WFNL SET FOR SFNL INTERLEAGUE CLASH
Interleague returns for the Western Football Netball League this weekend with our footballers converging on Avalon Airport Oval in Werribee and our netballers to nearby Eagle Stadium to face the Southern Football Netball League in pursuit of some representative silverware.
The WFNL last played Senior Interleague in 2019, taking on the Goulburn Valley Football Netball League in senior football at the same venue as this year’s clash, where they went down by 41 points.
This time round the WFNL will field four representative teams; Under 19 Men’s and Senior Men’s football and its first ever Senior Women’s football and Senior Women’s netball sides.
This is the second time in history that the WFNL and SFNL will meet in senior football. The last time was back at IKON Park in 2014 where the Western team was too good for the Southern team to the tune of 36 points.
The current WFNL senior men’s team is headed up by current Parkside coach Chris Muratore whose passion is sure to inspire the group, alongside his assistants Ange Cristforo (Werribee Districts), Ali Hamad (Newport), Michael Licciardo and Tristan Kassis (both Parkside) and Nathan Moon (Altona).
On the field the likes of Albion brothers Darcy and Caleb McPherson will provide the grunt in midfield alongside the ball winning of Caroline Springs pair Ben Caluzzi and Max Tessari. Lakers veteran Keenan O’Shea and Daniel Strnak of Point Cook Centrals will provide quality and a wealth of experience with Altona’s Colby Redpath offering versatility.
The Southern side will have their work cut out for them with last season’s TIV Division 1 leading goal kicker in Parkside’s Tom Condon leading the charge up forward. He will be joined in attack by exciting Yarraville Seddon duo Lachlan Green and Will Kliszewski, with all three capable of high-flying marks and bags of goals.
Meanwhile, Point Cook’s Billy Kolyniuk will be one of the defensive generals with the ability to mix dangerous intercepting with attacking flair.
The Western women will have the services of current Caroline Springs coach Alex O’Shea who has led the Lakers to consecutive grand finals and top spot on the ladder after five rounds this season. Support comes in the form of Werribee Centrals and Point Cook Centrals mentors Jade De La Rue and Wayne Davis as well as Isabella Sychell of Caroline Springs.
The WFNL’s inaugural women’s team will be filled with stars including Akima Manoah of Caroline Springs who shared the league’s best and fairest last year. Her Lakers teammate Jacinta Kondis and mercurial Werribee Centrals goal kicker Larissa Renaut will combine up forward and look to wreak havoc on the Southern defence.
Also look out for sisters Mariah and Rachael Burton (Wyndhamvale), Ruby Cashmore (Yarraville Seddon) and young gun Emma Davis (Point Cook Centrals) who can all have an impact anywhere on the ground.
The Under 19 Men are fortunate to be overseen by the experienced Kirk Heberle with Daniel Neville (Albion) and Munir Elhouli (Newport) alongside him.
This team of rising stars is stacked with exciting talent with most already playing regular senior football and is set to be captained by Werribee Districts and Western Jets players Obie Miller and Spotswood’s Lachlan Heriot.
Leading the WFNL netballers is champion player Rebecca Hicks of Glen Orden who after an incredibly successful start to her coaching career will be hoping to leave an even bigger mark as interleague playing coach. Hicks will be supported by an elite panel of specialist coaches made up of Mon Poliko (Mid-Court), Rhiannon Reti (Defensive), Manawa Aranui (Shooting).
The league’s final squad is a combination of young and old and a mix of VNL-experienced athletes and club standouts, representing the very best of what the Belgravia Apparel Netball Competition has to offer.
With a strong balance of athleticism, versatility, and game smarts the WFNL will be out to showcase the depth of talent emerging from the west in what is expected to be a fast-paced, physical, and strategic battle against a skilled and established SFNL outfit.
WFNL vs SFNL – Saturday 17th May
Football – Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
Under 19s | Match time: 10:00am
Senior Women | Match time: 12:00pm
Senior Men | Match time: 2:00pm
Live Scores – VIEW HERE
Live Stream (football) – WATCH HERE
Radio Broadcast (from 11:50am) – LISTEN HERE
Netball – Eagle Stadium, Werribee
Senior Women | Match time: 1:30pm
All match day information can be found HERE