2025 SENIOR INTERLEAGUE COACHES NAMED
The Western Football Netball League is delighted to reveal the four coaches set to lead its Senior Interleague teams against the Southern Football Netball League in May.
Chris Muratore (senior men’s football), Alex O’Shea (senior women’s football), Kirk Heberle (U19 men’s football) and Rebecca Hicks (senior women’s netball) will head up the WFNL’s representative squads in 2025 after the league recently completed its coaching search.
It will be the first time the WFNL has had senior interleague since 2019 when it faced the Goulburn Valley in senior football, while the league last faced the SFNL in senior football in 2014 with the WFNL victorious by 36 points.
The WFNL is looking to host the match-up on Saturday 17th May with football and netball venues to both be confirmed in the New Year.
“We are excited to bring back our Senior Interleague in 2025 to showcase the best football and netball talent in the west and display the strength of our competitions,” WFNL CEO David Jennings said.
“Being a part of a representative program is a tremendous honour for players and coaches and is one of the most rewarding experiences in sport.
“The program will be integral to strengthening our brand in metropolitan football and netball and will no doubt create a sense of pride within the WFNL when we take on Southern next year.
“We are delighted to have received the commitment from our highly respected and capable coaches which is a testament to how important Senior Interleague is to the league and the pathways in our region.”
Current Parkside coach Chris Muratore has a long association with the league and his extensive football resume includes winning multiple premierships with the Magpies as a player, captain and coach as well as being a league best and fairest winner and regular Team of the Year member.
Muratore is also currently the backline coach for Richmond’s VFL team and a development coach with the club’s AFLW program.
Senior women’s coach Alex O’Shea is the current senior women’s mentor at Caroline Springs and in her first two seasons at the helm led the Lakers to back-to-back grand final appearances.
On the field, O’Shea lined up in the first VFLW competition before starring with Caroline Springs claiming four club best and fairest awards and captaining the Lakers before finishing her playing career on a high as a member of their 2022 premiership winning team.
Kirk Heberle, a former premiership player with Point Cook is no stranger to the league’s interleague programs having coached U13, U14 and U15 junior age groups in recent years.
Heberle’s 300-plus game senior football career included a stint with WAFL club East Fremantle.
Rebecca Hicks needs little introduction having shinned on the court since the inception of netball in the WFNL in 2018.
After earning multiple accolades as a player with Point Cook Centrals, Hicks transitioned to coaching ahead of the 2024 season overseeing Glen Orden’s netball program where she immediately left her mark with the Hawks playing off in six grand finals, winning five. Hicks was a part of representative netball this year playing in the league’s Association Championships team.
WFNL General Manager – Operations, Luke Henry, said the league was thrilled to secure the services of four excellent coaches.
“Chris is an outstanding appointment with many strong connections with current coaches and players across the league. With his knowledge of the league as a player and coach as well as having represented the league previously we’re really excited for what he can provide for the senior men’s interleague program,” Henry said.
“Alex is a great advocate for the league and for the growth of women’s football. With 2025 being the first year of senior women’s interleague we’re thrilled to have Alex on board having been involved in an extremely successful women’s program at Caroline Springs as both a player and now as coach.
“Kirk has had plenty of experience playing and coaching at both senior and junior levels. He is passionate about the development of players through junior programs into senior programs and is really looking forward to working with the league’s best young talent.”
“Bec is excited for the challenge of coaching our interleague netball team alongside three specialist coaches. With the WFNL competition continuing to build year on year Bec is eager to prove a point against a league with a well-established competition and strong reputation on the netball court.”