We welcome and encourage new members to join the Newman Club.
As the supporters’ club for the footy we are proud to promote and support Australian Rules Football at Geelong Grammar School.
Through the School’s fundraising partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF), donations to the recently revised membership levels are tax deductible.
Our current membership levels are:
Join the Club, Member or Partner level by donating today via the Australian Sports Foundation
DONATION OPTIONS
If you would like to financially support GGS Football, you can make a tax deductible donation via ASF:
President: Ben Grodski (FB’91)
Vice President: Vanessa Mahon
Treasurer: Michael Stapleton (P’91)
Secretary: Ben Fothergill
Committee Members: Michael Davis (P’85), Liz de Steiger (Henderson, Cl’91), Tom de Steiger (Cu’90), Caroline Dow, Chris Dow, Adam Furphy (M’89), Nean Furphy (Weatherley, Cl’88), Jim Gall (Cu’91), Ben Hollands, Rick Le Deux, Eliza Mantello (Bartholomew, Cl’96), Nick McCulloch (Cu’89), Kate McGavin (Muller, Je’90), Michael Naylor (A’86), James Neville-Smith (P’88), Katey Neville-Smith (Rattray, Ga’86), Chris Nicolay, Emma Pierson (Bayles, Cl’87), Fiona Richardson (Cl’91), Mark Ritchie (P’82), Ben Stewart (A’91), Andy Vaughan (Fr’76).
Past Presidents: Darren Lord (M’89) (2019-2021), Mark Kebbell (2014-2018), Mark Kellett (2013), Bill Sloss (2012), Cathie Vickers-Willis (2011), Richard Champion de Crespigny (Cu’70) (2009-2010), Bill Lloyd (2008), David Sleigh (M’73) (2007), James Richardson (M’73) (2005), Paddy Handbury (M’72) (2003)
The Newman Club was founded in 1980 to support Australian Rules Football at Geelong Grammar School. The Club was named in joint recognition of Noel Newman and his son John (Sam) Newman. Both were present at the inaugural dinner in 1980 at which Noel gave the founding speech.
Noel Newman, born Frederick Noel Bolton Newman, was a student at Geelong Grammar School from 1916-24 and master at Corio from 1929-66. He was variously known as Noel, Newy, Nogger and F.N.B.N. In 1924 he was vice-captain of football when the GGS team came as close to a premiership as in any year since 1902 – they were beaten only by a brilliant Xavier team, nine of whose members went on to play VFL football. Charles Cameron, coach of the 1st XVIII and a former VFL player, said on retirement in 1947 that Noel was the best schoolboy footballer he had seen during his thirty-two years on staff. As a staff member, Noel coached the 1st XVIII on and off in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
John (Sam) Newman, born John Noel William Newman, was a student at Geelong Grammar School from 1952-63. He played in the first XVIII from 1961-1963. He was vice-captain in 1963 and selected to play in the APS representative team. He joined the Geelong Football Club the following year and played 300 games for them in a career spanning 1964-80. He twice won the Club Best & Fairest (1968 & 1975), was selected as All-Australian (1969) and represented Victoria 8 times. He was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2002 and selected in the Geelong Team of the Century in 2001. Today, Sam is the Newman Club patron, Noel having passed away in 2000.
