The Swoop Newsletter - Round 1 2026/27

CMCC Media

13 hours ago

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Dear CMCC community,

Welcome back!

The Lions are AFL premiers and just like that, cricket season is upon us (almost)!

This pre-season has entailed a trip to Adelaide, two weddings and some off season signings who we are very excited to get on McQueen Park!

Congratulations to our four captains for 2026/27:

1st XI - Shorye Chopra 2nd XI - Kevin Prior

3rd XI - Tom Sheehan

4th XI - Robert Capstick

We look forward to your support throughout the year!

Go Pies!

ALL MATCHES CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

See below teams announced on Thursday night in the event we would have played

SEASON LAUNCH 2026/27

A huge thankyou to everyone who came down to McQueen Park on Thursday night to launch the 2026/27 season!

We were very lucky and grateful to have former Australian cricketer and VFL footballer Simon O'Donnell address the room and provide some inspiration as we embark on another season! Simon spoke on the importance of getting the basics right, keeping it simple and an all club approach to success! Things I'm sure we can all take on board as the year progresses.

Also thankyou to all of the sponsors present, our club relies on your support each year and we implore our entire community to engage with their services!

MEMBERSHIP 2026/27

Cricket greetings as we head into another year where with a number of new players we are hopeful of building on our previous season in which our 1st XI finished one place out of finals participation.

We are fortunate to have recruited Tyler Pearson, a Cricket Victoria contracted opening bowler whom will add depth to our Club.

Additionally, we have Jacob Pietz, selected in the Australian Under 19 team currently playing in India, Jobe Fraser and Hamish Braden selected in the State Under U19 squad and Daksh Saini in the State U17 squad.

With 10 Under age teams playing under Junior Vice President Danny James and his Committee’s stewardship our future is well placed with our young boys working their way through the ranks.

We have arranged the same Membership Packages as last year as set out below and hope that all of our previous Members and a number of new ones will again take up membership to join in the benefits available and once again assist the finances of our Club in what is becoming more costly each season to run.

Membership applications for any of the packages can be made through the Club Shop via our website or the link below.

Click Here to become a member

I look forward to welcoming you to McQueen Park throughout the year.

Peter Warner OAM

Membership Coordinator

SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT - RICHMOND CLUB HOTEL

On wet spring evenings like tonight what better way to spend it than at the pub!

Thanks to our great friend Megan Wallace at Australian Venue Company, we now have the Richmond Club Hotel onboard as a club sponsor, with 10% discount on all purchases by using the PASS app and code MAGPIESCC

We continue to have Auburn and Hawthorn Hotels as well

VALE BEV SLEEMAN

Fellow Club Members

It is with a heavy heart that we report on the passing of Bev Sleeman, a wonderful friend to us all, a great mother to three terrific children and 50-year wife of Collingwood legend Gerard "Polly" Sleeman.

"God giveth, God taketh away"

Cricket Clubs don't function without people like Bev Sleeman.

As we all know, there's always a group of people with "shoulders-to-the-wheel" to do things that need-to-be-done and add the "trimmings" that turn an empty Vacant room into a warm, welcoming, vibrant club.

Of course Bev Sleeman had her own way.

She'd hate anyone writing or fussing about her.

"Shut the bloody hell up" and get on with it.

Sipping champagne, cutting sandwiches, serving behind the Bar, caring for three toddlers whilst her "larger-than-life" husband entertained, starred and magnetised audiences - home and away.

Polly and Bev - inseparable, irrepressible, loved by all.

But God has his way - and we abide by that decision.

Successful Cricket Clubs always need people to park their egos at the front door.

A generation ago, Clubs needed a bit of "political incorrectness" and "larrikinism" to keep the egos from bursting-out-the-roof.

Bev was able, to "hang it on ya" and then "love ya" - when you'd made three runs in a month! And always with that quiet smile.

We have so many happy memories of the Sleeman family home at 17A Dunstan Street that was the source of so much fun and happiness for countless Collingwood wins, premierships, BBQs and celebrations.

West Preston FC and Collingwood CC "lucked-in" by having Bev Sleeman.

And we also lucked-in by being part of her "fiefdom".

RIP Bev