For over 80 years, Newtown’s St Joseph’s College has been a fertile breeding ground for talent for the Geelong Football Club.
From Jim Fitzgerald in the 1940s to current Cats Tom Stewart, Tanner Bruhn, Ted Clohesy and Jack and Ollie Henry, it’s been rare that the Cats have taken the field without a ‘Joeys Boy’ in the team.
That connection will be strengthened in 2025 following the appointment of current Geelong recruiter and former AFL player Shane O’Bree as coach of the school’s 1st XVIII team, which competes in the Associated Catholic Colleges competition.
O’Bree, who played 246 games with the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood, has been at the Cats since 2013 in various roles, including assistant and VFL coach.
“The opportunity to coach at St Joseph’s College is something I am very passionate about, by helping
young people perform their best,” O’Bree said.
“They have a rich history of producing elite players, and to have the opportunity to work with some of the best talent in the region was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“Thank you to (principal) Tony Paatsch and the team for the opportunity to join St Joseph’s College to undertake the role.”
The appointment of O’Bree coincides with the introduction of the school’s Ad Alta Emerging Athlete Program in 2025.
It will offer a personalised, high-performance training pathway for student-athletes who aspire to excel in both sport and academics.
“I’m delighted to announce that we have appointed Shane to coach our First XVIII in 2025,” Mr Paatsch said.
“From our first meeting with Shane, we were excited about the development and opportunity for our students to have someone of Shane’s experience guide them.”
X: @krockfootball
