2002 Senior Boys Football

Finished Top 4 in both the V.S.S.S.A and Herald Sun Country Shield competitions.

They were good enough to beat Box Hill High School in the Eastern Zone Final, in an epic 4-point win. Box Hill had won 3 of the last State 5 Titles (and would win again in 2004, and go Runner-Up in 2003).

However they lost the VSSA Semi to Eumemmering Secondary College (Hallam) by 29 points (44-73) at Nagambie, and the Herald Sun Semi by 16 points to Sale Catholic College at Oakleigh.

Earlier, there were big Herald Sun wins against Notre Dame (26-23), Galen College (46-29), Shepparton High (39-14), and big VSSSA NEDSSA wins over Benalla (49-32), Ovens College (73-0), and Wodonga High by 3 goals, and VSSSA Eastern Zone wins over Rutherglen SC (15-10) and Broadford SC (43-13).

One future AFL player in the team – Captain Luke Mullins. “Goog” appears only to have played twice in 2002. He was there for the “classic” win against Box Hill, credited as kicking the match-winning goal in the last quarter into 4-goal wind. He was missing however in the V.S.S.A State Semi – likely to Bushrangers recommendations with the upcoming Draft.

Mullins the year before had finished Runner-Up in the 2001 Murray Bushrangers Best & Fairest, as a bottom-ager playing on the Wing, and had been touted as a Top 20 Draft Pick in a Mock Draft by online sleuths. 

Mullins to that point had made every State Team possible up until Under 16. He was in the 1996 Vic Primary team in Grade 6, alongside Gary Ablett Jnr, Luke Hodge, Luke Ball and the Selwood twins. Then Under 15 Vic Country (alongside Hodge and Nick Dal Santo. Then Under 16 Vic Country. In Year 12 he was an Emergency with future Hawthorn legend Brad Sewell, for the Under 18 Vic Country team.

Mullins had strong footy genetics, with 2 Great Grandfathers (one on mum’s side, one on dad’s) that played for Carlton – one of them (Gordon Green) a Captain, 2-time Premiership player and Victorian rep. His father (John) was also recruited to North Melbourne Under 19s, and grandfather Bill Comensoli had multiple AFL clubs (Melbourne camped in a Wangaratta hotel for days) trying to sign him, but he instead became the ruckman in the Wangaratta Magpies Team Of The Century. 

Mullins would end up playing 3 games for Collingwood and then spend half a year at St Kilda. Collingwood Captain Nathan Buckley nicknamed him “skills” and Coach Mick Malthouse had likened his skills to West Coast legend Dean Kemp. He however was so laid back that Collingwood teammates nicknamed him “Pulse”, because they wondered if anything could raise his Heart Rate. He was delisted from Collingwood after 2 years, and then halfway through his season at St Kilda in 2005, simply walked out and returned home.

The only other to play Murray Bushrangers or make a State squad in this side was Year 11 Riley Minns. The 6’4” talent played 1 Bushies game in 2002 as a bottom-ager, but chose not to to return in 2003. Minns had also made the 2001 Under 16 Victoria Country squad, after strong performances for the Under 16 Bushrangers as a Year 10.

Minns’ grandfather Norm played in 4 Magpies flags (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952) plus another as Captain coach of Benalla (1953), is on the Forward Flank in the Magpies Team Of The Century, and has the Norm Minns Oval named after him.

Interestingly, Mullins’ and Minns’ grandfathers were Premiership teammates in the Magpies flag of 1952.

Of the Year 12 cohort, Judd Porter is the other name of note. He later Captained the Magpies to back-to-back Ovens & Murray Premierships (2007, 2008), their first flags in 31 years. The back flanker was known as one of the most courageous players in the league across a 250+ game career, a club B&F, and multiple Ovens & Murray Interleague appearances. He would also be the Magpies Senior coach for 3 years.

Porter’s dad Noel had been a 2-time Senior Premiership Backman for Wangaratta Rovers (1978, 1979), and his uncle Chris a 3-time (1977, 1978, 1979). Younger brother Daine, was in our legendary 2003 team that won 2 Titles, and played 350+ O&M games for the Magpies, won 4 Premierships, was a multiple club B&F winner and O&M Interleave representative. Cousin Josh was almost drafted to the AFL, and played multiple seasons for VFL club Werribee.

Year 12 Matt Lacey was good enough to have won the Junior League 1999 McCormick Medal (League Best & Fairest, Under 17) 3 years prior as a Year 10. He had cross from the Tech School for Year 12, and must have been a welcomed recruit. Lacey’s dad Geoff had played 2 seasons of AFL Reserves for St.Kilda, and won a Baker Medal in the O&K.

Of the other Year 12s, Daniel Barassi, David Morton, Tom Vonarx, Rick Glover, Brad Solimo and Tate Simpson were all playing Ovens & Murray Thirds for the Magpies. Lacey and Higgs had played the year prior.