Bernie's Bulletin

Event Calendar

Reunion Calendar

Save the Date for your class reunion! Registration will open closer to the date so we can track numbers. Each year level will receive emails with more information closer to the date as well.

This week we had a chat with 2012 old collegian Jack Howard, who made the AFL list this year as a field umpire. Jack was kind enough to take some time out of his day and take us through his journey:

SBC: So what inspired you to pursue umpiring? How did you get started?

Jack Howard: I started at St Bernard’s, where Hayden Kennedy, who was a teacher at the time, started an EDFL Umpiring Academy at the school. On Tuesday nights I’d finish classes, then have a coaching session for half an hour, then go down to the soccer pitch and do some skills. It was the best way to make pocket money cause you’re too young to have a job, but you could go around and umpire an Under-10s game for 50 bucks and go play footy yourself later that day. It just sort of rolled on from there - I went down and trained at the EDFL, and just kept slowly building up my experience, until I finished playing football at 19 and kept up umpiring.

SBC: How did you find having Hayden as a teacher and having his experience in that programme? 

JH: I've known Hayden for a long time. His eldest and my brother are really good mates, so I sort of had a good connection with him. It definitely helped having someone like Hayden there, who you knew was umpiring AFL. It made you feel like one day you could get there yourself – I’m still trying, but hopefully I'm a bit closer than I was back then.

SBC: Can you quickly take us through your path to get on the AFL list?

JH: I was umpiring senior football at the Essendon district. Then Rowan Soyers, who was the EDFL coach, sent me to Darwin for a season in 2015-16. That was probably the first time I'd umpired consistent senior football well and done a grand final – so I thought there was a chance to go to the next level. In 2017, I was sent to the VFL and I did the VFLW Grand Final. Then COVID sort of interrupted everything. After that Hayden took over as coach, and at that time I was probably just a middle of the road umpire to be honest. So I had a couple of chats to coaches in the off season and had another chat to Hayden to work out how to improve – and then I was able to somehow pull my finger out and had a really good finish to the season. From there I did the last two VFL grand finals, and then got invited to interview for the AFL.

SBC: What's been the most memorable moment of your umpiring so far? 

JH: Darwin was pretty special, the football's completely different up there. I umpired in some rural communities and you know, that was a dirt ground, bare feet – but they were amazing games. The best thing I've done at the VFL was the state game between the VFL and SANFL representative sides last year. That was probably the most enjoyment I've had in umpiring. The grand finals are special, but this game was unique - you don't get that opportunity often. 

SBC: What are you most looking forward to about debuting at AFL level?

JH: It didn't probably really click till 18 months ago that I might be a chance to get to the AFL list one day. Now that I'm there, to be able to then say that I've umpired at least one game and hopefully many more - it'd be pretty cool. I think my parents would really enjoy it too, because coincidentally, they’ve both been overseas or interstate every time I've done a grand final. I do joke to them that they probably need to go on a holiday so that I can get a game! 

SBC: What’s one of your favourite memories or experiences from your time at St Bernards?

JH: When we did Santa Monica in Year 9. Looking back on it, it was the best four weeks throughout my whole school journey. I went back there for a preseason camp for the VFL a couple of years ago, and it's much nicer now than it was back in 2009! There's hot water and heaters now, so they're a bit spoiled, but that was amazing. I was also lucky enough that in Year 9 I did the Daly River immersion, and then in Year 11 I walked the Kokoda track. So that's probably up there with one of the best things I've ever done in my life, and one day I'd love to go back and do it again. In my time at St Bernard’s I was lucky enough to build some really good friendships, and I'm still great mates with them now.

Jack has since made his debut, umpiring the round 13 match between Richmond and Sydney at the MCG. You can see him in action this week in Sunday’s match between Carlton and West Coast, wearing the number 18 previously worn by ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain.

On Friday, 30 May, the St Bernard’s College Foundation celebrated its 2025 Gala Dinner in style at the State Library Victoria. We had the pleasure of seeing three outstanding gentlemen of the College inducted into our Hall of Fame – Mr Terry Tobin KC, Dr Anthony Slavin, and our inaugural Rising Star Dr Jameson Trainor.

Terry (Class of 1960) is an exemplary figure in the legal profession as a King's Counsel. He also contributes greatly to the Catholic faith and education, having worked closely with charities and universities and recognised with the papal award of Knight Grand Cross.

Anthony (Class of 1985) has built an outstanding medical career - leading the way in creating multiple clinical medicines, and making vital contributions to the immunology field. In an incredibly special moment of the night, one of our guests spoke up during Anthony’s speech to thank him for one of the medicines he worked on – saying that it saved his life.

A worthy winner of our first ever Rising Star Award, Jameson (Class of 2014) graduated from the University of Melbourne and has worked as a doctor for some of the country's top sporting leagues. He is now training in Anaesthesia and Retrieval medicine, providing vital care to people in critical conditions. 

It was truly inspiring to hear each of these men describe what drives them and humbly share valuable stories and advice. They also reminisced fondly on their time at St Bernard’s, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements thus far. We congratulate them on their well-deserved induction to our Hall of Fame.

The event was superbly hosted by our MC Simon Madden, as we also had the pleasure of hearing from Foundation Chair John Hughes, SBOCA President Jasper Brettell, 2025 College Captain Hayden McDonald, and our Principal, Dr Michael Davies. From all our speakers, the passion of our school and the importance of our community was clear to see. The evening ended with an exciting auction and raffle, and some of our fantastic music students performed throughout the night.

An event showcasing excellence, community, camaraderie, a giving spirit and a bright future – a heartfelt thank you to all who attended!

Congratulations to our St Bernard's College ACC 1st XVIII footballers on their triumphant victory, defeating Parade College to secure the prestigious Madden-Bedford Shield!

In shining afternoon sun at the Murphy Oval, St Bernard’s came back from a point down at half-time and powered away to win 8.6 (54) to Parade’s 5.4 (34).

A big thank you to everyone who came out to support our players. We hope you enjoyed the pre-game entertainment, which was masterfully emceed by St Bernard’s Old Collegian and football legend, Simon Madden. The event featured enlightening discussions with our coaches Steve Alessio (St Bernard's) and Ricky Dyson (Parade), followed by a captivating conversation with another first-class football and cricket icon, Peter Bedford. It was fantastic to have the Shield's two namesakes there for an excellent game of footy.

Our second business lunch for the year was a rousing success, as guests gathered at the Michael Perrett Pavilion to hear from distinguished old collegians Matthew Lloyd (1995), Francis Leach (1985), and Michael Comerford (2017) for a dynamic Media-focused Business Lunch.

The event was once again expertly moderated by Simon Madden, whose ability to pose hard-hitting questions while injecting well-timed humour kept the audience captivated throughout the afternoon.

Matthew, Francis, and Michael shared fond memories of their time at St Bernard’s College, offering insights into their successful careers in the media industry alongside valuable advice for aspiring professionals. They emphasised the importance of persistence, dedication and following your passion.

The event also shed light on the inspiring work of another St Bernard’s old collegian, Stephen Simone, founder of the Silent Sight Foundation. The foundation aims to eliminate blindness caused by Usher Syndrome, a cause close to Stephen's heart due to personal family connections. He expressed gratitude for the support received from our College community and called for continued awareness and assistance. Together, we can make a difference - find out more here: Silent Sight Foundation.

Thank you to everyone who attended the lunch and a special thanks to our guest speakers for sharing their valuable time and insight. Keep an eye out for our future Business Lunches!

This Flashback Friday brings you some snaps from the Kokoda Track Immersion in 2015, with some reflections from the students who made the journey.

Honouring our esteemed old collegians is deeply important to the College. If you wish to submit Vale notices for inclusion in The Strand magazine, please send them via email to development@sbc.vic.edu.au. Your contributions allow us to respectfully remember and celebrate the remarkable individuals who have been part of our community and have sadly passed away since our last publication in late 2024 and throughout 2025.

We greatly appreciate your support in helping us honour their memories.