St Bernard’s on the look out for new VSDCA coach after Luke Davis steps down
St Bernard’s is on the look out for a new VSDCA coach with Luke Davis to step down at season’s end and the Snowdogs legend is on the verge of a magical milestone.
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St Bernard’s is on the hunt for a new VSDCA coach.
Snowdogs great Luke Davis will step down at the end of the season.
The club is chasing a breakthrough Subbies premiership and currently sits second on the North-East ladder.
St Bernard’s president Brendan Davey said it was a measure of the man that he took the job on and made an early call on his future.
“He took on the role this year to help us and keep us going, while also maintaining a very high standard playing in the First XI,” Davey said.
“While he’ll step down as coach at the end of the year he’s got many more years of cricket left in him, just with family and work he couldn’t do the role justice he thought he needed to.
“Being the man he is, he’s given us plenty of time to find our next coach.”
The extra responsibility hasn’t stopped Davis from producing on the field as he makes club history.
Two wickets in Saturday’s match against Croydon saw Davis level Craig Osborne’s First XI club record of 391 scalps.
His 2-27 at Murphy Oval also saw him reach the magical 500-wicket barrier, just the second bowler to do so for St Bernard’s.
It’s a family affair at the top as brother Chris, currently playing in the Second XI, holds the record with 560 club wickets.
The paceman is also just two games away from breaking the First XI games record of 246, held by his father Terry.
Davey couldn’t speak highly enough of Davis’ legacy.
“He’s a life member, a club champion, multiple bowling awards,” he said.
“He’s a rusted on St Bernard’s player, he knows what it takes to be a good bowler at a high level of cricket and he does it week-in, week-out.
“To get to 500 wickets, we’re just so proud, as we are of his brother Chris.
“To be one wicket off breaking the First XI record, it’s going to be another milestone he ticks off, and he’s already in the 300-game club, which only has three members.
“And, the guy he is, he will be proud to see someone break those records down the line, he wants to see the next person come along and beat him down the track.
“I can’t speak more highly of Luke, the contribution he is making – not made – to the club.”
While Davis will step down, captain Daniel O’Connell has been locked in to lead the club again in 2025-26.
The opener currently has 335 runs at an average of 29, second most at the club behind import Josh Lawrenson’s 513 runs.
At stumps of day one of the two-dayer against Croydon, the Snowdogs are 2-29 chasing 182.
The club finishes the season with matches against Mt Waverley (home), Donvale (home) and Ivanhoe (home).
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With a finals campaign on the horizon, Davey said the club isn’t getting ahead of itself.
“The boys are going well but we’ve been in this position before for the last few years,” he said.
“We’re quietly going about our business, we’re not getting excited, we’re just enjoying what’s happening at the moment.
“We’ve lost the last three semi-finals, so this year’s approach is far more relaxed and we’ll see what happens at the business end.”
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