ROAD TO 2020

Planning for the 2020 season has begun, with clubs across the west already preparing for the 2020 season.

Clubs have begun announcing new players and coaches for the new year and the WRFL has it all covered.

Tuesday, February 18

Two former VFL players are set to join Altona in 2020.

North Shore Eagles star Mitchell Van Den Berg and Redan Lions’ Chris Giampaolo will play for the Vikings in TIV Division 1.

Van Den Berg spent two seasons captaining North Shore, winning back-to-back Best and Fairest awards. He has also played with Werribee FC.

Giampaolo is a four time Ballarat Football League representative and played five seasons with North Ballarat in the VFL.

Wednesday, February 12

Former Deer Park premiership player Brendan Fevola is set to re-join the Lions in 2020.

Thursday, February 6

2019 Morrish Medal winner Lucas Rocci will return to his original junior club, Werribee Districts, this season.

The Western Jets star polled 17-votes to claim the NAB League Best and Fairest award last year.

Wednesday, February 5

Albion’s Josh Bench and Glen Orden premiership captain Michael Giles are set to join Altona in 2020, after the talented duo lodged transfers to the Vikings this afternoon.

Bench has played with Albion for his entire footy career, represented the WRFL in Senior Interleague and Vic Metro, plus he has also had stints with Williamstown VFL.

Giles played in Glen Orden’s 2019 Division 3 Senior premiership last season.

Tuesday, November 26

Sunshine has announced former Geelong rookie Jock Cornell will join their club in 2020.

Cornell has been playing with Maribyrnong Park in the EDFL for the past few seasons after spending 2016 with Geelong.

A member of both the GWS Giants academy and the NAB AFL academy, Sunshine is hoping the versatile player can make an impact at Kinder Smith Reserve next year.

Wednesday, November 20

Nick Buykx will return to Point Cook in 2020, with the Bulldogs unveiling the talented player in red, white and blue last night.

Buykx has been playing with Werribee Districts for the past few seasons, but will return to his junior club next season.

He has played for Williamstown and Werribee VFL in the past two seasons and has also represented the WRFL in Senior Interleague.

Buykx will also coach the Under 14 Girls team after coaching their Under 12 Girls team in 2019.

Hoppers Crossing announced Hayden Walters will join their club in 2020.

A strong-bodied midfielder, Walters was recruited to Williamstown in 2018, but after rupturing his ACL with Grovedale sat out the season.

Spotswood premiership hero Kayla Koropeckyj will be a Hoppers Crossing player in 2020, after requesting a transfer today.

The talented footballer will join her father Mick at the Warriors. Mick was appointed coach of their inaugural Senior Women’s team.

Kayla played in the Wolves’ Victoria University Polytechnic Senior Women’s Premiership team this year, playing a key role in the dying stages of the thrilling match.

She was also involved with Williamstown’s VFL program this year.

2016 Division 2 Senior Best and Fairest winner Kieran Murphy has put in a transfer to Braybrook for the 2020 season.

Murphy has been playing with North Footscray in Division 2 for the past six seasons and was a key member of their 2017 Premiership victory.

Murphy will also be joined by Jack Vorano at Braybrook. Vorano played in the WRFL’s Under 18 Interleague team earlier this year. The talented young gun was also a part of the Devils’ premiership team two years ago.

Three-time premiership player from Irymple, Thomas Brownbridge, will join Caroline Springs in 2020. Riley Anderson from the same club will also join the Lakers.

Jy Lambley will also return to Caroline Springs after a year spent at Wyndhamvale.

Trent Williams, Jordan Brereton, Tim Knight, Chris Stewart, Spiros Amarantidis and Scott Greenhough have all re-signed with Deer Park.

North Footscray have unveiled Adam Bullivant as one of their new recruits for 2020.

Bullivant comes to the Devils from the Yackandandah Football Club.

Alex Maloney also joins the club from the Wallan Football Club.

Chris Lear, Mikka Hart, Mitchell Jerkovic, John Cowell, John Tomelty, Jarrod Vella, Adam Scarpino, Michael Ryan, Paul Tomelty and Josh Foster have all signed on to play with the Wyndham Suns.

Tuesday, November 19

Jarryd Scotland and Josh Harris have signed on to play with Wyndhamvale in 2020.

For the past two seasons, Scotland has been playing with the Thornton Football Club, winning their club Best and Fairest in 2018.

Prior to that he played with Tarneit and Hoppers Crossing.

Harris, who played with Werribee Districts in RAMS Division 1 this season, will be playing with the Falcons in Division 2.

Point Cook unveiled Elliott Wood as their newest recruit. Wood joins Point Cook from Spotswood, where he played in a number of Grand Finals, including their 2011 Premiership victory.

Former Williamstown VFL listed player Ben Deller will join Spotswood in 2020.

After achieving premiership success this year with Williamstown CYMS, the talented footballer is set to play with the Woodsman in the WRFL next season.

Captain David Iaccarino and plenty of his teammates from this season have all signed on to play next season.

Brydan Hodgson, Steven O’Bryan, Dylan Callard, Mitch Coleman, Grant Williams, James Beilby, James Hinds, Josh Norton, Nick Ryan, Darcy Wilson, Brandon Walshe, Keelan Crimmins, Jordan Dimkovski, Ciaran Lynch, Charlie Nastasi, Zach Del Grosso, Matson Lynch, Baxter Norton, Harley Walshe, Sam Davis and Jason Marks are all pulling on the Spotswood jumper for another year.

Ben McManus, a 21-year-old midfielder from Keilor, will call Kings Park Reserve home in 2020.

He joins a host of players from St Albans who have re-committed to the club.

Barry Priest medal winner David Kovacevic, WRFL Senior Interleague player Jarrod Tuppen, Brodie Saliba, Thomas Stewart, Mason Mitoiu, Jayden Trowsdale, Zac Jimenez and Jack Sims will play for the Sains in 2020.

Lachlan Huell, Andrejs Everitt, Ole Angerstein, Lewis Parsons, Daniel Bolkas, Lachlan Busk, Liam Murray, Blake Green, Jordan Robinson, Jesse Varsamakis and Brandon Lester have all signed on to play with the Yarraville Seddon Eagles in 2020.

Karli Mann, Dacia Abela, Deb Jecks, Melanie Thompson, Chloe Lazzaro, Caitlin Maher and Kristelle Vanderwolf have also re-committed to the Eagles.

Clubs across the west are making a star to pre-season. See below all the clubs who hit the track last night:

Friday, November 15

Point Cook Centrals player Michael Szulc has made the move to neighboring club Point Cook, with the young star requesting a transfer today.

Szulc was named in the Division 2 Team of the Year this season and was a part of the Sharks’ Division 3 Senior premiership in 2018.

Matthew Cross will play for Point Cook in RAMS Division 1 next season. The club unveiled the former Altona player in Bulldogs colours.

For the past two seasons he has been playing with Port Melbourne Colts in the Southern Football League.

In Netball news, Lina Iuta has joined Point Cook’s Netball Coaching/Leadership group. Iuta has an extensive background in Netball, having won five premierships with Werribee Centrals in the GDFL Netball Association.

Henry Turner Medallist Marc Yates leads a long list of players who have re-committed to play with Glen Orden in 2020.

Hayden Koutsogiannis, Ethan Gibson, Callum Girvin, Lachlan Furniss, Henoch Kebede, Sam Crea, Brandon Reid, Jack Burgess, Ashley Burke, Mitchell Post, Aaron Law, Jhosh Dean, Soni Rainbow, Dylan Digenova, Corey Mackey, Daniel Rosenzweig will all play in the brown and gold next season.

Newport captain Munir El Houli was again lead the club next season. He joins a host of players from Newport who have re-committed to the club.

Rob Harb, Musty Mesto, Mitchell Taleb, Belal Mesto, Rhys Mutch, Hamza Abdo, Adam Kaddour, Ahmed Alkantar, Abdul El Kurdi and Youssef El Hawli will all play on in 2020.

Tuesday, November 12

The Wyndham Suns began pre-season last night, with 50 players on the track.

As part of their first training session, the club also announced several key re-signings as they begin their road to 2020.

Dean Cachia will continue as coach of the Senior side. It will be his second season in charge. He will be assisted by Kaine Williams and Rhys Bucktin.

Haidyn Boothey will return to the Suns next season after a one-year stint with Deer Park. Aaron Borg will also pull on the Suns guernsey after a 12-month break from the game.

Michael Jubb, Brandon Donald and Joely Patty, who joined the Suns midway through the season after switching from Manor Lakes have also re-signed.

Josh Foster has also committed to the club for another season.

Hoppers Crossing’s Senior Women’s team also began pre-season training last night. The club is aiming to field a team for the first-time next year. Click the link below to follow their progress on their Facebook page.

Under 18 Division 1 Premiership captain Riley Fischer has signed on to play with Hoppers Crossing for another season.

Jordan Cook, Ryan Kitchen, and Braden Ferrari, who was recently announced in the WRFL Team of the Decade, have also put to pen to paper and signed on with the Warriors for 2020.

Sunshine Heights held a training session for their inaugural Senior Women’s team earlier this month.

If you are interested in playing with the Dragons next season, please contact Derek on 0411 737 116.

Their Senior Men’s team have also been bolstered with the re-signings of several key players from this year.

Junior, Leo and Patrick Eliepa have all committed to the Dragons as has James Vella, Roger Cini, David McKinley, Stevie Walters-Kepada, Matthew Serafin and Justin Zahra.

Keelan Privitera also returns to the club after playing with Parkside.

Monday, November 11

Will Young will play for Caroline Springs in 2020. The former Adelaide player, has been playing with North Ballarat for the past three seasons.

He has kicked 111 goals in the past three seasons and represented Ballarat in Interleague in 2017.

Braybrook have announced Vinnie Turcinovich as their coach for 2020 after Rob Scardamaglia resigned from the position due to unforeseen circumstances.

Turcinovich coached the Eagles to the Division 2 Senior Premiership this year and was named the AFL Victoria WRFL Senior Coach of the Year.

“Vin is enthusiastic, motivated and already working hard at Braybrook,” the announcement stated.

“Meetings with coaches to discuss plans for season 2020 have already commenced and it’s onward and upward from here!”

Friday, October 25

The Yarraville Seddon Eagles have announced Chris Atkins as their new Senior Coach.

Atkins, who after three years with the Sunshine Football Club, will make the move to the Eagles in 2020, taking over from premiership winning coach Vinnie Turcinovich.

Atkins has been a playing assistant coach with Sunshine, having played in their Division 1 Grand Final loss to Deer Park in 2017.

Prior to that, he played with Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley Football League, winning three Best and Fairest awards.

“Chris comes with a teaching background, and we believe this approach, along with his energy & preparation, makes him the right man to take the club into 2020 and beyond,” the post stated. 

Thursday, October 24

Point Cook have announced two new players will join them in 2020 – Jordan Allen and Alex Johnston.

Allen and Johnston have both previously been involved with the WRFL in previous years, but will return next season in the red, white and blue.

Allen has been playing with Port Melbourne Colts in the SFNL for the past two seasons.

Johnston has been involved in GWS’s Development squad and has played in the Giants’ NEAFL side. He then moved to Melbourne and played with Werribee’s VFL team as well as Werribee Districts.

For the past two seasons, the key position player, has played at Seymour.

Wednesday, October 23

Braybrook has announced Rob Scardamaglia will be their new Senior Coach in 2020.

Scardamaglia has held senior coaching roles at Hillside and Albanvale and has been an assistant coach at Darley and Braybrook.

“Barb moved away from senior coaching some time ago to focus his efforts on junior football development,” Braybrook’s Facebook post stated. “This year Barb coached the Bacchus Marsh under 12s to a Premiership and has taken on a role with a junior football academy.”

Friday, October 18

Former West Coast premiership player Sam Butler is set to coach St Albans in 2020.

The club announced his appointment last night.

“Sam brings a career of footy smarts and skills to our club…he is well respected among the playing group, members and supporters,” the post stated.

“Sam is looking forward to the exciting challenges in season 2020 alongside a passionate group of players.”

Butler played 166-games with West Coast, playing in three Grand Finals. He claimed the ultimate success in 2006, before retiring at the end of 2017.

He currently works for the Eagles as part of their Commercial Operations team based in Melbourne.

Butler is St Albans’ fourth coach in four years.

Thursday, October 17

North Footscray has announced the re-signings of Corey Edwards, Caiden Vorano, Tyron Bennett and Matt Smith.

Sam Kater will also make his return to the club after being away for two seasons.

Kater was a part of their 2017 Division 2 Senior Premiership team.

Damien Zanic will lead the Senior team in 2020. He was appointed coach of the team in August.

Peter Lazzaro has been re-appointed as Senior Women’s coach of the Yarraville Seddon Eagles.

He coached the team this year in their inaugural season, with the team finishing in seventh place on the Victoria University Polytechnic Senior Women’s ladder after scoring seven wins and seven losses.

Wednesday, October 16

Two WRFL junior stars have been selected in the 2020 Vic Metro NAB AFL Academy.

Caroline Springs young gun Cody Raak and Yarraville Seddon Eagles star Eddie Ford have both been picked in the 30-man squad.

Players selected in the hub will form the basis of next year’s Vic Metro squad for the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships.

Manor Lakes have appointed Mark De Girolamo as it’s Senior Women’s coach for 2020.

He takes over from Nathan Smithwick, who coached the team for several seasons.

“Mark comes to us with an impressive playing and coaching background in local football and has all the attributes to challenge and improve our current list to greater heights,” the Manor Lakes announcement said.

Spotswood premiership coach Theo Theodorou will continue to lead the Senior Women’s team in 2020. It is the third season he will be in charge.

Anthony Eames will also continue as Senior Men’s coach.

Tuesday, October 15

Altona have announced Corey McCall as their new Senior Men’s coach for 2020.

McCall will take over from Saade Ghazi, who has coached the Vikings for the past four seasons.

He comes to the club after being a Senior Assistant Coach at NFNL Division 1 Premiership team West Preston. He has also previously been an Academy Coach with the North Melbourne Next Generation Academy.

The Vikings have also re-signed several players for 2020, including former Barry Priest medallist Steve Kennedy.

Jayden Post and Jordan Robbins will also be putting on the Altona jumper next season.

One who isn’t is full forward Patrick Rose, who has signed on to play with Taylors Lakes in the EDFL for the next two seasons.

The club has also announced a Senior Women’s coach for 2020, with Altona set to field an inaugural Women’s team.

Altona have appointed Kerrie Clarke as coach.

Clarke has an extensive footy career, having played AFLW and VFLW with the Western Bulldogs.

“Kerrie has a strong passion for developing individuals and providing a pathway for women’s football from within and will be a part of our Junior Pathway program to ensure aspiring young Altona people have a place to excel in their prospers to be AFLW footballers,” the club’s statement said.

If you would like to play Senior Women’s footy with the Vikings, please send an email with your details to info@altonafc.com.au

Albion has announced James Doherty as their senior coach for 2020.

“James is someone who fits the mould that the players were chasing. A coach with a game plan that can be followed and training which is relevant to that plan,” the Albion FC announcement said.

“James will energise the playing group with his professionalism and engage players with his structure.”

The Cats have also been on a recruiting spree, signing Samuel Reve, who played with the Northern Bombers and Tamara Cats, Ibby Mesto from Newport, Nathan Doherty and Corbin Meehan, a 180cm speedster to join their midfield.

Daniel Neville also comes to the Cats as a playing assistant coach. He is a premiership player with North Footscray and captained the club this season.

Cooper Muir, Jason Butina, Cody Bench, Pat Savage, Connor McPherson, Jake Day, Jamie Day, Kriddy Tomazos, Jayden Hoskin-Elliot, Bailey Hobbs, Mitchell Green and Joel Bettin have also all re-signed for 2020.

Kane Plasztan, David Kwiatkowski and Nathan Doherty will also pull on the Albion jumper next season.

Monday, October 14

Deer Park have re-appointed Marc Bullen as senior coach for 2020.

“It’s a great re-appointment for the club and we are very excited to have Marc, wife Monique and kids on-board for season 2020 and look forward to having continued success as a club,” the Deer Park statement said.

The club has also announced captain Jack Purton-Smith is staying on for another season.

“Jack is magnificent player that possesses blazing speed, poise and game control and is very excited to staying with the Deer Park Football Club,” the statement said.

Point Cook has appointed Brett Jacobs as senior coach for 2020, taking over from Ian Denny.

Jacobs has been the club’s senior assistant coach for the past two seasons and before that has coached the Sunshine Football Club and coached the WRFL Senior Interleague team.

North Sunshine has appointed Angelo Messina as their new Senior Men’s coach.

Messina began coaching in 2008 and has progressed over the past 10 years.

The club said he was an impressive candidate and brought a lot to the table.

“We undertook an open search for the next best up and coming developing football coach within the western suburbs, we received a strong mix of applications all of whom presented good credentials and were highly qualified. However, Ange’s credentials and presentation stood out with his genuine football knowledge,” the club said.

“We have a large challenge ahead, so we are very happy with selecting Ange as the North Sunshine Football Club 2020 Senior Head Coach and looking forward to being competitive on the field in the up and coming 2020 season.”

Hoppers Crossing has announced former Western Bulldogs and Sydney player Patrick Veszpremi will join the Warriors in 2020.

The talented footballer played five games with Port Melbourne in the VFL this year and has had stints playing with Pascoe Vale and Essendon Doutta Stars Football Clubs.

He was originally taken with the 11^th selection in the 2007 AFL Draft, playing 23 games across six seasons.

Friday, October 11

West Footscray have landed talented brothers Brian and Nick Graham for next season.

The talented duo has been playing for the Darley Football Club in the Ballarat Football League, but will make the move to the west in 2020.

Nick spent six years at Carlton, playing 48 games at the top level, before finishing at the end of 2018. He played one season at Darley.

Nick will share the reins as coach with Shane Lucas, while Brian will be an assistant coach.

Brian isn’t a stranger to the WRFL, having played with Wyndhamvale in 2016.

In the three seasons he has played with Darley, has claimed a club best and fairest, represented Ballarat in Interleague and was named in the Team of the Year three times.