By JARROD POTTER
IF IT’S season launch is any indication of things to come, expect a successful, but at the same time hugely celebrated, season from St John’s OC Football Club.
Green, yellow and black could be seen for miles around St Mary’s Community Centre on Friday afternoon as the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s (VAFA) Division-2 side ushered in 2015 in fitting fashion as Dandenong’s highest ranked amateur football team.
With special guests Peter Daicos, Mark Maclure, Simon Helmot all led warmly by MC Tiffany Cherry, around 100 JOC’s players, committee members and supporters commenced their season in spectacular style, which also served as celebration for its 25th anniversary.
With the foundations formed in 1990, St John’s has gone from strength-to-strength as it hoists its way up the VAFA divisional structure. Division 2 is hopefully only a stepping stone for the side which has lofty ambitions of rising into the Premier ranks of the 123-year old metropolitan football league in years to come.
A feeder-team agreement with South East Juniors club Fountain Gate is set to help St John’s recruit the next great VAFA stars and potentially find new inductees to its newly launched Hall of Fame.
One of its champions from the initial era was duly recognised for his achievements on and off the field as Brendon La’Brooy was announced as the JOCs first Hall of Fame candidate.
A former St John’s captain and Victorian representative, La’Brooy was thrilled to be the first JOC inducted into the prestigious group and believes the friendships they made were just as important as the flags they won.
“I’m just totally overwhelmed, it’s unbelievable,” La’Brooy said.
“Totally shocked, especially with the likes of some of the guys I grew up playing footy with being such a big part of the footy club.
“We had a great group of people, champion people, administration, coaching and guys that worked tirelessly towards contributing to the footy club.
“We were just a group of mates and thought ‘let’s have a crack’ and we were successful.
“Whether we won, lost or drew, we’d have a great time.”
St John’s also announced its leadership group for the senior side at the luncheon as it has given the co-captaincy to Glenn Costas and Liam Mara while there will also be co-vice captains in Liam Connor and Daniel Cattolico.
With returning premiership coach Ben McGee at the helm, the VAFA season starts for St John’s – running seniors and reserves in 2015 – next Saturday as it heads to Melbourne High School to face the Old Boys from 2pm.
Sponsorship packages and memberships for the club are still available – for more information, contact club secretary Chris Swinburne at sec_stjohns@hotmail.com.
