AS Wangaratta High School marks its 115th anniversary this year, sport coordinator Jud Mullins is delving into the school's archives to come up with a team of former students who have played VFL/AFL.

"It's a chance to look back on the school's history and try to inspire kids who are here now," Jud said.

"We're trying to make sure our current students know that we were not long ago known as one of the premier sport and football schools in the state.

"Some of them don't realise the school's strong history in sport, so it's great to be able to highlight that; we've made a wall of state championship footy photos to help get the kids interested.

"I've contacted a few of the former players in the photos, too, and they like reminiscing.

"We had nine state championship footy teams (seven boys' teams, two girls' teams) between 1994 and 2005, as well as four Herald-Sun Cup winning senior boys' teams (1985, 1987, 1999 and 2003), and two state runner-up teams."

Jud, himself a former high school student, has enjoyed researching the school's star footballers, and has so far come up with a list of 19 former students who played at the highest level.

"It's interesting finding out about players who I never knew attended here, including Brian Kekovich (older brother of Sam), who played for Carlton and was their leading goalkicker twice," he said.

"Then there's Clarrie, Jack and Leo Nolan, who established Nolan Brothers Sports Stores (Clarrie and Jack played for North Melbourne, and Leo for Melbourne).

"It's fascinating to find out about these guys, what brought them here and how they made it.

"Steve Johnson is probably the most famous player the kids know of; he was part of state championship-winning teams here in years seven, nine and 10, and he came back and did a great talk for our year nines a few years ago."

While he has unearthed quite a few former students with footy credentials, Jud is keen to hear from anyone who may be able to add to his list.

"Particularly before the 1950s and '60s, our archives are thin, so it would be great to hear from anyone who can help," he said.

Jud also has a list of players from the district who played VFL/AFL, and would love to know if any of them were Wangaratta High School or Wangaratta Technical School students.

He plans to also create a team of former Wangaratta Technical School/Ovens College players who reached the highest level, and so far has a list of 18.

"It will be a good chance to honour and celebrate their rich history too, which often gets forgotten," Jud said.

"I'm looking at also doing a team of the 2000s - from 2000 to 2025 - of kids who played AFL or current VFL."

Current students Lane Sloan, Angus Fraser and Mason Skermer relished their first chance to represent Wangaratta High School this year; they finished third overall at the Upper Hume carnival, with victories against Galen College and Wodonga Middle Years College.

Lane, who has since spotted his dad Corey in the 1998 state title-winning intermediate team photo on display at school, said: "I normally play against my friends (on the weekends), so I liked the chance to play with them".

Angus, co-captain of the year seven team, agreed, saying it was also enjoyable to come up against other schools.

Mason, the team's vice-captain, said he loved "the sense of camaraderie you get playing with other kids in your year level".

Anyone with information which could assist Jud's research in compiling the teams, and offering inspiration to future stars like the year seven combination, is encouraged to contact him via email at Jud.Mullins@education.vic.gov.au

WANGARATTA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WHO PLAYED VFL/AFL

Clarrie Nolan, 1925-'28, 44 games, North Melbourne

Jack Nolan, 1926, 9 games, North Melbourne

Leo Nolan, 1932, 6 games, Melbourne

Clem Goonan, 1961-'64, 50 games, South Melbourne

Ron Stone, 1965-'69, 60 games, Carlton

Brian Kekovich, 1967-'68, 34 games, Carlton

Phil Doherty, 1972-'73, 11 games, North Melbourne

Alan Jarrott, 1977-'87, 170 games, North Melbourne/Melbourne

Darren Steele, 1984-'94, 137 games, North Melbourne/Geelong

Paul Bryce, 1987-'93, 91 games, North Melbourne/Melbourne/Sydney

Shane Crothers, 1994-'95, 4 games, Geelong

Leigh Newton, 1997-'99, 13 games, Melbourne

Mark Porter, 1997-'04, 110 games, Carlton/North Melbourne

Sean O'Keefe, 2001-'03, 6 games, Carlton

Steve Johnson, 2002-'17, 293 games, Geelong/GWS

Jon McCormick, 2003-'04, 26 games, Carlton

Karl Norman, 2003-'05, 27 games, Carlton

Luke Mullins, 2003-'05, 3 games, Collingwood

Michael Newton, 2005-'11, 28 games, Melbourne

WANGARATTA TECH SCHOOL BOYS WHO PLAYED VFL/AFL

John Brady, 1952-'59, 118 games, North Melbourne

Peter Hughes, 1953-'54, 16 games, Hawthorn

Pat Hogan, 1953-'54, 10 games, South Melbourne

Kevin Hogan, 1954-'60, 63 games, South Melbourne

Lance Oswald, 1957-'63, 107 games, St Kilda

Frank Hogan, 1958-'59, 12 games, South Melbourne

Les Gregory, 1959, 3 games, St Kilda

Ian 'Doggy' Rowland, 1960-'66, 109 games, St Kilda

Ian Montgomery, 1965-'68, 40 games, Collingwood

Ian Nicoll, 1966-'70, 41 games, Carlton

Michael Hallahan, 1967, 3 games, Fitzroy

Norm Bussell, 1968-'73, 113 games, Hawthorn

John Hendrie, 1972-'82, 197 games, Hawthorn

Mark Browning, 1975-'87, 251 games, South Melbourne/Sydney

Les 'Salty' Parish, 1980-'85, 94 games, Fitzroy/Melbourne

Robbie Hickmott, 1990-'91, 2 games, Melbourne

Dean Harding, 1991-'93, 19 games, Fitzroy

Luke Norman, 1995-'96, 16 games, Melbourne

WANGARATTA DISTRICT BOYS WHO PLAYED VFL/AFL (SCHOOLS UNKNOWN)

Jack Lean, 1927, six games, Fitzroy

Alan Skehan, 1927, 13 games, Carlton

Allan Johnston, 1928, 2 games, Fitzroy

Gilbert K Patrick, 1929, 3 games, Footscray

John 'Jack' Flanigan, 1930, 5 games, Hawthorn

Ray Wartman, 1932-'42, 125 games, Melbourne

Fred De Abel, 1934, 1 game, Hawthorn

Bob 'Bluestone' Flanigan, 1936-'45, 91 games, Essendon/Footscray

Alan 'Mick' Mullenger, 1939, 58 games, South Melbourne

Robert Mullenger, 1939, 6 games, South Melbourne

Frank Hill, 1940, 5 games, South Melbourne

Johnny Dalton, 1943, 2 games, Melbourne

Russel Hill, 1944-'47, 14 games, Essendon

Mac Hill, 1950, 2 games, Collingwood

Harry Lack, 1952, 3 games, Melbourne

Gary Holmes, 1960, 7 games, St Kilda

Barrie Beattie, 1964-'66, 4 games, Footscray