MSA Alumni WE 04/09/22

Once again our MSA Alumni are helping teams locally and around the world reach their goals. Here is how they performed in the past week.

Cycling

As the Tour of Spain continues Ineos Grenadiers young gun Lucas Plapp is currently  28th in the youth stage 2min 20 behind the leader.  This is Lucas’ first Grand Tour.

AFLW

Libby Birch had 13 touches and 7 marks in Melbourne’s 2 point victory over North Melbourne where Amy Smith 6 kicks 7 handballs and kicked a goal.

Monique Conti had another amazing match with 26 possessions and 7 tackles while Ellie McKenzie had 13 possessions and 5 tackles in Richmond’s 9 point loss to the Adelaide Crows at the Punt Rd Oval.

The Bulldogs defeated new franchise Port Adelaide by 19 points with Jess Fitzgerald accumulating 10 touches and 5 tackles for the victors

Geelong beat the Dockers in Perth with last week’s final minute goal kicking hero Georgie Prespakis having 20 possessions and 5 tackles in the game.

In the match against her former team, Aliesha Newman had 7 possessions, 3 tackles and kicked a goal in Sydney’s loss to Collingwood by 31 points.

New team Hawthorn went down to the Saints by 53 points.  Hawthorn year 12 student Charlotte Baskaran had 8 possessions and 3 tackles while Georgia Patrikios had 16 touches for the rampaging Saints.

AFL

Only one male MSA Alumni played in the AFL finals last weekend with Luke Ryan’s Fremantle Dockers over running the fast starting Western Bulldogs to win by 13 points.  Luke had 31 possessions and 7 marks in a very strong performance.

Soccer

Connor Metcalfe scored in the 85’ minute of the game against Furth in the Bundesliga 2 to help his team FC St Pauli finish with a 2 all draw.  FC St Pauli are currently sitting 10th of 18 teams after 7 games.

Hockey

Congratulations to Cooper Burns and Connar Otterbach who have both been selected for the Australian under 21 team ‘The Burras’ at the Saltun of Johaor cup in Malaysia late October

MSA Alumni WE 28/08/22

The strong performances continue for our MSA Alumni. Here’s how they went.

AFLW

Week 1 of the AFLW and our MSA Alumni were front and centre for all their teams.

In the match of the round, Geelong was victorious over The Tigers by 4 points.  Geelong and MSA’s own Georgie Prespakis kicking a last minute 40 metre set shot to win the match.  Georgie finished with 16 possessions, 8 tackles and 2 goals 1 in a Best on Ground performance.  For Richmond Monique Conti had 23 possessions and 5 tackles while Ellie McKenzie had 15 touches and 2 tackles, with both being ranked in the 2 best for the losers.

Libby Birch helped the Melbourne FC take revenge over Adelaide for last year’s Grand Final win, beating them by 18 points.  Libby collected 13 possessions including 3 Marks.

In the Nth Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns game Amy Smith was a tackling machine getting 6 tackles and 7 touches in the Roos win by 26 points

Georgia Patrikios played her first game in 18 months and picked up from where she left off with 18 possessions and 5 marks in the Saints win over Aliesha Newman’s Swans by 29 points.  Aliesha had 8 touches in her debut for the Swans.

In the battle of the new franchises, played at Marvel Stadium, the Bombers had a 26 point win over our Year 12 Charlotte Baskaran’s Hawks.  Charlotte had 9 possessions and 3 tackles in her first AFLW game.

And the Bulldogs held off a barn storming Giants with Jess Fitzgerald gathering 11 touches and 7 tackles for the Dogs as they held off a determined Giants by 7 points

Cycling

In his first professional grand tour for Ineos Grenadiers, Lucas Plapp is currently 23rd in the young rider classification after the first week of the event. So far they have ridden over one thousand kilometres and there is still 2 weeks to go.

Football/Soccer

Polly Doran’s Crystal Palace has moved to the top of the table in the England Women’s Championship after her team defeated Coventry United 3-0. 

Golf

Stephanie Bunque has advanced to the second stage of the Japanese LPGA Q school.  Steph shot 5 over in the 4 round 1st stage and we wish her all the best .

Volleyball

 In the Premier League Volleyball finals MSA was well represented. Eliza Smith, along with current students Isabella Maticevski and Cat Smith played with the winning team in the Women’s division and in the Men’s Gai Mach Anyang and Noah Van Genst won the Gold with their team.

And in other Alumni news keep your eyes out for Gabby Mifsud, one of the Barista Sisters, who will be competing in the Amazing Race Australia which airs on Channel 10 tonight from 7.30pm

MSA Alumni WE 21/08/22

No week is ever boring when it comes to following our MSA Alumni and their quests. Let’s have a look at what they achieved this week.

Football/Soccer

MSA Alumni Naomi Chinnama started in all 3 games for the Young Matildas who were knocked out of the U20 Women’s world cup with a final game 3-0 loss to Spain.  The Young Matilda’s finished 3rd in their ground having beaten the home side Costa Rica in their first game then losses to the might of Brazil and Spain.

Also Polly Doran has arrived at Crystal Place in the UK and started in the team’s first game of the Championship season.  Crystal Palace defeated London City 1-0. 

Cycling

Lucas Plapp has kicked off his Grand Tour Debut for Ineos Grenadier at the La Vuelta a Espana.  Lucas currently sits 13 seconds off the pace in 11th place.  The Vuelta a Espana is a 21 stage 3 week tour.

AFL

We have 5 MSA Alumni that could take part in their teams tilt for the 2022 AFL premiership this year.  We would like to wish Cam Rayner, Luke Ryan, Joel Smith, Rylee West, Buku Khamis good luck as their teams finals campaign kick-off in two weeks’ time.

AFLW preview guide

The AFLW season kicks off this Thursday when old foes Carlton and Collingwood play the season opener on a Thursday night.  This season we have our biggest amount of players in the AFLW and look forward to seeing how they all go.  Here is a list of our MSA Alumni in the AFLW so you can follow their season

Aliesha Newman has had an off season move to Sydney from Collingwood.  Aliesha started her career at the Melbourne football club in 2017 before a move to the Pies in 2021.  A small forward she has kicked 16 goals in her 39 game career.

Charlotte Baskaran was drafted to Hawthorn in this year’s 2022 AFLW Draft. Charlotte is an elite midfielder who makes great decisions.  Expect her delivery to the forward line to be exceptional.

Georgia Patrikios will resume her AFLW with the Saints after missing last year.  In her 3 years since being drafted she has won 2 St Kilda Best and Fairest and has been named all Australian.  She was also nominated for the rising star in round 1, 2020.

Libby Birch is in her 4th season at the Melbourne FC.  Libby started her season at the Bulldogs and has played a total of 52 AFLW Games.  An AFLW rising star nominee in 2018, her work in defence is tireless.

Amy Smith was drafted to Nth Melbourne in 2021 and has played in 6 AFLW games.  She was the first father/daughter selection in the AFL following in her fathers Shaun’s footsteps. We look forward to her quick runs down the wing of Arden Street.

Monique Conti and Ellie McKenzie at Richmond.  What can be said about these 2 AFLW Superstars.  Monique gave up a very promising Basketball Career to focus on the AFLW.  After winning a premiership with the Bulldogs and being named best on ground in that 2018 Grand Final Monique has won her clubs best and fairest every year since.  The Bulldogs in 2019 and Richmond’s in 20,21 and 22.  While Ellie is in her 3rd season at Richmond after being the drafted with the number 1 pick in 2020.  Her penetrating left foot kicks are regarded as the best in the competition

Georgie Prespakis is at the Cats after being drafter with pick 2 in the 2021 draft.  She played 10 games in her first season and was named on the wing in the AFLW 22under22 Team of the year

Jess Fitzgerald was taken with pick 2 in the 2020 draft by the Bulldogs and has proven herself to be great ball winner. She earned a rising star nomination in 2021 and was named in the AFLW 22under22 team that year also.

We also congratulate Calvin Payne who has been appointed as head of Strength and Conditioning for the Bulldogs Women’s program.  Cal was Head of S and C here at MSA also our former Physio Megan Smith has been appointed as head of medical for the Essendon AFLW program.