The Ignatian - December 2016 Vol 26 December 2017 Vol 28 | Page 28

Sports & Co-curriculum Clubs and Camaraderie Australian Rules Football Above Riverview and Knox 1st XVII after their annual clash Seven teams across the College took to the field for our second season in the Independent Schools Competition. And a stellar season it was with the code experiencing unprecedented growth in player numbers, particularly in the Open age group, which saw for the first time, the College represented by both a 1st XVIII and 2nd XVIII. This was the third season for the Independent Schools Competition and our second appearance, and with it came our second Open’s Premiership. And the boys did it in style, posting 11 consecutive wins for an emphatic undefeated season. 11 teams represented eight GPS and CAS schools, with Shore School and Knox Grammar also entering a 1st and 2nd XVIII. Not to be outdone, the 2nd XVIII finished in an equally impressive 5th place. Again this season, a College student was voted by the umpires as the competition’s best player with our Captain of Australian Rules, Doug Bolger, winning the Most Valuable Player Award. And to top a great season, the College defeated Knox Grammar to retain the Leo Barry Trophy. C H R IS BA X T E R , M I C AU S T R A L I A N R U L E S F O O T BA L L 2 8 | I G N ATI A N | D EC E M B E R 2 0 1 7