St Pat's Old Boys name their team of decade at reunion dinner

As part of their recent reunion dinner to celebrate the anniversary of their merger, St Pat's Old Boys named their team of the decade to honour the best players since the 2011-12 Bathurst District Cricket Association season.

Nic Broes, Bailey Brien, Shane Broes, Connor Slattery, Adam Ryan, Derryn Clayton, Andrew Brown, Ben Mitchell, Scott Traves, Mitch Taylor and Matt Fearnley were the 11 players named at the dinner at Paddy's Hotel on Saturday night.

Having a father-son pairing in a team of the decade is a rare sight, and Shane Broes said he relished the chance to not only play alongside his son but to also share the field with several players he coached.

"Obviously it's great to make the team with him but it's also great to make it with all the other young fellas who I coached since they were knee high to a grasshopper," he said.

"Then to play with a few of them and be named in the team of the decade with them is very special."

Shane Broes and fellow team of the decade player Scott Traves were heavily involved in bringing through the younger group of Saints stars earlier in the 2010s.

Together with current first grade veteran Matt Fearnley they fostered a successful culture at the team that carries through to this day, where Pat's are enjoying a strong run of finals appearances over recent BDCA and BOIDC seasons.

"That was the club's plan when we sat down to figure out where we wanted to go, and our focus was on the juniors. Us older guys wanted to hang in there as long as we could until the younger guys came through and now that seems to be paying dividends," Broes said.

"When you look at our first grade side there are eight players there who have come through our junior and President's Cup sides. That's pretty special.

"They're in with another shot at a grand final this year. It's so pleasing across the whole club. It's not just first grade but also seconds and President's Cup where we're starting this process all over again with a couple of under 13s boys there.

"Myself and Travesy are in Presos at the moment looking to get that process going once more. It was nice to get that recognition on Saturday night but even nicer to be named in it with the boys that we raised and coached."

St Pat's Old Boys have had three senior teams reach the finals across first grade, second grade and President's Cup this season.

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