Great Scot September 2018 Gt Scot_154_September_online | Page 78

OSCA
NICK SMITH ('06) REPRESENTING THE SYDNEY SWANS
2018
ABOVE: JOSH BOOTH (‘08), ANDREW ROOK (‘80) AND JAMES ROOK (‘15) BELOW: 1906 GRAND CHALLENGE CUP, HENLEY
DOUBLE SCOTCH
GOLD AT HENLEY
Congratulations to Josh Booth (‘08) and James Rook (‘15) who both
won and broke records at the 2018 Henley Royal Regatta in July – Josh
was part of the winning men’s eight and James was coxswain for the
open women’s eight.
Racing for Australia as the Georgina Hope Rinehart National
Training Centre, Josh’s crew won the Grand Challenge Cup for
open men’s eights, and set a new course record in a spectacular
showdown with the C S Dinamo and C S Steaua (the Romanian men’s
eight). The crew crossed the line in a time of five minutes 53 seconds.
It’s the first time Australia has won the Grand Challenge Cup since 2000.
Also racing as the Georgina Hope Rinehart National Training
Centre, James’ crew won the Remenham Challenge Cup and set a
new course record when they beat the Leander Club and University
of London Boat Club (Great Britain’s women’s eight) in their final. The
Australians clocked a time of six minutes 36 seconds, which is a new
Henley record. It is the first time since 2001 that an Australian crew
has won the Remenham Challenge Cup.
SCOTT MONTGOMERY ('85)
78
A tough
defender
Sydney Swans defender Nick Smith (’06)
played his 200th AFL match against Fremantle
on Saturday 19 May and is easily one of the
toughest defenders in Swans colours.
At the time of writing he had played 211
games, and now holds the record for the
greatest number of VFL/AFL games played by
an Old Scotch Collegian, surpassing Campbell
Brown (’01) who played 205 games and John
Hendrie (’71), 197. Nick and Cyril Rioli ('07), who
were teammates in the 1st XVIII at Scotch, lined
up on each other in the 2012 AFL grand final,
with Nick taking the honours in the Swans’
premiership victory after a close tussle. Nick
was named as an All Australian in 2014.
Chatting with OSCA Executive Director,
Scott Montgomery (‘85), at a Scotch Foundation
lunch at Royal Sydney Golf Club on 9 May, Nick
described Cyril Rioli (‘07) as a ‘super player’,
who along with Adelaide’s Eddie Betts, is one
of the hardest players to play against. Nick
said the Swans’ success in being able to turn
rookies into stars is mainly due to the club’s
positive culture, and he had some advice for
players who are overlooked in the NAB AFL
draft: ‘It doesn’t matter how you get on a list at
a footy club, if you’re given an opportunity you
have to make the most of it,’ he said. Nick joined
the Swans in 2007, after being picked up at
number 15 in the rookie draft.
SCOTT MONTGOMERY ('85)
Great Scot Number 154 – September 2018