Brighton Union Cricket Club

We have plenty of exciting options available for junior and senior cricketers this year. So make sure you head to the link below to sign up and register for the upcoming season!

https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/brighton-union-cricket-club/452c4cdd/register?fbclid=IwcGRvZgNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80Mzc2MjYzMTY5NzM3ODgAAR7KRzVhuXbBWC_5jt58W7M-oDb-ei7MZlSQp-mzv61L4nrDXWdhHQg6B3z1bQ_aem_uIWXS_cUsfTEtjMyO9mEUQ

🚨🚨SIGNING ALERT! 🚨🚨

We are so thrilled to announce that Austin Heldt as joined us for the upcoming season, after moving across from West Bentleigh.

Austin made 3 big centuries last year, including against us in the middle of the year.

Austin is a former junior at the club, and supremely talented providing a bit of class as a left hander at the top of the order.

We cannot wait to see what he brings to Union in 2026/27.

Welcome Austin, we are so thrilled to have you and can’t wait for you to get started!

Go Hoops! 💚💛

Our 2026/27 Captains!

We are really excited to announce our leadership positions across our senior teams for the upcoming season. Some well known faces will lead us this year!

1st XI - Matt Vorbach
Darian Kuzma and Robert Blair - VC

2nd XI - Stuart Gara
Hayden Lepp and Liam Kafka Sweeney VC

3rd XI - Jono Powell
Rob Oliphant VC

Congratulations to all our new leaders! We are looking forward to a big season ahead! 💚💛

Forever a Longy Premiership skipper!

Bobby is stepping back to focus on his bowling in 26/27! Thanks for all your work as Captain, Rob!

A new set of leaders to be announced this week, as we enter a new era! 💚💛🤝

No greater sight than the return of one of the clubs favourites!

Matt Freeman has returned to his junior club after a few years at Hampton United and we are thrilled to have him home!

A hard hitting Middle order bat who bowls handy darts, he’s gonna be a welcome addition to our lineup in 26/27.

Welcome home Freo…now time for the other half of the Duo! 👏🏻🤔

Some of our biggest an brightest stars are returning for another season!

The future and the superstar veteran are ready to bring the club up the ladder!

Stay tuned for more exciting Signings/re-signings over the next few weeks!

Go Hoops! 💚💛

4 massive re-signings heading into a new year!

Some club favourites are running it back in 26/27!

Plenty more exciting signings to come!

Go Hoops! 💚💛

To our members, players, sponsors, families and friends of the Hoops,

Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Brighton Union Cricket Club.

After two years of dedicated leadership, Col Taranto has stepped down as President. Words don't quite capture what Col has meant to this club. His genuine care, his work ethic, and his deep commitment to the Hoops have shaped where we are today.

It is with great excitement that we announce Matt Young as the newly elected President of Brighton Union Cricket Club. Matt's passion for the Hoops runs deep, and his vision for the club's future has the full backing of the committee and playing group.

Joining Matt on the executive are Vice Presidents Robert Blair and John Donohoe, returning Treasurer Matt Britten, Secretary Ian Poulter, and a strong General Committee of Ethan Kunaratnam, Hayden Lepp, Liam Kafka-Sweeney and Spiros Layia.

We also want to take this moment to acknowledge the tireless work of Treasurer Matt Britten, whose stewardship – combined with the incredible support of our sponsors and the wider BUCC community – has the club in a fantastic financial and operational position heading into next season. None of what we're about to build would be possible without them.

We are unapologetically ambitious about what this club can achieve – on the field and off it. Vice Presidents Bob and John will work alongside Matt and the playing group to return Brighton Union to the top of the Longmuir Shield and put us in genuine premiership contention. We will build the 2nd XI into a powerful pathway and creating a winning – and fun – environment are central to that mission. And we will build on the momentum of our incredible juniors program - who are the future of our great club.

The Hoops have a proud past. The next chapter is ours to write together.

PRESIDENT APPOINTMENT: MATT YOUNG

Brighton Union Cricket Club is proud to announce the election of *Matt Young as President* – a leader whose impact on the Hoops, in just five years, has been nothing short of remarkable.
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Matt's BUCC journey is proof that you don't need a lifetime at a club to leave a lasting mark on it. Since joining five years ago, he has become an integral part of the *3rd XI* – a group whose bond, belief, and connection has carried them deep into finals year after year. Anyone who has watched the 3's play knows the culture Matt and his teammates have built: tight, fierce, and unmistakably Hoops.

But Matt's contribution stretches well beyond the boundary rope.
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He is a *proud sponsor of the club*, putting his support behind the Hoops in the most tangible way possible. He has been a *driving force in our off-field culture* – championing the events, the community feel, and the family atmosphere that make Brighton Union the club it is. The connection between players, members, sponsors and supporters that we talk so much about? Matt has been quietly building it, brick by brick, for years.

Professionally, Matt brings *significant experience from the finance industry*, and that expertise will be a genuine asset as we set the club up for long-term, sustainable success. Strong leadership, sharp commercial thinking, and a deep love for the Hoops – it's a combination that has the committee, the playing group, and the membership excited about what lies ahead.

In his own words: "It's an honour to be elected President of the club I love. I will do everything in my power to repay the members for their support. I want to personally thank and recognise Col Taranto for his leadership over the last two years. His genuine care for, and commitment to the club was unmatched – and he leaves big shoes to fill! I'm excited to see our club go from strength to strength this year and am excited to launch our plans."
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Under Matt's leadership, the club will focus on four clear priorities:
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1. Becoming famous for our Hoops culture, our history and family connections
2. Growing – and rewarding – our large and loyal membership base
3. Investing in our on-field success across junior and senior competitions
4. Providing a leading platform for our sponsors and partners Five years in. A player, a sponsor, a culture-builder. And now President of Brighton Union Cricket Club. Congratulations, Matt. The Hoops are ready to follow your lead.
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VICE PRESIDENT APPOINTMENT: JOHN DONOHOE

Brighton Union Cricket Club is proud to announce the appointment of *John Donohoe as Vice President* – a recognition of two decades of service to the Hoops and the deep imprint he has left on every corner of our club.

John's BUCC story is the story we want every junior to aspire to. Coming up through our junior pathway, he has spent *20 years in the Hoops*, growing from a young player into one of the most respected figures the club has produced. Along the way, he has won *five senior premierships* – a remarkable on-field record that speaks to his cricket, his competitiveness, and his ability to lead a group when it matters most.

But anyone who knows John knows that the flags only tell part of the story. His real legacy is what he has built *off the field*. Years of committee contributions. Countless events organised. The little things, done well, season after season, that turn a cricket club into a community. John has been the heart and soul of Brighton Union for as long as most of us can remember – and that contribution was formally recognised with his admission as a *BUCC Life Member*, one of the highest honours our club can bestow.

Outside the Hoops, John works in the sports media industry as a high-level caller and contributor at *SEN*, bringing professional polish, a sharp cricket brain, and a genuine love of the game to everything he does. We're fortunate to have that experience now directed at the leadership of our club.

In his own words: "Bob and I will work closely together with President Matt Young as well as the playing group to ensure that Union returns to the top of Longmuir Shield and competes for premierships. We are committed to building our 2nd XI into a strong pathway to allow our next crop of stars to play at the highest level possible. Our commitment is to ensure Brighton Union remains a powerful club for a long time to come. We will look to recruit well and provide a fun and exciting environment to build a winning and fun culture at the club."

Twenty years in. Five flags. A Life Member. And now Vice President. Congratulations, John. The Hoops are in good hands. *Go Hoops.*

We welcome everyone to join us at the AGM this Wednesday night!

Details below!

Presentation night details.

Look forward to seeing everyone there!