Mooroolbark Football Club announced its U19.5 coaching group for season 2026. Cayden Maki, Harrison Keeling, Jackson Gilbee and Matthew Bishop will lead this new team into the upcoming season.
With these three experienced senior players bringing their commitment, passion and football knowledge to this team, it will be amazing to watch. Cayden has been playing senior football since he was 16. He was selected for the Eastern Ranges and was on the list of the Box Hill Hawks and Footscray Bulldogs in previous years. Harrison also came out of the Eastern Ranges system and, along with Jackson, played their first senior games at the age of 18. Cayden and Harrison were both vice captains for season 2025 and Jackson was also in the leadership group. An added bonus for all three of them, working in the education department, is learning and enhancing their teaching skills.
Joining them is Port Adelaide premiership and 150 AFL games player Matthew Bishop. Matthew has had involvement with the club’s senior and junior clubs over the past eight years and his football knowledge and player development will be vital for the boys’ future. He can’t wait to work alongside these three young men.
Last Saturday saw Mooroolbark Reserves and Seniors men take on Boronia at Miller Park in their final game of the 2025 season. It was always going to be tough for the Ressies with their opponents sitting fourth on the ladder but the Mustangs put in a solid first quarter to trail by a few points at quarter time. The Boronia boys then stepped up a level and dominated the rest of the game. Mustangs skipper, Jono Fraser, was tireless in defence, taking many saving marks, while further up the field, Josh Logg put in his best game of the season. Max Batten was again in the best and Clint George was hard at the ball. It’s been a struggle for the Reserves this season with only one win but if the boys stick together and others can come back from injury they can look forward to improvement in season 2026.
Final Score: Boronia 16 – 12 – 108 d Mooroolbark 2 – 3 – 15
Goals: Wyss 1, Spicer 1
Best Players: Fraser, Logg, M. Batten, George, Kowalski, Wyss
The Seniors were also up against a top-four side but the boys were determined to finish the season on a high. The first quarter was very even with the Mustangs taking a slender one-point lead into the first break and were able to increase the lead to five points at halftime. The lead changed hands many times in the second half in what was an enthralling encounter. Team Leaders Kane Noonan and Cayden Maki were sensational, providing lots of drive out of defence and into the forward half. Billy Batten finished off his best season for the club in fine style while Jackson Gilbee was strong down forward, but the biggest accolades must go to Jett Hartman who once again took many telling marks in defence and then in the dying minutes of the game, with the Mustangs trailing by three points, drifted down forward and took a strong mark 45 metres from goal. The siren sounded as he was lining up and with the pressure on, Jett slotted it through the big stick to give the Mustangs a thrilling three-point victory. It was a great way to finish what has been a very frustrating season and will give the boys something to build on for next season.
Final Score: Moorooolbark 10 – 7 – 67 d Boronia 9 – 10 – 64
Goals: Jac. Gilbee 3, Gebert 2, Maki, Hartman, Batten, Amiet, Downie 1 each
Best Players: Hartman, Maki, Noonan, Batten, Jac. Gilbee, Ryan
