OFFSEASON OBSERVATIONS: JANUARY 10TH
Catch-up on the latest and biggest offseason news from across the Western Football Netball League.
TRIO OF CLUBS ADD FORMER AFL PLAYERS
Newport’s signing of three-time Richmond premiership player Bachar Houli might have been topped by their closest neighbours and 2025 opening round opponent Spotswood who have secured the signature of Lachie Hunter after the Western Bulldogs premiership player and best and fairest winner called time on his AFL career at the end of last season. Hunter played his junior football in the WFNL for Williamstown Juniors and now joins the Woodsmen following 199 AFL games (173 with Western Bulldogs and 26 with Melbourne). The 30-year-old will instantly be one of the league’s best midfielders after averaging just over 23 disposals per game across his 12 AFL seasons.
Prior to Spotswood’s big news Altona announced the signing of their own former AFL-listed player in Emerson Jeka. A Vikings junior the 198cm key position player is now set to play senior football for the club after spending the past five years with Hawthorn and most recently Geelong. For a team short on tall timber Jeka is a huge get for Travis Varcoe’s side with plenty of good football ahead of him at just 23 years of age. He’ll most likely be called upon to play a number of different roles for the Vikings who will be out to build on last year’s Elimination Final appearance.
Point Cook also recently announced their first major signing of the Saade Ghazi era with the Josh Carter (formerly Hill) returning to the WFNL from the Essendon District Football League. Carter spent five years with St Albans (the past two in the EDFL) following 173 games with the Western Bulldogs and West Coast. Fifteen appearances in 2024 was Carter’s highest games tally in several seasons with the swingman booting 37 goals including five in a semi-final victory over Hillside. With the Bulldogs only kicking more than seven majors on five occasions last year the addition of Carter addresses a key need at Saltwater Reserve.
FAMILIAR BIGMEN JOIN DRAGONS & DISTRICTS
The most notable offseason moves in Division 2 occurred prior to Christmas with Sunshine Heights signing the bigman duo of Harley Armstrong-Weston and Jackson Viola from TIV Division 1 premiers Hoppers Crossing. One of the competition’s leading ruckman over the past decade, Armstrong-Weston returns to the club where he played the majority of his junior football and made his senior debut. He arrives fresh off claiming a Division 1 premiership in which he was arguably the best player on the ground with 23 disposals, 53 hit-outs and a goal. He is joined at the Dragons by Hoppers Crossing teammate and close friend Viola after more than 150 appearances with the Warriors. Viola played the first 15 games of Hoppers Crossing’s 2024 campaign before an injury in Round 16 ruled him out for the remainder of the season including the club’s historic Grand Final victory. His signature adds plenty of experience and leadership at Ainsworth Reserve having been a senior captain, senior best and fairest winner and Division 1 Team of the Year member with the Warriors.
Werribee Districts has also seen a familiar face make his way back to Soldiers Reserve with hulking forward Daniel Nielson returning to last year’s runner-up after two seasons with Vermont in the Eastern Football Netball League. Nielson, who spent four years on Noth Melbourne’s AFL list and a further three seasons at Werribee in the VFL, was the leading goal kicker for Districts in 2022 before rejoining his junior club. His two seasons at Vermont culminated in 40 goals last year while also featuring in the Team of the Year squad. A fan favourite during his first stint in the WFNL, Nielson adds more firepower to Werribee Districts who have been the highest scoring team in each of the past two seasons.
Emerson Jeka and Harley Armstrong-Weston in their new colours
MORE SENIOR WOMEN’S MENTORS NAMED
Three St Vincent’s Private Hospital Senior Women’s teams with coaching vacancies have now confirmed their 2025 mentors doing so in the final weeks of 2024. Most recently Laverton announced Brendan Smith would lead its women’s side this season, assuming the role in place of the outgoing Glen Murrell. Smith has coached and umpired women’s football in the past, previously within the WFNL as well as the VAFA and Geelong. He takes over a team that won two games in 2024 with both of those victories coming against wooden spooners North Sunshine.
Braybrook who are targeting a return to the women’s competition after not fielding a side in 2024 have appointed senior footballer Harley Cameron as their new coach. As well as playing for the Brookers last year Cameron was an assistant coach in the Essendon District Football League with Keilor Park who re-established their women’s program and played finals in their comeback campaign. Cameron will now be hoping for similar success in his first year as a head coach.
Another club planning a return to the field after a one-year hiatus is Point Cook Centrals who have entrusted Wayne Davis with mentoring both its Senior Women’s and Under 18 Women’s teams in 2025. Davis coached the club’s U18 women the past two seasons and will have plenty on his plate with the big task of rebuilding the senior women’s program. He will be supported in the role by AFLW players Laura Elliot (Hawthorn) and Mia Van Dyke (Essendon). Elliott played junior football for the Sharks and later Under 18s with Werribee Districts before being drafted to the Hawks with Pick 26 in 2022.