Flag Feature: The Saints came marching in (Part 1)

When the St Mary’s and Salesian Old Collegians football clubs merged in 2008, the hope was that the power of the combined entity would deliver sustained on-field success.

However, the club entered 2025 without a senior men’s flag, having come runners-up three times (2009, 2014 & 2017).

Winless in Division 1 throughout 2022 with a percentage of just 28.42%, the program needed a major overhaul as it dropped back to Division 2.

30-year-old Clay Tait took over as playing coach for 2023, armed with a long-term plan to steadily build the team into a contender. It would take patience, belief and an enormous amount of individual and collective growth.

“It was a three-year development program,” Clay recalls.

“The first year (2023) was just about fundamentals. ‘Can you kick a drop punt? Then you’re in!’

The Saints improved to win four-and-a-half games and finish ninth.

“2024 was about defensive pressure. We added layers to our game plan to set up around midfield turnovers, and our playing group saw how big a difference it makes. We were happy to just to halve stoppages, with creating midfield turnovers as our bigger focus.

“We’d got a few games statted by Premier Data, and they reinforced that if we can make teams exit our Forward 50 slowly, we could generate turnovers in the middle of the ground and effectively come back hard at them to score.”

The Saints won an extra two games to go 6-11-1 and finish 7^th in 2024, while the Reserves made the Grand Final. The club was starting to see some fruits from their labours, and it was time to bolster the support behind the scenes.

Former President Dave Malcolm picked up the phone and reached out to former 200-game player Heath Chipperfield, who had taken a season away from footy after hanging up the boots at the end of 2023.

“I got a call from Dave in November of 2024, asking if I could potentially come back to help Clay,” Heath recalls.

“There’s another level of complexity being a playing coach, so I could provide an extra set of eyes and some different insights to make moves from the bench. I was thankful for Clay entrusting me with that role.”

All the pieces were starting to come together, and it led Clay to harbour lofty ambitions for 2025.

“Publicly, I was saying that we’ve got to play finals. But privately, I was thinking Grand Final. A couple of our players were contemplating going elsewhere, so I shared that ambition with them, but otherwise kept it pretty much to myself,” Clay said.

“Looking at our 2024 results and the way we lost some games led me to think we weren’t far off a Grand Final. We were a much better side than our results suggested. Plus, we were full of young players who were about to reach 50 games, which is when good players turn into elite players at our level. We could certainly be in a position to have a crack at it.”

The Saints won 6 of their first 7, with the only blemish a 3-point loss to MHSOB in Round 4, which set up a Round 8 top-of-the-table blockbuster against the undefeated Old Yarra Cobras.

That turned out to be another thriller, with the two teams separated by a single point entering time-on in the final term, before a goal to Anton Circelli handed the Saints a hard-fought 7-point win.

“Our focus shifted from finals to Top 2 after that game, given the Cobras had set the standard for the year,” said Clay.

“It was the best non-finals victory I’ve been a part of in my career, given we went into that game with seven changes from the week before, after losing four players between Thursday night training and the opening bounce.

“After that game, I told our group that my focus was now Top 2, and from that point on, our playing group believed we could have a crack at it.

“We were a really unique team, given we were so young and inexperienced, and there was no ego whatsoever. No one cared who got the possessions, the votes or the credit. Darcy Grant returned to the club this year and told me that he’d never experienced a group like this, with the complete lack of ego.

“Managing egos can be difficult and end up half the battle, but everyone in this group was all-in for each other, and prepared to play whatever role we needed them to. I’ve played senior footy since 2009 and have never been in a group like it. We had players with confidence but not ego.

“We also got the necessary buy-in. It was the first year where our training numbers were consistently high, and no one was making excuses not to be there. Everyone saw what we were capable of and bought into the messages that we were selling. That’s one of the most undervalued things at a footy club.

“From a gameplan perspective, our buy-in to the importance of midfield turnovers led to a natural evolution in our group – leg speed. We quickly ended up with three key forward targets – Hamish Macmillan, Zac Gucciardo and Trent Ryan – and the rest of our front half was all about leg speed.”

The Saints would only drop two more games for the rest of the home and away season, falling to Canterbury by 4 goals in Round 11, then West Brunswick by 6 goals in the final round. However, that Round 18 defeat would cost them the minor premiership as Old Yarra Cobras sneaked past them to finish top by half a game.

Division 2’s two standout teams would meet again in the Second Semi Final, the Saints entering with a 2-0 regular season record over the Cobras after defeating them for a second time by 23 points in Round 15.

The Second Semi turned out to be an absolute thriller. The Saints led by a goal at the last change, before a Ben Makowski goal at the 12-minute mark levelled the scores. A further two behinds to one saw the Cobras progress straight through to Grand Final Day by the barest possible margin.

“For the most part, I was really happy with how we played,” said Clay.

“The last 15 minutes were hard for me, as we went away from what we did well all year. Our inexperience showed, and we panicked a bit. In that first final, I think there was Nathan Evans, D’Arcy Grant, Joel Mattiske and me as the only players who had played a senior final.

“On turnover, we run-and-carry, then kick short to a target. But we panicked and kicked too long. Plus, the Cobras like to chip it around, and we let them. That’s how they kicked that goal to win it. We had it on film and were able to show it to the players later. I was really frustrated because we went away from what we’d been working on for two years.”

Given where the team had come from in recent years, Clay was mindful of how to react.

“I had to be careful with my message and body language. It wasn’t the end of the world. We’d focused on a Top 2 finish to make sure we get that second chance. If we learn from it, we’ll be ok.”

“There was a risk that our late panic seeped through to the next week, and we felt it during the week. So our big focus had to be, ‘Hey, it’s ok. We didn’t play that well late, and we lost by a point. So, relax!’

“Heath was strong with that as well. We worked together at presenting a calm, focused front – everything’s ok!”

Their focus switched to Preliminary Final Day, and a clash with South Melbourne Districts, who had scraped past West Brunswick in a 3-point thriller of their own.

“We learnt from the week before,” said Clay.

“Tactically, we made a few decisions once we knew it was windy, such as keeping our full-back at the same end with the wind at his back all day, given he can kick it a mile. A few things paid off for us. We went in at half-time just in front, having kicked with the wind. We decided not to worry about scoring into the wind in the third term – just kill the quarter.

“We said that if we’re within five goals at three-quarter-time, we’ll be in the box seat. We only allowed five shots at goal in that third quarter, which was a huge effort into the wind. All of them happened to be goals, though! Still, we only went in 28 points down, so we believed we were in the box seat.”

So it proved to be as the Saints flew home with a wet sail, booting 8.7 to 0.2 to win an entertaining Preliminary Final by 25 points.

“Our last quarter with the breeze was fantastic. We had 15 shots, and winning that way was a really good thing.

“All of a sudden, our confidence was up, heading for a Grand Final. But we also knew that the Grand Final was going to be more like the Second Semi. We weren’t going to run over the Cobras. We needed to prepare for a tight last quarter and set about practising for that all week.”

The Grand Final turned out to be an all-time classic, and it was the Saints who jumped the Cobras, with Jacob McElroy causing some early chaos as his team booted three goals in the first six minutes.

“Much the same as the Second Semi, we started strong, and they hit back,” Clay reflects.

“We kicked the first three goals, then they kicked the next three, and I can remember this feeling of being outnumbered in the crowd. Our Twos had just finished their Grand Final and were still in the rooms. They didn’t come out until after quarter-time, so it felt like we were outnumbered early on. It didn’t have any impact as such, but it stuck in my mind.

“But even when they kicked those three in a row (in a 10-minute period), I didn’t feel like we’d made too many mistakes. They’d just played some good footy. If we could continue to execute, I felt like we’d be ok.”

McElroy kicked his third goal of the opening term to give the Saints a 6-point lead at the first break, as the game tightened into the struggle most were expecting.

“It just became an arm-wrestle after quarter-time,” said Clay.

“It was similar to every game we’d played against them, with ebbs and flows of momentum.”

Scores were level at half-time, before the Cobras hit the front midway through the third term. Two late goals to Nick Dekas and Trent Ryan saw the Saints edge in front once again as they headed to the final change with a 6-point lead.

The Grand Final hung in the balance as Clay assembled his thoughts for the three-quarter-time address.

“My clearest memory of that last huddle was accountability. I felt good after speaking to the group, as we didn’t feel panicked. We were focused on playing situational football. They had some early chances but kicked four points. We then reset and controlled possession more. It felt like we had the ball constantly in our forward 50.”

Three points up at the 18-minute mark, Clay saw an on-field adjustment that told him his teammates were switched on.

“We’d been working on late-game scenarios for about eight weeks, and suddenly I saw about 15 of our players around the ball forcing stoppage after stoppage. The message didn’t have to go around, and we were able to turn the game into a contest based in our forward pocket.”

The Cobras pushed forward, only to boot their fifth behind of the quarter. Clay swung himself onto the dangerous Rory Chipman, who had been best afield for Old Yarra.

“I’d worked my way onto him, and he went forward, so I went with him. We chatted a bit when the ball was up the other end, and I mentioned that it was going to be my last game. There were a couple of late stoppages on the wing, and we managed to win them.

“He turned to me and said, ‘Congratulations. It’s a great way for you to go out.’ I thought, “Oh no! Please don’t say that!!”

“But the siren sounded about thirty seconds later, and everything turned into a complete and utter blur from there.”

After 17 long years, St Mary’s Salesian finally had its first senior men’s premiership as a merged entity. Naturally, emotions ran high and deep.

“Nathan Evans’ Dad was the club’s last senior premiership captain, and had passed away to cancer a few years ago,” reflects Clay, with emotion in his voice.

“Nathan is the heart and soul of St Mary’s Salesian, so to lift the cup with him – I just can’t put it into words.

“Stupidly or not, I had sneaked a bottle of champagne in my bag, just in case we won. When I walked into the rooms and popped the cork, everyone erupted. I saw my daughter Kaia, who turned 1 in October. I’ll never forget being able to celebrate with her.”

“Then the whole period from leaving the ground to arriving at the post-game celebration was just pure elation from everyone. It’s hard to describe the feeling. Everyone was happy. Even the Twos, who had lost their Grand Final, were so happy.

“From where we’d been three years ago – this is why we play footy. I’ll never forget that feeling. So many people have been around the club for so long. Volunteers have been there for thirty, forty, or fifty years and just want to see success. I know it meant so much to them.

“I was actually a bit uncomfortable with the number of people who came up and said ‘thank you.’ But it’s not a one-person effort. I’m just part of the reason, not THE reason.”

With the senior women winning the Division 3 premiership, the entire club is finally where it had always wanted to be.

“It’s been a full club revitalisation,” said Clay, with pride in his voice. “All five of our teams made finals, and four of them played in a Grand Final.

“To see how much our men’s and women’s playing groups got along was something I really valued. There was no division between the teams. We’d watch them, and they’d watch us. It may seem a small thing, but that unity matters a lot. We didn’t manufacture that. It occurred naturally and wasn’t forced. I take zero credit for that. Again, it comes back to our personalities around the club – no egos.”

“Everyone says they’re a family club, but St Mary’s Salesian lives it. Every Saturday night, we have 30-odd players hanging around the rooms until close. That’s a group of young guys actively choosing to stay together at the footy club rather than going out and doing their own thing.

“We’re a community club. A place that feels like home and is a safe place for so many different types of people. It even felt like that when we were getting done by 10 goals every week in 2023. That’s something you don’t find everywhere.

“We don’t get that school cohort together. We are a mixed bunch of people from different walks of life. But it just works. We find commonality in the place and fall in love with it. Dean Thorsen, who comes from Gippsland, played in 2022 and 23, then travelled for 18 months. He rang me to chat because he was following along & still invested.”

“Once you’re there, you’re a part of it forever. That’s what it feels like – home.”

“We have an Under 19s team again, and a handful of them played some senior footy this year. And we have so many youngsters around the club that our Thirds team was basically a second Under 19s team. That feeling around the club – especially where we came from in 2022 and 2023 – it’s hard to describe. It’s a great place to be again.

“Our ground is getting redone over the summer. The rooms will be redone from the middle of next year. We’ve had some on-field success, and now we’re a really enticing place for players to come and play. With Heath taking over, that will continue. He’ll put his own stamp on things, but it won’t be a reset.”

Fairytale endings are hard to come by, and Clay has been around footy for long enough to realise how fortunate he is.

“Until this year, I’d won one flag and lost two as a player. It had been ten years since I won one. To me, the best word I can find to describe how I feel is ‘content.’ For the first time in my career, I’m content. I felt relief for the first five minutes after the final siren, then I felt content.”

“I was flirting with the idea of coaching a club closer to home this season, but I pulled out of those discussions because I feel content, satisfied and happy. I don’t have the desire to chase something more. I’m happy to finish that way as a player. I’ll probably come back to coaching one day when my kids are older.

“I’ll get along and watch as many home games as I can next year. To be honest, I don’t know what life without footy is like. It’s been my Saturday afternoons since the age of 9. I’ll probably miss it as a player, and there might be a bit of envy there, but I’ll also have an 18-month-old at home causing chaos!”

Heath fully expects to see Clay around the club next season.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls on the boots for a few games in the Ressies,” Heath laughs. “I enjoyed doing that this year, but when you can’t walk for a couple of weeks, you start to think that it may not be the greatest idea!”

The pair are in total agreement on the group’s upside for 2026.

“We took huge strides from individual player development this year,” said Clay. “That was so rewarding.”

“We had guys go from playing Twos last year to being key players in our premiership team.

“A guy like Nick Dekas went from playing 5 games last year to 17 this year. Jacob McElroy made his senior debut and kicked 69 goals. Jack Contencin was inconsistent last year but executed better this year and kicked 35 goals. There are ten others I could name. By the end of the season, our ‘Most Improved Award’ was by far the hardest to pick!”

Heath agrees.

“From a list perspective, we haven’t lost anyone other than Clay. And a really pleasing thing about this year is that our Grand Final side probably featured 6-10 blokes who played in our 2024 Reserves Grand Final. The exciting thing is that our average age is about 21 or 22, plus our Under 19s have played in a couple of Grand Finals, so there’s a fair bit of talent there as well. All of that will lead to our continued improvement.”

Having played at the club since 2010 and then spent a full season coaching from the boundary, Heath is well placed to step up and take the reins.

“Twelve months ago, I didn’t see myself coaching the club. It was more about helping and supporting Clay. His wife, Nicky, played at the club, so he came along to events and was close with the other guys. Clay’s got a beautiful young family, and it’s been challenging to balance coaching and supporting Nicky as well.

“The club asked me if I was interested in taking the job on, and I’ve got a fair few things going on in the background, also. My wife Georgia is really supportive and told me that if I didn’t take this opportunity, I’d kick myself. It’s great to have that support from her, which allows me to put the time and effort in. She’s been a great support to me for more than ten years.

“Clay and several others did a tremendous job building the foundations and creating an environment to be successful.

“I’ve coached senior cricket and am currently the captain-coach at Richmond City, but this is my first senior footy gig. The concepts I’ve learnt from coaching cricket and playing footy transfer across well, and I’m a teacher by trade, so the ability to teach and upskill a young group is super important as well,” said Heath.

“I’ve formed strong relationships with our players and coaches over the past twelve months and have insights into things that work well for us, and our areas of improvement as well.

“We’re ambitious in the direction we want to go in. We’re expecting Division 1 to be really competitive, but we’re not putting a ceiling on what this group can achieve. I’ve been around the VAFA long enough to see clubs win consecutive flags and have continued success. We’re open-minded in terms of what we can achieve.”

“We organised a meeting with our leaders a couple of weeks after the Grand Final to get an insight into their feelings and thoughts about 2026. After talking with them, there is no issue with motivation. The prospect of going up a division adds an extra level of challenge, and, as I mentioned, we’re ambitious to continually improve. We have a bunch of 21 and 22-year-old guys wanting to keep getting better.

“The message is continued improvement. We’ll need to add different layers to our game and continue teaching our players to make informed decisions on the ground. Footy can be a complicated game, so it’s our job to simplify it as much as possible for our young group.

“Our focus since winning the flag is getting our off-field things right. We’ve got a great group of assistant coaches, and we’re providing them with resources and structures to support our continued player development program.

“We see our fitness, speed and contested ability as our key strengths, and we have some great intercept defenders, mature heads down back, and dangerous forwards we can isolate. We’ll build on what we did last year and add extra layers.”

Heath’s own connections to St Mary’s Salesian run deep on multiple fronts.

“I’m also a teacher at Salesian College, and we’re building a stronger relationship with the school to create a stronger pathway for the future. There’s been a pretty loose affiliation with the school over the years, and we still have a few old Salesian boys come down and watch. The Principal at the school is really supportive. He understands the importance of building those connections.

“I first came down to the club in 2010 and was playing Under 18s at the time. I rocked up to Ferndale Park, and they were renovating the rooms, so we got changed in shipping containers in the car park, and our Thursday night meals were in the scout hall. I remember thinking, ‘What the hell have I walked into?’

“But I loved the people straight away, and there are a number that have been there across the fifteen years since, playing on the field and/or helping off it.”

“St Mary’s Salesian is a really special place where people feel valued, regardless of their ability. That’s the essence of the place – it’s built on relationships. People rarely leave.”

And, after the club’s successes of 2025, when everything finally came together for both the men’s and women’s programs after years of struggle, why would they?

PART 2 of St Mary’s Salesian flag feature – the Women win the flag in Extra Time:

Flag Feature: The Saints came marching in (Part 2)