Associated Catholic Colleges grand final: Parade College makes it three in a row

For just the third time, the school has completed a three-peat of Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) senior football premiership in emphatic fashion.

There was no singular defining moment or eruption of emotion as Parade cruised to a commanding 56-point triumph over Whitefriars College at the Hangar.

Scroll down to see all the grand final’s notable performances

Rather, the 12.14 (86) to 4.6 (30) victory was befitting of a school and team that has been the benchmark of ACC football for the past three years and marked the completion of yet another dominant season.

It was Whitefriars however who had opened the scoring courtesy of a tidy dribble kick finish from Josh Northey, and defended gallantly and coolly for the majority of the term to head into quarter-time with the scores tied at 1.2 (8) apiece.

Parade came out swinging early in the second quarter, landing two quick blows to open a margin it would never look back from.

“We struggled for the first 10 minutes, we knew it was going to be a hot footy and (Whitefriars) came out hard,” reflected Parade midfielder Seb Murphy.

“We were still pretty happy with our start, we had most of the footy and we knew the goals would come.

“We were unselfish, we played team footy, passed it along to each other and the goals ended up piling on.”

Towering key forward Lewis Houndsome proved to be a handful for the Whitefriars defence, and contributed three goals en route to earning the match ball for best-on-ground.

He also clunked a couple of crucial intercept marks when he dropped behind the ball late in the game.

Northern Knights pair Murphy and Tyson Gresham - who are the younger brothers of Adelaide’s Lachlan Murphy and Essendon’s Jade Gresham respectively - were typically dominant in the middle of the field.

Gresham provided his usual burst out from stoppages and could break the game open, with one highlight a brilliant goal assist as he found a target inside 50 streaming out of the centre bounce.

Murphy’s hands were clean under pressure and he clunked a courageous pack mark and also outworked his opponent forward to snag a goal late in the piece.

Crafty forward Luke Cassar also chipped in with three majors, cashing in on his exceptional positioning to constantly find himself in space, while Axton West scored two goals.

“Whitefriars are always really difficult to play against and we respect them a lot,” said Parade coach Ricky Dyson after the win.

“Our boys, every time they come up against Whitefriars it’s an arm wrestle and it was certainly game on early.

“The boys just stuck to what we’ve been doing all year and ended up breaking the game open the longer it went.”

Once a Parade College student himself, Dyson was proud to have won a third consecutive senior title

“I didn’t win one as a student so it’s nice, I’m sort of living through these boys,” Dyson laughed.

“It really is a pleasure to coach them, they’ve created an environment where it’s an expectation that you give absolutely everything when you play for the school.

“They’re really proud of the tradition the school has when it comes to school footy and they want to pay respect to the guys who have come before them.”

Notable performances

Lewis Houndsome (Parade College)

A towering presence, Houndsome kicked three goals for Parade and could’ve had more. He was the focal point of their attack and marked well okay. Dropped behind the ball later in the game to guarantee the result and clunked some impressive intercept grabs - including a one-handed effort. He was also awarded the match ball as best-on-ground.

Charlie Whitehead (Whitefriars College)

Whitehead was a shining light for Whitefriars as the rangy midfielder sliced his way through traffic and distributed the footy well. He also won clearances in the middle and competed well when pinch-hitting in the ruck.

Sebastian Murphy (Parade College)

As he had been all season, Murphy was an influential figure in the middle of the park for Parade. He won plenty of the foot and clean under pressure. He worked forward in the final term to snag a tidy goal and also pulled down a very courageous pack mark.

Tyson Gresham (Parade College)

Gresham was equally as influential as his fellow Northern Knights co-captain Murphy in the middle of the field. His explosive pace and burst out of stoppage was on show from both centre bounces and around the ground.

Jake Larsen (Whitefriars College)

Larsen was able to break tackles and was super composed under pressure - either in the midfield or when he dropped into the backline. He could find accurate handballs and was a key cog.

Kai Parker (Parade College)

Parker was a standout in the backline for Parade, taking plenty of intercept marks and also showcasing his proficiency at ground level. He used the ball well majority of the time and could break lines, and also worked up the ground well to record dangerous inside 50s.

Luke Cassar (Parade College)

Cassar’s positioning in the forward line was exceptional and he led the way alongside Houndsome with three goals, and similarly, could’ve had even more. The goalsneak constantly found himself in space and was a consistent threat throughout the day.

Sam Devers (Whitefriars College)

Devers had some good moments in the middle for Whitefriars and scored a tidy goal late in the match.

James Allison (Parade College)

The Parade skipper was fantastic. He used his pace in the middle of the ground well and had plenty of the ball. Also used the footy well and could set up scores.

Grand final preview

Parade College is one match away from completing a famous three-peat in the Associated Catholic Colleges senior football competition.

Fittingly, Parade will meet Whitefriars College - the last school to topple the powerhouse in a decider when the sides met in 2022 - in Wednesday’s grand final at the Hangar.

Whitefriars scraped into the grand final in dramatic fashion last week after a clutch Charlie Whitehead after-the-siren lifted the school to a three-point victory over St Joseph’s College Geelong.

Parade meanwhile blitzed its way to the decider after it defeated St Bernard’s College by 52 points last week.

Whitefriars coach Kristan Height is under no illusions as to the challenge facing his side in the decider.

“We know (Parade are) the best in the competition, they’ve been the best for a long time, they’ve got a lot of Coates League players, they’ve got a great program,” Height said of his grand final opponents.

“They’re red-hot.”

The sides last met back in round 1, with Parade prevailing by 20 points.

We kicked really inaccurately throughout the first three quarters but then we finished strong,” recalled Parade assistant coach Ben Turner.

“(Whitefriars) were competitive around the ball, they had some assets in front of the footy as well, they’re certainly going to be a handful tomorrow if we’re going to find a way to win.”

Height said that his Whitefriars side knows it will be met with a fierce opponent.

“We knew what we were going to get when we played them in round 1, and we know what we’re going to get when we play them again,” Height said.

“Hopefully all of our players play our role and play well and we sneak one … we’ve won a couple of close ones.”

Whitefriars have been crowned the ACC premiers on five occasions, while Parade is in search of a stunning 28th title.

Victory for Parade would complete the school’s third three-peat of ACC crowns. The school won seven premierships in 10 years in the 1980s, including a stretch of four in a row, and also won three on the trot between 1997 and ‘99.

Turner said that a third consecutive premiership would be “wonderful” for Parade.

“We don’t take anything for granted, the past two years have been really proud and if we’re able to make that a third in a row … it would obviously be something we’d be unbelievably proud of,” he added.

Players to watch

Charlie Whitehead (Whitefriars College)

The midfielder is in fine form after kicking a clutch goal after-the-siren to lift Whitefriars to a dramatic semi-final win. The Oakleigh Chargers player isn’t the captain but is a spiritual leader who leads by example.

Josh Shepherd (Whitefriars College)

The key position player has showcased his versatility at both ends of the field but is developing into a potent key forward. Shepherd has kicked a few bags for Whitefriars this season and is also fresh off a four-goal haul for the Oakleigh Chargers against the Dandenong Stingrays after forcing his way into the Coates Talent League side.

Tyson Gresham (Parade College)

The younger brother of Essendon’s Jade Gresham, Tyson has been a fantastic contributor for Parade when available this season. The Northern Knight is really crafty around goal and is capable of hitting the scoreboard. The Vic Metro player is also quick, with his first strides particularly impressive and creating crucial bursts around the ball.

Lachie Bell (Whitefriars College)

Another Oakleigh Chargers talent, Bell plays as a midfielder/forward and impacts the scoreboard while winning plenty of the footy.

Sebastian Murphy (Parade College)

Another talent from an AFL family, Sebastian Murphy is the younger brother of Adelaide’s Lachlan and is enjoying a strong 2025. The midfielder/forward can hit the scoreboard and is a driving force around the ball and particularly at stoppage. He’s also a creative player who uses it as well and has been damaging at Coates Talent League level this season.

Jack Larson (Whitefriars College)

Local footballer Larson has enjoyed a great ACC campaign. He’s a terrific mark of the football and has a great ability to read the play. Attacks the ball well too.

James Allison (Parade College)

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Allison is an explosive midfielder who has missed a number of matches through injury setbacks. He’s an impressive player who can break lines and is also tied to the Northern Knights.

Sam Devers (Whitefriars College)

The Eastern Ranges has been great for Whitefriars, with his skill execution a particular strength of his game.

Originally published as Associated Catholic Colleges grand final: Parade College makes it three in a row