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Ray Carroll’s ‘From the Boundary’: June 3, 2025

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Ray Carroll
Ray Carroll
Ray Carroll is the author of the Review's longest running segment, 'From the Boundary'. A retired coach from Assumption College Kilmore, Ray writes passionately about social affairs within the community, giving the much-loved editorial space over to much-loved current and ex-locals.

NOT A CRICKETER

ROVER 2025 06 03 Not a Cricketer

This young cricketer pictured is shown playing for the first XI at Haileybury College. He showed plenty of promise at the game but has well and truly moved on. It’s none other than Oscar Piastri. Now 24, he is the latest superstar of Formula One. It was not the Melbourne college he attended from age 14-18 but the famous Haileybury in England. In 2016, Oscar left family and friends in Melbourne to go to England. The UK school is only an hours drive from Silverstone the hallowed English motor racing venue. Oscar was a model pupil at the school and a senior master described him thus:

lf you don’t know the poem. If you’ve skipped those classes in high school, it illuminates the value of a stiff upper lip to the inevitable what-ifs of life. To the doubters, to the liars, to the hatters, to the knaves and the fools, to the kings and the commoners. All the challenges crossing your path from birth to grave.

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The champion British racing driver was a pupil at the North London school. Possibly its most illustrious alumni was the author Rudyard Kipling. A verse of one of Kipling’s famous poems was carried in his pocked by Muhammed Ali. It is part of a brilliant work of poetry.

“Oscar was a terrific student in and out of the classroom,” says Searson. “He never demonstrated anything other than exemplary humility and remarkable composure. A charming young man and a passionate cricket fan, he was a dedicated member of the third XI cricket team, he himself capable of bowling a heavy ball with an intimidating run-up!

As well as playing cricket, he would relish such opportunities granted in the boarding school environment as gathering with his peers around the television to watch Ashes cricket battles in the winter months.”

Humility, composure, passion, and dedication rings true. Piastri boarded at Haileybury from the age of l4 to 18. “He was meticulous with his time management, coping admirably with his impressive academic work whilst simultaneously excelling on the global go-karting and Formula 4 circuits, and regularly training at Silverstone,” Searson says.

“He was, and is, quite the role model. We are very proud of him.”

YOUNG FRIENDS MARRY

ROVER 2025 06 03 Ray Carroll 3

The couple pictured married recently. Sam and Maddie Connop were schooldays sweethearts. Both families are highly respected Sam’s dad Michael was at ACK in the mid seventies and a key player in the 1st XVIII and 1STXI. He still plays masters cricket and is a team manager for Carlton Cricket Club. Sam and his brother Liam are very good cricketers also Maddie is a popular teacher at Parade College. Michael and Rhonda Connop have been friends of mine of many years

FOOTBALLER FAMILY

ROVER 2025 06 03 Ray Carroll 2

Jack and Darcy at football

Pictured are two strapping members of the Stewart family, Jack and Darcy. Both were fine players for Assumption College and their two younger brothers Charlie and Ethan are following in their footsteps. As well as turning out for ACK the four lads all play for Hurstbridge in the Northern Football Netball League first division. Ages of the four Stewart boys range from 15 to 25, thus parents and grandmother have covered many miles this past decade following ACK games. Jack, 25, is an underground cable joiner; Darcy, 22, is an electrician, Charlie, 18, is in year 12 and Ethan, 15, is in year 10. All four are really fine young people, highly respected as is their family. Nan Wendy is an avid follower of the boys. Parents Mel and Peter reside with the lads on a small property at Arthurs Creek, just east of Doreen.

***

SON OF A GUN

Good to see young Liam Monaghan playing well for Kilmore FC. He is following in dad Nick’s footsteps. A fine player for the local club for many seasons. Nick can probably be termed a local footy legend. Son Liam played 1ST XVIII and 1st XI for ACK and captained the cricket side.

MICK MARRETT

Great that the “GoFundMe” response is going well for popular Kilmore footy captain Mick Marrett. The details of Mick’s accident whilst playing against Fitzroy Stars – and subsequent revelation of a tumour has been well documented in the Herald Sun. In a tough time Mick, his partner and their two young children are really deserving of support.

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