The Mole: School that produced Gibson, Barrett and Tedesco set for incredible milestone
In its centenary year, famous league nursery St Gregory's College Campbelltown is about to notch a remarkable milestone.
The school in Sydney's south-west is poised to have its 100th old boy break into first grade, capping a remarkable production line that began in the 1940s.
The club's very first player to make the big league was arguably the most famous name in league history - the legendary Jack Gibson.
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Since then, the likes of Tim Sheens, Ivan Henjak, Trent Robinson, Mick Potter, Jason Taylor, Trent Barrett, Ryan Hoffman, Chris Lawrence and James Tedesco have graduated from St Gregory's into top-grade footy.
"Last week Jed Reardon (Canterbury) became our 97th player to break into first grade," proud school principal Matthew Brennan told Wide World of Sports.
"We believe sometime in the next month we will break the 100 and it will be a wonderful feat for the school.
A young James Tedesco in action for St Gregory's College Campbelltown. Supplied
"For schools and families, sport can become one of the most powerful arenas for education. The values learned through sport - discipline, teamwork, resilience and integrity - are often the same values we hope boys will carry into adulthood, relationships, and leadership."
Much of St Greg's success can be attributed to the late Peter Mulholland, who coached at the school for more than 20 years before becoming the inaugural coach of the Perth Reds.
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The premier schoolboy competition in the country, the Peter Mulholland Cup, was named in his honour after his death in 2021.
Sheens, who went on to win four premierships as a coach after a long career at Penrith as a player, has fond memories of his time at St Greg's.
Peter Mulholland during his time as Western Reds coach. Tony McDonough
"I was a boarder there for my last two years of school and it was great for my football," Sheens recalls.
"We would train before and after school. We were almost full-time.
"We won the Metropolitan Catholic Schools grand final and I will always remember (rugby league Immortal) Clive Churchill being at the game checking out the players as he was coaching Souths. That really gave us a kick.
"I went from St Greg's to get graded at Penrith and the lessons I learned at the school, on and off the field, helped me for the rest of my life."
The club hopes to have many of the hundred at its old boys day when it meets Westfield Sports High School on June 24.
