Moises Henriques delivers the O'Reilly Oration 2025 - St George District Cricket Club
St George Cricket Club | September 26, 2025
The Annual O’Reilly Oration was held in the Booth Saunders Pavilion on Friday 19 September. A full house of 126 heard from guest speaker, St George Life Member, Moises Henriques. He was later joined in a panel discussion by Cricket Australia Chair, Mike Baird AO and Cricket NSW Chair, John Knox.
The O’Reilly Oration was inaugurated in 2005 as a way of remembering the enormous contribution that Bill O’Reilly made to St George DCC and indeed the game across Australia and the world. Speakers have always been encouraged to follow in the O’Reilly tradition of providing forthright, considered opinions that challenge the status quo. That tradition continued in 2025.
The first Oration in 2005 was delivered by a great friend of the Club, Richie Benaud OBE, and it was wonderful that his wife Daphne was able to attend this year’s lunch with John and Lyn Benaud. They, like Mike Coward, himself a former Oration guest speaker and author of the St George Centenary book, were guests of long time Club supporter, Arthur Laundy AM.
Also in attendance at the function were the Georges River Council Mayor, Elise Borg, accompanied by the Council General Manager, David Tuxford and Director of Community and Culture, Kristy Dodd. Club Patron, Murray Bennett was joined by this year’s No 1 Member, former player and Club Vice President, Bruce Fitch. Again, this year we had strong support from Club Sponsors, Club Central, Club Rivers, Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers, Kingsgrove Sports, Owen Hodge Lawyers, Something Nice Foods and Sunday Road Brewery, who provided the beverages. Last year’s panel participant, Cricket NSW CEO, Lee Germon, led a table from Cricket Central.
In his interview, conducted by Club President, Kevin Greene AM, Moises covered a wide variety of subjects ranging from his early junior cricket through junior representative teams, representing and captaining Australia at the Under 19 World Cup and his debuts for St George First Grade at sixteen, NSW and Australia. He talked about leadership and the challenges of dealing with mental battles and recognising the need to enjoy the game.
His comments on the strengths of teammates and the support he’d received from them were heartfelt as were his reflections on the impact of former Club Patrons, Brian Booth MBE and Warren Saunders OAM. The times spent with them were cherished memories, particularly as he developed a close friendship with Warren, who he noted had a million entertaining stories but rarely about himself. The St George Club had a big influence on his life and career. The large crowd were very impressed by the quality of the Moises contribution, he was eloquent, entertaining and edifying. Bill O’Reilly would have been proud.
After a main meal, provided by the catering staff of major sponsor, Club Central and served by the Club’s generous volunteers, Moises was joined on for the panel discussion. Topics covered included the influence of India on world cricket, the commercialisation of the game, the rise of T20, cricket in the Olympics, expansion into the US market and the possibility of BBL franchises being open to private investment.
All speakers were forthright, recognising the challenges cricket, particularly Australian cricket faces, in a global sporting market where private investors are expanding their horizons. It was with this background that the UK Hundred team franchises were discussed and the influence of the IPL franchises in this and other markets. It was pleasing to see all three panellists prepared to offer considered, frank opinions on all the topics discussed and this was appreciated by the diverse audience.
After twenty years the season opening O’Reilly Oration has lost none of its punch, nor its ability to draw a crowd. When you’re sitting on the interview stools, looking across the crowd and the picturesque ground, with the Bill O’Reilly sign on the far sightscreen, you know at St George you’ve got a lot to live up to. The high quality of this year’s speakers undoubtedly assured the proud tradition continued.
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