APS schools tussle with social media page over school football vision
Two of Victoria’s most prestigious schools just faced off in a football game for the ages. But here’s why they don’t want you watching the highlights.
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It’s the long-running battle between a popular social media page and Melbourne’s elite private schools.
Baseline Footy has raked in millions of views since 2021 filming APS football games, but the Associated Public Schools of Victoria wants it to stop amid concerns for the privacy of its students.
But that didn’t stop them editing a 40-second highlights video of the thrilling season opener between Scotch College and Xavier College on Saturday.
The APS said it had made clear to Baseline that it was not to film sport or publish any footage they received on school grounds without attaining permission from both participating schools.
Scotch College and Xavier College both confirmed to Code Sports that they had not given Baseline permission to film the match.
Baseline has 350k followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
“There could be children in their vision where they or their parents have indicated they do not wish to be filmed, or are subject to child protection laws,” an APS Sport spokesperson said.
“The schools involved know this, but Baseline does not, and any child shown in footage without their consent … they need to be aware they can be held liable for that.”
Within three hours of Baseline publishing the video, it had amassed more than 100,000 views across its Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Baseline founder and director Nathanael Coory, a commerce graduate in his mid-20s who built the platform by filming local basketball before moving into football, declined to comment when contacted by Code Sports.
He previously said in 2023 that he had encountered difficulty getting schools to agree to Baseline filming.
“The schools won’t let us film. One school lets us film – that school is Caulfield Grammar – if you want us out at your school, we just need people to start working on the schools,” Coory told the Prime Training podcast.
“There’s so many issues. All the big schools are concerned with child privacy, which I fully understand it … I think a lot of it is also branding as well.”
It is unclear whether Caulfield Grammar, which was contacted for comment, still gives permission for Baseline to film its games.
Of the top 25 picks in last year’s draft, 11 players were selected from eight different APS schools, which have absorbed much of the state’s footballing talent through a proliferation of scholarships.
No. 2 and 3 picks Finn O’Sullivan (Xavier) and Jagga Smith (Scotch) faced off in the corresponding game last year, while this weekend there were an array of famous names involved including the sons of Luke Darcy (Will) and Alwyn Davey Snr (Alijah) as well as
Goy Jiath, brother of Hawthorn and Collingwood defenders Changkuoth and Tew.
A football coach from one APS school, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said the players loved the Baseline videos, which built hype around the competition and helped boost their draft profiles.
Hawthorn star Nick Watson already had a large social media following, and his nickname – ‘The Wizard’ – when he was drafted, due to the regular highlights of his football at Caulfield Grammar posted by Baseline.
“We love the publicity and the interest it generates, and it can make the schools look great too,” the coach said.
“But there is that child safety aspect to it, and it’s a difficult problem to solve when you’re talking about privacy for kids under 18.”
APS schools are also understood to hold concerns for their image relating to frequent footage of rowdy students in uniform in the crowd at games.
It comes following several historic incidents involving member schools including the infamous sexist chant by St Kevin’s College students on a Melbourne tram before the APS athletics carnival in late 2019.
Baseline wasn’t the only talking point from the first round of the APS football season...
FATHER-SONS, NGAs TURN HEADS IN COMEBACK EPIC
- Dan Batten
The best APS school footy game of all-time? It would have to be up there.
With eight club-linked talents taking the field – including the sons of Luke Darcy (Will), Alwyn Davey (Alijah) and Ben Graham (Jack), Xavier College pulled off a stunning comeback from 38 points down at halftime against their arch-rivals Scotch College.
Xavier was kept scoreless in North Melbourne and Richmond defender Robbie Tarrant’s first quarter as coach, and the game appeared over with the scores at 51-13 at the main break.
Xavier fought back in the third to cut the deficit to 13 points, and the last quarter had everything as father-sons and academy prospects turned heads.
Carlton NGA and Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Jack Ison, one of Scotch’s best, took a strong grab and slotted he first goal of the quarter.
Collingwood NGA forward Jai Saxena has been eye-catching in the Coates Talent League for the Chargers and another dazzling play saw Xavier hit back. The exciting prospect handballed to himself to evade a tackler, gathered and put it through from deep in the pocket for his second of the day.
Then it was another Chargers and Blues NGA prospect Mingara Clark’s turn as he slotted his second goal from a set shot for Scotch to give them breathing space.
But it was Bombers father-son prospect Alijah Davey, brother of Essendon’s Alwyn Jr, who came to life to spark Xavier’s unlikely comeback.
Showing shades of his father Alwyn Sr, Alijah had the Scotch defence in a sweat with his fierce pressure and goal sense as he kicked two goals and laid some important tackles – he could have had a third major, but missed a set shot from close range.
From there it was Xavier’s Ryan Daffy who was the hero at the death.
The small forward evaded a tackler and kicked a goal on the run to level the scores, and then launched a long bomb from 50 metres which bounced through in front of the roaring Xavier faithful to put them in front.
Will Darcy, who is tied to the Western Bulldogs as a father-son but isn’t on a Coates Talent League list, had some eye-catching moments aerially in front of his famous father Luke. The key defender is considered a draft smokey by Scotch College coach James Gerstman.
Hawthorn NGA defender Goy Jiath, brother of Hawk Changkuoth and Magpie Tew, showed dash off halfback, while Cats father-son Jack Graham read the play nicely with some key intercept marks.
Scotch also had Kobe Williams running around, the son of former Hawthorn and Essendon sharpshooter Mark. He is tied to the Hawks as a father-son and the Western Bulldogs as an NGA prospect.
Of the non-aligned talent, Scotch and Oakleigh captain Sam Allen was everywhere and Murray Bushrangers defender Harrison Wilson took a handful of intercept marks for the home side.
For Xavier, GWV Rebel Sam Niklaus was impressive off halfback and Oakleigh chargers bottom-ager Jack Poustie had a big influence in the midfield.
TARRANT HELPS XAVS TO WIN
There was no quarter-time spray from Tarrant as he displayed the same calmness he showed down back throughout his 194-game career.
“It’s simple footy,” Tarrant told his charges at quarter time, as he instructed them to put two loose men behind the ball.
Xavier football director Dale Amos praised Tarrant’s work since joining the school two months ago and said he was critical in their comeback win.
“Robbie has been outstanding, his ability to be really clear and articulate with what he wanted from the boys but particularly the thing that stands out is his ability to connect and have great relationships with the boys,” Amos said.
“He has invested a lot in it over the summer period and getting to know the group and been very invested in them.
“Certainly on game day he has got great composure and calmness and he was able to provide really clear solutions to what we needed to adjust to change the game on the weekend.
“I thought he did an exceptional job on the weekend under a bit of duress to not waiver and fill the boys with a lot of confidence that if they stayed the course, they would be okay.
“I couldn’t speak more highly of him and how he has come in, irrelevant of the result on the weekend, he has been outstanding.”
THE CHEERSQUADS
The Xavier faithful that turned up to Scotch College were up against it early down 26-0, but you would have to give them the points across the day.
During that scoreless first term they were still boisterous, roaring ‘BALL’ to get into a Scotch defender’s head.
At the change of ends at quarter time, they walked onto the field and belted out a ‘sha-la-la-la-la-la-la’ chant like football ultras.
Both cheersquads were chanting loudly throughout the game behind the goals, but Xavier definitely had more voice and variety than Scotch’s ‘Red Army’.
After a long-range goal from Xavier’s Sam Niklaus that helped kickstart their run in the third term, they chanted proudly: ‘X-A-V-I-E-R, Xavier’.
Saxena’s stunner in the last was met with, ‘We love you ‘cause you’re a Xaverian’.
The Xavier fans proved to be the 19th man in the last – it was a sea of limbs when Daffy put through his two goals – and the players showed their appreciation by sprinting over to them after the siren
HALFTIME SPREAD
The halftime spread is a staple of APS school footy, with recruiters, parents, old boys and player agents all welcome to tuck into goodies made by volunteers and parents.
Here was what was on the menu at Scotch College: Pasta with bolognese sauce, pizza slices, sandwiches, mud cake and tea or coffee.
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