Xavier College celebrating first APS title in almost 20 years

With a sprinkling of father-son players, the Red ‘n’ Blacks have clinched their first APS title since 2003 after winning all six of their matches.

Xavier College’s APS football team.

The Red ‘n’ Blacks are back.

Covid messed with the APS season, reducing it by four rounds, but Xavier College has been declared the premiership team, giving the school its first flag in almost 20 years.

It was decided on points.

Coached by former Adelaide Crows player Sam Shaw, Xavier won all six of its matches, three of them by narrow margins.

Shaw said his side was without the star factor of 2019 premier Carey Grammar, which could call on Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, but was “very well balanced right across the board’’.

“The most impressive thing was how they played together as a team, had the 22 contributors,’’ he said.

“They’re a pretty contested side, with some speed and class up forward as well.’’

And Xavier had the ability to win close games too.

It defeated Carey by one point in Round 1, Haileybury by four points in Round 2 and second-placed Scotch College by six points in Round 9.

There were also big victories over St Kevin’s College, Geelong Grammar and Melbourne Grammar.

Sam Shaw.

“They were able to stay level-headed and steadfast in some pretty tight games against strong opposition,’’ Shaw said.

Xavier and Scotch were both undefeated going into Round 9 and the Red ‘n’ Blacks prevailed 5.14 (44) to 4.14 (38).

The Xavier team featured Alwyn and Jayden Davey, the sons of former Essendon dasher Alwyn; Tex Wanganeen, the son of Brownlow Medal champion Gavin; and St Kilda mid-season draftee Max Heath, who was outstanding in the ruck.

Heath’s duel with Scotch’s Sam Darcy was a highlight of the season.

“To see two talents at that size and that age going against each other was a pretty rare sort of thing,’’ Shaw said.

Xavier captain Leo Moore is on the list at Oakleigh Chargers, as are Will Sexton and Oscar Duncan.

Shaw attended Xavier College, went through the Chargers and played 24 AFL games for Adelaide from 2012-17.

He took on the coaching position in 2019.

Max Heath rucking for Sandringham Dragons.

His schoolmate and fellow former AFL player Alex Johnson joined him as an assistant, and this year former Melbourne onballer Corey Maynard came into the program too.

Ex-Cat Matt Egan is head of football.

Xavier had lost won the APS title in 2003, when it completed a run of four premierships. The college now has 30 APS football flags.

Shaw said it was disappointing the full fixture could not be played, but he was grateful the players at least had six matches.

Last year there was no APS football.

“The group we had last year was fantastic and although a lot of the boys missed out they did lay some of the foundations for this season,’’ Shaw said.

XAVIER COLLEGE SQUAD

Oliver Sestan

Dan McCarthy

Ben Andrews

Tex Wanganeen

Leo Moore (captain)

Thomas Whelan

Will Sexton

Nicholas Kelly

Ben Bilston-McGillen (vc)

Oscar Duncan

Sam Bowen

Will Bowen

Kobe Hodges

Alwyn Davey

Tommy McRae

Sam Hansen (vc)

Ed Dalton

Harrison Bird

Oliver Britten-Jones

Kyah Tieppo

Hamish MacIsaac

Fred Visentini

Ben Moyle

Charlie Barnett

Hayden Woodhouse

Max Heath

Jayden Davey

Connor Harvey

Harry McAuliffe

Josh Cumberlidge

Stirling Phipps-Parsons

Josh Hamilton

Jack O’Sullivan

Danny Calvert