OFFSEASON OBSERVATIONS: OCTOBER 25TH
Catch-up on the latest and biggest offseason news from across the Western Football Netball League.
PROMOTED CLUBS & LAKERS MAKE KEY SIGNINGS
Albion has announced its first signings ahead of its return to the TIV Division 1 Men’s competition headlined by Judd Brewster who has played the past six seasons in the Essendon and District Premier Division, the past two years with Greenvale and Glenroy before that, with the forward-mid kicking more than 100 goals in that span. The Cats have also welcomed versatile tall Maysen Murgov from North Central league club Wycheproof Narraport. Capable of playing at either end of the ground, Murgov also started his senior football career at EDFL Premier club Avondale Heights.
Newport has further strengthened its list with the return of Nayef Hamad from Premier Division EDFL club East Keilor. Hamad who previously played 20 VFL games for Foostcray was a standout for the Cougars this year being named in their best players in 14 of the 17 games he lined up in. The Panthers have also added Darcy Cassar from EDFL powerhouse Keilor. The 23-year-old midfielder played VFL football with Footscray as well as Werribee in 2022 and 2023 before winning back-to-back premierships with Keilor. Their latest addition is Muhammad Saad who kicked 45 goals for West Coburg and finished runner-up in the best and fairest for the EDFL Division 1 outfit. Saad also brings higher level experience having played half a dozen VFL games for Coburg in 2019 following a stint with Gold Coast in the NEAFL in 2017.
Meanwhile, Caroline Springs have had a busy offseason to date signing multiple players from EDFL Premier club East Keilor. Among them is the accomplished Ben Caluzzi who has VFL experience with Carlton, along with talented forward Malik Elfakahani. The pair are joined by several Cougars teammates and former Lakers returning to the club in the Frank Campisi, Carlo Riccardi and Cooper Bond. Campisi spent the past three season with at East Keilor while Riccardi and Bond where a part of the Cougars for the previous two campaigns. On top of that the Lakers have added the signature of VFL-listed played Ethan Mantas who appeared in all 18 games for the Northern Bullants this season and was named the club’s Best Player Under 22.
CHANGING COLOURS FOR 2025
Player movement in ramping up across the league with news of several players who are set to line up for new clubs next year. The most notable switch so far is Lukmain Haddara who has joined new TIV Division 1 side Newport from Point Cook Centrals. The classy 21-year-old starred for the Sharks over the past two campaigns and played three times with Richmond’s VFL side this past season. Haddara is currently committed to be with the Panthers fulltime in 2025.
After 49 senior games across the past three seasons for Yarraville Seddon, Oscar Gordon is returning to Caroline Springs where he played his junior football. The lightly built youngster played mostly in defence for the Eagles and is a good decision maker with excellent skills.
Meanwhile, Wyndhamvale has secured forward Lewis Stanton from Yarraville Seddon. Stanton made a strong start to 2024 after joining the Eagles from Shepparton United in the strong Goulburn Valley Football League. He kicked 14 goals through the first four rounds of the TIV Division 1 season, however after a concussion in Round 5 he failed to rediscovery his early season form and then played a key role in Yarraville Seddon’s Reserves premiership triumph.
NEW SENIOR WOMEN’S COACHES APPOINTED
Two St Vincent’s Private Hospital Werribee Senior Women’s teams have confirmed new coaches for next season with North Sunshine and Wyndhamvale appointing new mentors. Following a very brief hiatus, Craig Prior will be back at the helm of Wyndhamvale’s Senior Women’s side next season. With extensive coaching experience at almost every age level, Prior has been a big supporter of women’s footy and has overseen the development of the Falcons’ entire women’s program in recent years.
North Sunshine has hired Jeremy Hibbert as its new Senior Women’s coach. Hibbert has coaching experience with senior and reserves men as well as junior football and is looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding the Roadrunners who haven’t won a game in two years.
Meanwhile, Caroline Springs who at this stage plan to field two senior women’s team 2025 have called upon former men’s player Gus Leon to be their reserves coach with Alex O’Shea remaining as the club’s senior women’s head coach. Leon has held different coaching positions with the Lakers in the past, most recently as coach of the club’s Under 18 Girls in 2018.
NETBALL ADDS NEW VENUE AND NEW CLUBS
There’s plenty happening in the netball space including a major change of venue with a move to the State Netball Centre locked in for 2025. Next year’s Belgravia Apparel Netball Competition will see games played at the State Netball Centre in Parkville and Footscray’s Whitten Oval Sports Stadium. A number of new clubs are also set to join the competition with Altona, Hoppers Crossing and Werribee Districts all expected to enter netball teams for the first time, while the Hobsons Bay Netball Club has been accepted as a new member. Additionally, Albion is eyeing a return to the court after not fielding any teams this past season.