St Bedes/Mentone celebrate 120 years with Hall of Fame gala

The St Bedes/Mentone Tigers celebrated their 120th anniversary in style with a Hall of Fame gala at Woodlands Golf Club.

Mentone FC was originally formed in 1904, with St Bedes OCFC formed in 1963 – originally in the YCW League before joining the VAFA in 1972.

The two clubs merged in 1993, with the senior team winning the VAFA D-Section premiership in its first season.

St Bedes/Mentone have won 4 senior men’s premierships and their golden run of 2006 to 2008 – when the Tigers rose from Premier C to Premier Men’s and won 3 consecutive flags in the process – was duly recognised at this year’s event.

Current Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who coached the 3-peat, was one of twelve elevated to Legend status, which is awarded for outstanding service to the club.

Beveridge joined SBMT in 2005 as an assistant playing coach to Russell Barnes and finished second in the Best & Fairest in his first season, which saw the Tigers relegated from B to C Section, before being appointed Senior Coach in 2006 and leading the club to its history-making premiership hat-trick.

Beveridge and his team earned their place in VAFA history. Never in the 115-year history of the competition had a club won consecutive premierships in C Section, B Section and A Section.

He was joined by three other key architects of the Tigers’ 2006-08 success in receiving the club’s highest honour:

• Matthew Beasley (player 1988-95, President 2006-10: 12 premierships across all grades)
• Luke Wintle (301 games; Captain 2001-08, Best & Fairest 2001 & 2008; 3 flags: BOG 2007 & 2008 GFs)
• Paul Wintle (317 games; Best & Fairest 2004, 3 premierships)

The club also celebrated its rich pre-merger history, with Mentone Tigers David Groves, John Scanlon and Ted Vale elevated, along with St Bede’s OC players Greg Kelly and Michael Roberts.

Inaugural St Bedes/Mentone premiership player Mark Jones was also raised to Legend status, along with long-serving club administrators Peter Davis and Michael Atherton, who was also a St Bede’s OC player.

The club’s status as a renowned nursery of talent, both on and off-field, was highlighted by a raft of Hall of Fame inductions:

• Paul Groves (2018 AFLW Premiership Coach & current VAFA Big V Women’s coach)
• Tim Lamb (Melbourne AFL List Manager)
• Jamie Maddocks (Western Bulldogs Head of Development & Training)
• Myke Cook (Adelaide player 2008-11)

The club was also delighted to announce its first two Hall of Famers from its Women’s program, with 2022-23 premiership players Meghann Geschke and Olivia Steinfort inducted into this prestigious group, along with:

Sam Anstey, Russell Barnes, Brett Collins, Nick Corda, Mark Geschke, Andrew Hayes, Sam Hecker, Jack Hellier, Jonathan Kane, Patrick Kean, Steven Kidd, David Kinsella, Owen Lalor, Fiona Lawrence, Tim McColl, Peter McLeish, Ben Phibbs, Dean Porter, Daniel Poynton, Chris Richards, Jaryd Robertson, Andrew Scafidi, Anthony Scafidi, Hiwad Shakaib, Luke Terrell, James Tyquin, Damien Waters, Michael Wintle, Steve Zakic.

Congratulations to all Hall of Fame inductees & Legends and thank you for your incredible service to your club & the VAFA.