POIGNANT STORY
BRIAN McCarthy came to Assumption in the 50s from Yarrawonga and was a First XVIII star before my time. A tough winger or half forward with a long left foot kick, he was recruited by St Kilda where he played 75 games between 1956–61. In later years, he coached in the country. His working career took him across Victoria and Kilmore was on his schedule with occasional stopovers at Mac’s Hotel when Ray Jordan was the ‘guvnor’. Brian’s wife Coral is a beautiful lady of great faith and a wonderful singer. For the last few years, she has been supporting Brian all the way through a tough health battle. Residents now of Camperdown in Western Victoria, this highly regarded couple raised a fine family. One of the daughters Marlo is fighting the same rare cancer that took her husband’s life nine years ago. Multiple Myeloma is extremely rare. “It was very confronting being diagnosed with the very same cancer that took my husband,” she said. “Surgeons told me the chances of getting the cancer were extremely slim.” There is no cure, and Marlo realises the end is inevitable, but she is bravely battling on for the sake of her two boys. “I learned much from my husband’s experience,” she said. She told the Warrnambool Standard recently “It’s almost like he’s showing me the way and how to cope.” Former Channel 7 sports presented Sandy Roberts was diagnosed with the same incurable disease.
VARIA
It was good to be asked to speak at a gathering of ex-students last year at the Rising Sun Hotel in South Melbourne. Quite a number of former college champions were among those present. In the photo at left back are cricket legend Peter Ryan and Renato and Laurie Serafini, who both had illustrious football careers with Fitzroy and Carlton.

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FUTURE STAR
Eighteen-year-old Geelong boy Oliver Peake has been given the nod of approval by some Aussie greats as a test player of the near future. His dad Clinton was a fine player for Geelong in premier cricket and Victoria. Oliver captained Geelong Grammar to the ADS title in 2024 and starred in last year’s U19 World Cup. He is part of a list of very young emerging players who will be replacing some of Australia’s aging stars in the near future. Others include Chris Connolly and Mahli Beardman (WA), Harry Dixon (VIC) and Liam Scott (SA).
The life and times of Assumption has ensured the First XVIII and First XI were at the pinnacle of the nation’s college sport.

THE BIG BASH
Cricket Australia’s domestic T20 competition just ended its 14th year, and crowds and television audiences show the concept is an increasing success story. Test cricket is the pinnacle of the sport, and it was great to see huge crowds this summer at the venues. Surveys indicate that a fair percentage of T20 fans are being converted to the traditional format.
NEALE’S HONOUR
Neale Daniher has been star quality all his life—as a schoolboy’s AFL footballer, coach, and remarkable campaigner for MND. All across the nation, people will be rejoicing in his being named Australian of the Year for 2025. He has soldiered on down the years with incredible courage in the face of adversity, and his life story is truly inspirational. What a contrast to the motley crowd of protestors in the city on Australia Day. More than four decades have passed since Neale graced the classrooms and playing fields of Assumption, but memories remain of a teenage boy from the Northern Riverina farm fields who was a star then and a star always, whose spirit shines like a beacon on a mountain top.
Congratulations to a legend.
