History made at Sydney independent school Shore with first game played on grounds

A LITTLE piece of history was made on Saturday when Aussie rules was played at Shore School’s Northbridge No.1 Oval for the first time in its 120-plus year history.

An AFL game has been played at Shore for first time in the school's 150-year history. Picture: Jenny Evans

THERE wasn’t a lot of fanfare but Saturday a little piece of history was made for AFL in Sydney when Aussie rules was played at Shore School’s Northbridge No.1 Oval for the first time in its 120-plus year history.

Shore hosted a gala day which also featured some of the who’s who of Sydney’s independent schools including Cranbrook, Riverview, Knox, Trinity and Joeys.

The Swans have been in the harbour city for 35 years and the Giants five years but the code has made little inroads into Sydney’s private schools - until now.

“There was once a time when the only sports you could do at a GPS school was to row or play cricket or play rugby. It’s not like that anymore,” Shore principal Dr Timothy Wright said.

“It’s a historic moment; the ground is much the same dimensions as the Sydney Cricket Ground. It’s the first time AFL posts have been up there and we would anticipate that where there are opportunities arise in the future that don’t interfere with the other sporting programs at the school it will happen again.”

Shore’s Year 9-10 team at half-time of historic match at Shore Oval, Northbridge. Picture: Jenny Evans

The opportunity to play for his school didn’t exist for Shore’s most famous AFL product - two-time premiership player Lewis Roberts-Thompson - but Dr Wright says the introduction of footy to the famous school has been driven by demand from students and parents.

“It reflects the changing diversity in Australian society,” he said.

“One of the things about our school and it’s location is many of our enrolments come from the belt in the northern beaches across the lower north shore up to Willoughby which is a very strong area for junior AFL. A lot of our families already have an interest and passion for the game and quite a number of the boys play for a junior club as well.

AFL action at Shore for first time in it's 150-year history. Picture: Jenny Evans

Swans chairman Andrew Pridham marked the occasion with a tweet; “Fantastic to see @AFL being played at Shore School Northbridge number one oval for the first time. History in the making.”

Leo Barry’s old school St Ignatius at Riverview has led the way for footy in Sydney’s independent schools when they started playing in the Sydney junior competition more than a decade ago.

Four years ago they were joined by Trinity, Knox, Waverly, Cranbrook and St Aloysius in the first AFL competition for independent schools. Now there are 13 schools playing in four different competitions, years 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and Open.

The posts at The Shore School No. 1 oval. Great for more boys to have the opportunity to play @AFL for their school. pic.twitter.com/hyT5wimOrb

— Andrew Pridham (@Pridhamhq) August 13, 2016

Fantastic to see @AFL being played at Shore School Northbridge No 1 Oval for the 1st time. History in the making pic.twitter.com/ZtImtN8rTB

— Andrew Pridham (@Pridhamhq) August 12, 2016

Originally published as History made at Sydney independent school Shore with first game played on grounds