Hillwood & St. Pats Reignite Rivalry After 30-Year Hiatus
- The Shark
- Apr 12
- 3 min read
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Last Meeting: August 5, 1995 – Hillwood 17.15.117 def. St. Pats 4.12.36 @ Hillwood
A long-dormant rivalry is set to spark back to life today as the Hillwood Sharks and the St. Pats Saints face off at Shark Park for the first time in three decades. The highly anticipated clash kicks off at 2pm and marks not just 30 years since their last meeting, but 40 years since the two sides first crossed paths back in 1985.
That inaugural encounter came as Hillwood and the remaining Tamar Football Association clubs joined the Northern Division of the Tasmanian Amateur Football League. Since then, plenty of history has unfolded—and some of it is being revisited today.
The last time the Sharks and Saints met, it was a dominant 81-point win to Hillwood on home turf. Club legend Todd Russell starred with 10 goals, while Bruce Donnelly celebrated his 100th game—he would go on to claim three club Best & Fairest awards. In a full-circle moment, Bruce’s son, Mitchell Donnelly, will run out for the Sharks in the senior side today—10,843 days after his father's milestone match.
Over recent years, plenty of players have pulled on the jumper for both clubs. With the shake-up of the NTFA divisions in 2025, the stars have finally aligned for these two sides to reunite in the revamped and competitive looking Division 1.
Despite Hillwood playing in a higher division last season, the Saints might enter this game as slight favourites. St. Pats have recruited strongly—landing some of the top talent in the state—and are fresh off a big win over reigning Division 1 premiers Old Scotch. Meanwhile, the injury hit Sharks will be keen to respond after a disappointing 49-point loss to Bracknell in Round 1.
Hillwood will be chasing a 10th consecutive win against St. Pats, while the Saints are aiming to break a few hoodoos of their own. The Saints haven’t beaten the Sharks since a nail-biting 1-point win at their home ground in 1990, the same year Hillwood went on to win the premiership. They’re also looking for their first win at Hillwood since 1986... which, fittingly, was also decided by just a single point.
All signs point to a cracking contest—one steeped in history and full of fresh intrigue.
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Some statistics below from the 10 years the two clubs clashed from 1985 to 1995:
1st match: 27th April 1985: St. Pats 33.22.220 d. Hillwood 11.12.78 at St. Pats
Despite the huge margin Hillwood managed to turn the tables in the return match later in that season to win by 19 points, a 161 point turnaround.
Ironically this was the 2nd 161 point turn around for the season with Hillwood coming away with a solid victory against Old Launcestonian’s after a heavy defeat also at the start of the season.
This is the only time St.Pats kicked 100+ points against Hillwood.
After winning this first encountered, St.Pats only managed to win 3 more games against Hillwood, which included a 6 point victory and two one point victories.
Hillwood have won the last 9 encounters by an average margin of 123 points. During this period Hillwood kicked their two highest ever scores of 36.14.230 in 1993, followed by 39.14.248 in 1994.
Sharks record against St.Pats (1985 - 1995):
Ground | Wins | Losses | For | Against | % |
Hillwood | 9 | 1 | 1,241 | 466 | 266% |
St.Pats | 5 | 3 | 1,045 | 679 | 154% |
Overall | 14 | 4 | 2,286 | 1,145 | 200% |
Goal Kicking:
Andrew Appleyard kicked the current club record 16 goals against St.Pats in 1994. This included 7 goals in the final term.
Sharks leading goal kickers against St. Pats:
Rank | Player | Goals |
1 | Andrew Appleyard | 30 |
2 | Steven (Snr) Clarke | 26 |
3 | Graeme Jarman | 22 |
Todd Russell | 22 | |
5 | Barry Colgrave | 15 |
