John Landy, John ‘Sam’ Newman among Geelong Grammar’s best sporting stars

From the NBA to the AFL, there have been some Australian sporting icons to have emerged from Geelong Grammar. See the best of them here.

It is not just Timbertop or the big co-ed boarding school that Geelong Grammar is known for, it is some of the country’s biggest sporting stars.

In recent times, AFL rising star Caleb Serong and NBA centre Jock Landale have emerged from the school.

But before them, it was Olympic middle distance runner John Landy and AFL 300 gamer John ‘Sam’ Newman.

Up and coming AFL footballer Caleb Serong attended Geelong Grammar. Picture by Michael Klein Picture by Michael Klein

While the athleticism and on-field achievements of Landy and Newman made their fame, their off-field journeys continued to spark interest in the two sporting figures.

After Landy’s athletics career which featured a bronze medal in the 1956 Olympics 1500m race in Melbourne, he became the 26th Governor of Victoria from 2001 to 2006.

And after Newman’s successful AFL career where he won two Geelong best and fairests as a ruckman, he went on to have a media career as an entertaining panel member of The Footy Show.

The APS school has also had many other well renowned sporting athletes.

Here’s some of the top sportspeople from Geelong Grammar identified by Leader Sport.

Tony Gaze (racing driver)

Tony Gaze was the first ever Australian to take part in a Formula One Grand Prix. He drove the Ferrari 500/750S and Hersham and Walton Motors (HWM-Alta) through the 1950s.

Men’s 1500m medal winners wave to the crowd. Ron Delany of Ireland in the centre. Klaus Richtzenhain of Germany on the left, and John Landy of Australia on the right at the 1956 Olympic Games. Melbourne Olympics. Melbourne Olympic Games.

John Landy (athletics)

On June 21, 1954, John Landy became the second man to break the four-minute mile barrier, running a world record time of 3.58.0 in the mile run. A few months later in the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games on August 7, Landy ran his second sub-four-minute mile but was beaten Roger Bannister who ran his best ever time. It was the first time in history where two runners had ran sub-four-minute miles in the same race.

Jock Landale (basketball)

A bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with the Australian team was a highlight of Jock Landale’s career. He took home the grand final MVP in the same year he won the NBL championship with Melbourne United in 2021. Following his impressive season, he was picked up by NBA team San Antonio Spurs who he played with in 2021 to 2022. He is now playing with the 2021 NBA championship side Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns #11 Jock Landale playing against the Utah Jazz. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

James Sutherland (Cricket)

After four seasons with the Victorian cricket team as a right-arm fast bowler from 1991 to 1994, James Sutherland then went on to become the CEO of Cricket Australia for 18 years. He served in the role from 2001 to 2018.

Emily Mannix (netball)

Emily Mannix joined the Melbourne Vixens in 2015 where she has gone on to win a premiership in 2020, minor premiership in 2017 and runners up feat in 2022.

Emily Mannix of the Vixens reacts during the Super Netball Preliminary Final match between Melbourne Vixens and GWS Giants at John Cain Arena, on June 25, 2022, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Paddy McCartin (AFL)

Paddy McCartin was drafted to St Kilda at pick 1 in 2014. He played at the club for five years before concussion ended his career at the club. After making a strong recovery, McCartin joined his brother Tom at the Sydney Swans in 2022 where he played 24 games and made it to the grand final. McCartin has played a total of 59 games in his AFL career.

Paddy McCartin of the Swans walks from the field after winning the round 18 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Sydney Swans at Optus Stadium on July 16, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Nina Morrison (AFLW)

After finishing as school captain at Geelong Grammar in 2018, Nina Morrison was drafted to the Geelong Cats at pick 1 in the national AFLW draft. Since her first season in 2019, Morrison has played a total of 15 games as a midfielder with injuries interrupting some of the years.

Nina Morrison of Geelong runs with the ball during the round seven AFLW match between the Essendon Bombers and the Geelong Cats at Reid Oval on October 09, 2022 in Warrnambool, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Craig Mottram (athletics)

A specialist in the 5000m event, Craig Mottram won bronze in the 2005 Helsinki athletics world championships and silver in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

John ‘Sam’ Newman (AFL)

In 2002, John ‘Sam’ Newman was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. He played 300 games for Geelong as a ruckman, captaining the club in 1974 and 1975 and winning two best and fairests. He made it into the All-Australian team in 1969 and Geelong team of the century.

Australian footballer John (Sam) Newman 19 Aug 1969. football a/ct

Caleb Serong (AFL)

It has been a successful start for Caleb Serong in his AFL career. The 21-year-old was drafted to Fremantle in 2019 at pick 8 where he has since won an AFL Rising star award, AFLPA best first year player and AFLCA best young player award. In his final year at Geelong Grammar, he was captain of the school football team and vice-captain of the school cricket team.

Kate Slatter (rowing)

In the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, Kate Slatter took home gold in the Coxless pair. In the following 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she won silver in the same event. Worthy to mention, Slatter also won gold in the Tampere 1995 World Rowing Championships in the coxless pair event.

Devon Smith (AFL)

Devon Smith was drafted to Greater Western Sydney in the 2011 national AFL draft at pick 14. He played 109 games with the club before moving to Essendon in 2018 where he went on to win a best and fairest in his first season and play 73 games.

John Schultz, Luke Beveridge, Senior Coach of the Bulldogs, Robert Murphy of the Bulldogs and Easton Wood of the Bulldogs celebrate during the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Eastern Wood (AFL)

The highlight of Eastern Wood’s career was when he captained the Western Bulldogs to their drought breaking premiership in 2016. He began his career with the club in 2008 where he played 188 games to 2021. Wood won a club best and fairest in 2015 where he was also an All-Australian.

Sam Lloyd (AFL)

Sam Lloyd played 89 AFL matches in his football career. Of those matches, 57 were with Richmond from 2014 to 2018. He then played for the Western Bulldogs for two season where he was the leading goalkicker in 2019.