibility which comes with the Presidency. I am fortunate to have the support of an impressive, 12-person strong Committee which has a broad range of skillsets, backgrounds and perspectives.
Most importantly, the Committee is committed to making Old Brighton the best club it can be for all of our players, supporters, sponsors and broader community.
Thank again to our Old Brighton community. On behalf of the club, have a happy and safe Christmas break, and we look forward to welcoming you back at South Road in 2023!
Best wishes,
Tom Clarke
OBGFC President