Presidents Update | Nov 2025

5 November 2025

Dear All,

As we draw the curtain on season 2025, I wanted to share a brief reflection on what has been an outstanding year both on and off the field.

This year has seen the club continue to grow in strength, unity & professionalism across all areas. Our strategy remains firmly focused on the four key pillars of Performance, Culture, Relationships & Finance, and it’s pleasing to see tangible progress in each. The club’s health socially & financially has never looked better, the development of our playing group continues & we are close to realising on the hard work over the last three seasons.

Part of the club culture are the volunteers who run the BBQ, this is an important revenue stream for the club along with providing an enjoyable game day experience for our supporters & guests, many thanks to all our contributors throughout the year & below to those who ran the final three rounds:

• 26th July: Kristina Manson & team along with Tom McClure & the helpers from Grill'd.

• 2nd August: Scott & Brig Valente, Steve & Di Nayda, Paul Kelly.

• 23rd August: Martin Abbott, Paul Tymukas, Mark O'Loughlin, Vic Rasera, Paul Griffin.

On Field

It was another strong season across all teams, marked by improvement, resilience & competitiveness. Our men’s A Grade finished just outside the finals in 6th position, with several narrow losses showing how close we are to breaking into the top echelon. The B Grade mirrored this in 6th place, showcasing depth and development across the list, while the C Grade continued to build stability and competitiveness, finishing the year strongly.

Our women’s A Grade team had an excellent season, finishing 4th and competing in the major round narrowly losing to Hope Valley. The skill development, teamwork and belief within the group continue to grow, which is a credit to the coaching staff and players alike.

Collectively, all teams demonstrated growth in both consistency and culture — the foundation for further success in 2026.

Presentation Night

The 2025 Old Ignatians Presentation Dinner was held at The Sanctuary, Adelaide Zoo, where we came together to celebrate the year that was & recognize the achievements of our players, coaches & volunteers.

It was a terrific evening full of energy, pride & community spirit, a true reflection of what makes the Iggies family so special. We once again thank Chris Horner & the team from Blanco Horner for hosting and providing the Best & Fairest vouchers, and our major sponsor, The Bath Hotel, for their continued support. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors & members for their support in season 2025 & we look forward to seeing you in 2026.

Congratulations to all of our 2025 award winners listed below, your contribution, performance & leadership continue to set the benchmark for the club.

OIFC AWARDS – SEASON 2025

TEAM AWARDS

A GRADE MEN

• Best & Fairest – Darcy McDonald

• Most Consistent – Jack Manson

• Best Team Man – Will McCarthy

• Coaches Award – Anthony Cua

• Most Improved – Oscar Rice

• Runner Up Best & Fairest – Will Ferrari

B GRADE MEN

• Best & Fairest – Aussie Horner

• Most Consistent – Ted Davies

• Coaches Award – Louis Whitford

• Best Team Man – Matt van der Hoeven

C GRADE MEN

• Best & Fairest – Austin Murdoch

• Most Consistent – Zac Borlace

• Coaches Award – Michael Thomas

• Best Team Man – Colin Leonard

A GRADE WOMEN

• Best & Fairest – Alice Winter

• Most Consistent – Lily McDonald

• Coaches Award – Caitlin McCarron

• Most Improved – Grace Weber

• Best Team Player – Phoebe Edwards

CLUB AWARDS

• Men’s Supporters Best Player – Darcy McDonald

• Men’s Leading Goal Scorer – Ben Stevens (44 goals)

• Women’s Leading Goal Scorer – Molly Ingram (12 goals)

• Men’s Best Defender – Conor Leahy

• Women’s Best Defender – Tahlia Cua

• Men’s Best First Year Player – Hugo Black

• Women’s Best First Year Player – Chloe Butcher

Congratulations once again to all winners.

Acknowledging Our Coaches

I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank Senior Coach Darryl Spencer for his leadership, dedication & impact across the past three seasons. When Darryl joined the club in 2023, he faced the enormous task of leading a young group in Division 1 — a challenge that demanded patience, resilience & belief.

Under Darryl’s guidance, our playing group matured both on & off the field & his positivity, calm demeanour & ability to extract the best from every player has left a lasting mark. Season 2024 saw the group consolidate in Division 2, and this year we were within a few close results of playing finals football for the first time in four seasons. More importantly, Darryl's influence extended beyond football helping shape the club’s standards, relationships & sense of purpose.

On behalf of the entire Old Ignatians community, we thank you Darryl for your professionalism, humility & care, you leave the club in a stronger position than when you arrived, and that is the mark of a great coach & leader.

I would also like to extend heartfelt thanks to Brendan Daw for his outstanding contribution as our Reserves Coach over the past two seasons. Dawsey stepped in after what could only be described as a “friendly chat over a few drinks” almost three years ago, and since then has led with passion, integrity & genuine care for his players. Thank you Dawsey — we appreciate everything you’ve done for the club.

A special mention also to Jason Baily for his continued leadership of our women’s program. Jason’s dedication, professionalism & genuine care for his players have been central to the continued growth and success of women’s football at Old Ignatians. The results this season speak volumes of his impact with the team playing finals — congratulations to Jason, Ben McDonald, Julie Winter & Nathan Cooper for another fantastic year.

I would also like to acknowledge Tim Rice, Nathan Bailey, Chris Toome, Cliff Flower, Jock McArthur, Michael Tanti, Tony McInerney, Nic Dawes, Charlie Gallman & Ben Black for their invaluable efforts across all teams this year. Coaching & supporting at all levels demands time, commitment & sacrifice, and your contribution is greatly appreciated.

Off Field

Off the field the club continues to thrive. Sponsorship grew by over 30%, social engagement remains extremely strong & our major events continue to break records. The Business Lunch was a sell-out success, while Ladies Day saw record attendance once again. Game day crowds were fantastic & our community spirit remains the envy of many.

A huge thank you to our committee for their tireless work — Julia Grant, Megan Leydon, Liv Ryan, Tom Sexton, JP Calabrese, Bruce Debenham, Chris Page & Tom Wilson in their portfolio roles along with Ella Muecke, Matt Overy, Paul Zollo, Isaac Ryan, Sam Winter, Patty Tymukas & Quinn Spencer for their ongoing support. The club’s momentum simply wouldn’t exist without this group’s leadership & teamwork.

Special thanks to Quinn, Ted, Jack & the team for producing The Dropkick each week — it’s become a Friday highlight for us all & our game days run smoothly with the continued help of Patrick Steen.

To our medical & welfare teams — Chris Page, Annie Marafioti, Shane Ryan, Millie, Julie Winter & Ben Black — we thank you for the exceptional care you provide to our players, you are without doubt the benchmark of the league.

2025 Snapshot

• 33 wins across all grades (up from 30 in 2024)

• Sponsorship up over 30% year-on-year

• Record-breaking Business Lunch & Ladies Day

• Consistent community attendance & volunteer engagement

• Partnership relationships stronger than ever

• Positive financial performance with a projected strong surplus

• Growing player depth across both men’s & women’s programs

• The metrics show the story — 2025 was another step forward for the club, built on the collective efforts of our players, coaches, committee & community.

Season 2026 – Looking Forward

With the appointment of new Head Coach Jarrad Parker, planning is well underway for season 2026 & there is a great sense of excitement and momentum around the club. The focus remains on continuing our growth — both in performance and culture — while keeping enjoyment & community at the heart of everything we do.

Jarrad's football philosophy is simple & below is a snapshot from his presentation at our 'meet the coach' night in October:

“Develop people individually and collectively to achieve team success.”

This approach is built on five key values — Communication, Leadership, Structure, Relevance & Enjoyment — ensuring we continue to develop not just footballers, but great people within a connected club.

The men’s program will be led by a refreshed coaching team bringing great experience & energy into 2026:

• A Grade: Head Coach – Jarrad Parker with assistants Brian Leys & Tim Rice

• B Grade: Isaac Ryan & Jared Centenera

• C Grade: To be confirmed

• Women’s Program: Jason Baily continuing as Head Coach

The group’s focus is on playing a bold, team-first brand of football built around high pressure, fast ball movement, and deliberate execution into our forward half. Clear roles, accountability & enjoyment will be central to how we go about it.

Preseason will commence on Tuesday, 2nd December (including the AGM) with four pre-Christmas sessions on 8, 10, 15 & 17 December, before returning on Wednesday, 7 January.

The message is clear — arrive fit, ready to train & eager to build on this year’s success. Our brand of football will demand effort, energy & connection from the start.

The expectations across the club are simple:

• Coaches: Be approachable, prepared & uphold standards.

• Players: Be accountable, coachable & ready both physically & mentally.

• Everyone: Contribute to a culture of enjoyment, hard work & support.

The goal has been set — Finals Football and a Top 3 finish across the grades. Please see attached Jarrad's presentation from our 'meet the coach' night.

With the strong foundation built in 2025 and an exciting coaching team in place, I have no doubt that 2026 will be a year of further growth, success & pride for everyone connected with the club.

Go Iggies,

Regards,

Bevan