Sacred Heart College set to defend Messenger Shield title when First XVIII football begins tomorrow

SACRED Heart College captain Cleve Westley knows his team will be hunted this year as it seeks to defend college football’s Messenger Shield.

The Messenger Shield college football competition kicks off on Saturday, May 24. all six school captains from their School football teams. Luke Partington from Emmanuel College, Ben Wiblin from Rostrevor College, Bryce Woolard from Prince Alfred College, Cleve Westley from Sacred Heart College with the Messenger Shield, Patrick Quinn from St Michael's college, Joint captains James Duncan and Jake Stafford from St Peters College on the steps of Sacred Heart College at Somerton Park. Pic Campbell Brodie

SACRED Heart College captain Cleve Westley knows his team will be hunted this year as it seeks to defend the Messenger Shield.

The Somerton Park-based school won its first shield last season after going through the First XVIII football competition undefeated.

But Westley said Sacred Heart would be tested this season because it lost a stack of Year 12s at the end of last year and was likely to field a more inexperienced line-up.

“Undefeated teams don’t come around too often and last year was a very special team,” Westley said.

“Our archrivals are looking really strong this year and you can definitely feel the heat from them.

“Having 15 new kids gelling as a team is going to be pretty hard.

“We might come down just a little bit but we’re still hoping to lead the pack.”

Sacred Heart opens its shield campaign against Immanuel College at home tomorrow.

Immanuel’s team features Jonty Scharenberg, the younger brother of Collingwood utility Matt Scharenberg, and Glenelg player Billy Stretch, the son of former Melbourne defender Steven Stretch.

Triple Port Adelaide premiership mentor Stephen Williams will again coach the side.

Immanuel captain Luke Partington said his team was training twice a week at 7am in the hope of being competitive against the top schools.
“It is interesting getting up before school but it’s been good,” Partington said.

“We’ve got a lot of good, young players coming through ... and we want to give it a fair crack.”

Meanwhile, a new coach and an experienced, even squad has Prince Alfred College primed to regain the shield.

That is the view of the school’s captain Bryce Woolard ahead of Princes’ season-opening game against St Peter’s tomorrow.

Prince Alfred won the inaugural Shield in 2010 and 2012 but fell short last year.

Woolard said the squad, which featured state under-18 squad hopefuls Jack Elsworthy, Aaron Francis and Zac Richards, had the depth to succeed under its new coach, former Woodville-West Torrens player Steven Geyer.

“We’re looking pretty good this year,” Woolard said.

“We’re really even and in every position.

“The coach has brought some fresh wisdom into the school for the football players.”

Rostrevor, which won the competition in 2011, looms as one of the big challengers to Prince Alfred and Sacred Heart despite boasting a young squad.

Rosies captain Ben Wiblin said the team worked with a personal trainer during pre-season to test it physically and mentally.

“It should help us finish off last quarters ... and have the mental toughness to stick out a whole game,” Wiblin said.

“I think we’ll definitely be competitive.”

St Michael’s captain Patrick Quinn said his squad was skilful, quick and hungry for wins.

“It’s always a challenge against the bigger schools but we always want to knock them off,” Quinn said.

St Peter’s co-captain Jake Stafford said his team was ready to upstage the perennial contenders after struggling against them in the past.

“Last year we took a step forward in beating Immanuel ... but this year we’d really like to beat Sacred Heart or PAC,” Stafford said.

“That’d be great.”