08/10/2026
ONE OVAL. EIGHT TEAMS. ONE BIG SHARKS FAMILY. 🦈
This year we tried something different for our Youth Presentation Day. Instead of long sit-downs in the function room, we took over the whole of Totally Workwear Park. Every team set up its own marquee, families brought chairs and plates to share, the kids had laser tag running all day, and teams rolled through their presentations in turn.
The result was a day that felt less like a ceremony and more like what this club actually is. Families who had never met sharing food. Players and siblings mixing at the laser tag. Coaches standing up to talk about sport they clearly care about. And Kahoots that got far more competitive than anyone expected.
🏆 BEST AND FAIREST
▸ U13 Mixed Div 2 · Clayton Brereton (runner up Brody Mitchell)
▸ U13 Mixed Div 4 · Jack Jenkins (runner up Danny Hynes)
▸ U13 Mixed Div 5 · Roman Allan (runner up Henry Callaghan)
▸ U13 Girls Div 3 · Ruby Redmond (runner up Lily Batty)
▸ U15 Boys Div 1 · Byron Marc (runner up Hudson Hobbs)
▸ U15 Boys Div 4 · Mason Bolitho (runner up Oscar Brown)
▸ U15 Girls Div 2 · Sophie Porteous (runner up Sierra Thomson)
▸ U15 Girls Div 3 · Madison Hawkins (runner up Lucy Johnston)
🦈 OUR CLUB AWARD WINNERS
These are perpetual awards, several named after people who mattered enormously to this club. The winners go on the honour board for good.
ERN DOWLING BOY OF THE YEAR · Clayton Brereton
For the U13 boy who leads by example as a Sharks player. Clayton did it all year: Best and Fairest in a premiership side, and his 100th game for the club along the way.
ALMA DOWLING GIRL OF THE YEAR · Evie Mayne
For the U13 girl who leads by example as a Sharks player. Evie was a standout in a U13 Girls side that went from eleven players in Round 1 to a finals berth, and her attitude to her footy set the tone.
MARTIN PEACE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD · Isabella Muscroft
For a player who does far more than turn up and play. The kind of person who umpires, helps out with a younger team, or is first to lend a hand when something needs doing. Clubs like ours run on people like Isabella.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER · Sierra Thomson
The award goes to a player on umpire votes from across the competition, and Sierra polled 14. She finished equal third in the whole U15 Girls Div 2 competition and won a premiership with her team.
MICHELLE EDMONDS-WELLER MEMORIAL SHIELD · Lucy Johnston
One of our umpiring honours, chosen by our Umpire Coordinator. Lucy also finished runner up in the U15 Girls Div 3 Best and Fairest, which tells you plenty about how she goes about her footy, with a whistle or without one.
GOLD WHISTLE · Christian Payne
For our standout first year umpire. Christian played his 50th game for the U15 Boys Div 1 this year and still found time to pick up the whistle. Our umpiring group has grown enormously this season, and passionate umpires like Christian are why.
CHRIS DAVID COACH OF THE YEAR · James Ashdown
James started the season with eleven U13 Girls, no full side until Round 9, and a first win that did not come until Round 7. He finished it in finals. That is coaching.
CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR · Scott Darmenia and Adam Kratzmann
Shared this year, and deservedly so. This award is about everything that happens away from the scoreboard. Volunteering, recruiting players and families, running events and development programs, backing the club as sponsors, and turning up whenever something needs doing. Scott and Adam did all of that and more this season, on top of everything else they delivered as premiership coaches.
Congratulations to every winner. You are part of the club's history now.
We also handed out 85 volunteer certificates on the day. Eighty five. That is how many people it takes to run youth footy at this club, and every one of them gave their time for free. Thank you.
Thanks also to Shaun Cartwright, our coaches and team managers, and every family who brought a plate and stayed for the afternoon.
Same again next year?
🔴⚪⚫ GO SHARKS! 🦈
