The 2023 First XI football team etched their names in Joeys’ history by successfully defending their 2022 premiership title. The players behind this remarkable feat can take immense pride in Joeys’ first back-to-back football premierships, particularly those who were integral to both teams – Nicholas Burnett (captain), Sonny Matchett (vice-captain), Oliver Burnett, Aidan Renshaw and Vitorio Ribeiro Sardinha.
Sonny, Nicholas, Aidan and Oliver were selected in the GPS Representative First XI team in 2023, with Sonny as captain. At his final season’s sport rally, Nicholas reflected on the rollercoaster of his football years at Joeys. What he held fast to though, was the group of mates who persevered from their early years training at Tarban Creek, through the early wins to the thrilling games and catastrophic blows, to finally see the team top the ladder for the second time in as many years. Despite leading the competition throughout the season, the First XI’s fate came down to the final whistle in The King’s School and The Scots College game, which resulted in a tie, leading Joeys to an outright premiership win in 2023, putting the doubters to rest that the 2022 victory had been a “fluke”.
Nicholas’s teammate, Vitorio Ribeiro Sardinha, also captained the First VI Tennis team in 2023, which took out the premiership for the first time since the competition started in 1972, winning an extraordinary 13 from 14 rounds, alongside Hayden Ciguenza (2024), Connor Guest (2024), Liam Hoad (2023), Jordan Matuszny-Santana (2023), Seamus Shepherd (2024) and Dougall Tyrwhitt (2023). Today, Vitorio is a sophomore at Samford University, USA, having earned a tennis scholarship after graduating from Joeys.
Following in this big brother’s footsteps, Lucas Ribeiro Sardinha (2025) also excelled in both tennis and football. A country boy from Gunnedah, like his brother, Lucas discovered a sense of belonging at Joeys that powered his remarkable run of achievement across the academic, sport and co-curricular and faith life of the College, named Dux of St Joseph’s College for the Class of 2025. His achievements were the result of talent, discipline and an incredible work ethic, coupled with a wholehearted willingness to say “yes” to the opportunities Joeys placed before him. He captained both the First XI and First VI in his final year at Joeys. In his final competitive season, he commended the professionalism of sport at Joeys – coaches who genuinely care, parents who carry the unseen load, a community that shows up; Joe-Boys and supporters on the sidelines who truly matter.
Competitive spirit, good sportsmanship, respect for the opposition on the field and grace in victory and defeat are the traits that define Joe-Boys, played out each weekend, across every team and every code.
In his shoes.
2022 PREMIERS – FIRST XI FOOTBALL: Back Row: VO Ribeiro Sardinha, OT Burnett, S Matchett, BT Southwell, AT Renshaw, JP Gursoy, RC Di Stefano, KI Kero Front Row: NA Burnett, Mr C Hart (Convenor), OM Roberts, Mr D Fee (Coach), O Moursi, Mr C Sharpley (Coach), XG Tsagaris Absent: Mr G Speranza (Coach), MJ Lapa
2023 PREMIERS – FIRST XI FOOTBALL: Back Row: LJ Ferguson, AL Sullivan, AT Renshaw, JP FitzGerald Second Row: CP Hayden, J Mah Chut, OTM Burnett, VO Ribeiro Sardinha, JJK Esson, HK Esson (team manager) Front Row: Mr C Hart (convenor), S Matchett (vice-captain), Mr D Fee (Coach), NAM Burnett (captain), Mr P Tucker (coach), NW Peters, Mr C Sharpley (coach)
2023 PREMIERS – FIRSTS TENNIS: Back Row: LA Hoad, SF Shepherd, HM Ciguenza, CC Guest, JJ Matuszny-Santana Front Row: Mr C Hart (convenor), VO Ribeiro Sardinha, Mr D Moore (coach), DR Tyrwhitt, Mr S Ede (coach)
