A look at VAFA’s top tier competition ahead of the season: list changes, coaches comments and more
The VAFA Premier Men’s season is here with some big recruits, must-watch players and new-look teams like you’ve never seen before. See the ultimate club-by-club preview here.
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The VAFA Premier Men’s competition has seen St Kevin’s clinch three of the last four premierships.
Will they win the ultimate again in 2023 or will another team take charge.
Old Haileybury and University Blacks join the competition this season after earning promotion from Premier B.
The race for the top four seems wide open with several clubs tipped to be in the September action.
Who will it be? See the club-by-club preview to get an idea of how each team might fare.
CAULFIELD GRAMMARIANS
Last season: Seventh (5-0-13, 80.73)
Captain: Joseph McClelland
Ins: Matt Buntine (Casey Demons VFL), Hugh Sandilands (Port Melbourne VFL)
Outs: Will Barker, Angus Cameron, Chris Diggle, Sam Dorevitch, Rielly (retired), Ingo Dammersmith, Will Edwards, Keegan Stewart (retired), Isaac Morrisby (retired), Jared Risol, Georgio Varigiannis, Lachie Harris, Lachie Stephens, Jack Wallace, Dane Crognale (University Blues)
Coach’s comments: Guy McKenna
The Fields are set to unveil 15 debutants in their Round 1 encounter against Old Scotch at Glen Huntly Oval on Saturday. Eight of the first gamers are under-19 eligible players.
It will certainly be a new-look Caulfield side in 2023.
Guy McKenna said preparations for the season had been pretty good.
“We had a hit out against old Scotch a while back now and we had a few intra club games against ourselves,” he said.
“We got through them unscathed in regards to injury which has been good.”
McKenna also spoke about the look of his side and said they were working on a new style of football.
“We got a small core of really good leaders,” he said.
“Caulfield has had a rich history of producing good teams and good young players.
“There is an emergence of those young players that are ready to grab their opportunity in senior footy.
“I’m not scared by playing those eight young fellas because in all their cases they have earned their spot.”
Player to watch: Archie Loghman. A big tall forward with big hands and a big work rate.
Dylan Ting. A tall light wingman who is fearless, clean and has the ability to use both sides of his body.
COLLEGIANS
Last season: Second (13-0-5, 120.84%, preliminary final)
Captain: Sam Hibbins
Ins: Alex Lukic (Coburg VFL), Angus Perry (Wesley College), Will Putrus (Wesley College), Ben Woodful (Williamstown VFL)
Outs: Sam Sofronidis (travelling), Oliver Jackson (overseas), Hugh Johnson (Norwood)
Coach’s comments: Jared Rivers
“We got the core group of players again so clearly expectations are here now which I mentioned to the group during the week,” he said.
“We got to embrace that and have confidence that if we play anywhere near the footy we played in the second half of last year, we will win most games than not.
“That’s the mindset we’re having lead into this year mate.”
Rivers said more attacking play off half back was a focus this season.
Defence and cutting momentum pressure from opposition teams was also an area to improve on.
Player to watch: Benjamin Van Twest. A young half back who played some reserves last season. The 19-year-old sees the game really well and has damaging good ball.
Ben Howard. He played on the wing last season as well as a bit of midfield and forward. He had a great pre-season and looks set to step up and grow as a young player this campaign.
OLD BRIGHTON
Last season: Fourth (12-0-6, 115.38%, grand final)
Captain: Harry Hill
Ins: Campbell Tweedie (EFL), Ben Jarick (returning player), Hamish Dick (North Melbourne VFL)
Outs: Anthony Zimmerman (St Kilda SFNL)
Coach’s comments: Dan Donati
“We got no VFL players basically available this weekend,” he said.
“Obviously most of them played in the grand final last year.
“And one or two have gone away but look, at the same time, really happy with where the boys are at and how hard they have trained.
“We are going to be really young but with youth comes a lot of energy and a lot of spirit so I am excited to see what they can put out.”
Donati was tipping a closely contested VAFA premier campaign.
“To be honest, this is a really strong competition, I have got a lot of respect for it, it is always very even,” he said.
“I would like to think we are going to be competitive every week, I think we will be thereabouts every single week.
“That’s my expectation for the group.”
The club will have Harry Reynolds and Lochie Filipovic fit and firing this year after injury interrupted their campaigns last season.
Player to watch: Tom Burnell. A midfielder who knows how to win the footy. He starred in his Old Brighton’s under-19 side last year which made it to the grand final.
Cameron Hathway. A lively medium-sized forward who kicked a goal in everyone of his games in the under-19s last season. He finished the campaign with 41 goals from 20 games.
OLD HAILEYBURY
Last season: Third in Premier B (11-0-5, 176.60%, premiers)
Captain: James Paul
Ins: Sam Gilbert (Bonbeach), Max Sinclair (Sandringham), Corey Rich (Williamstown), Charlie Sinclair (Old Scotch), Luke Bailey (Haileybury College), Hugo Nosiara (Haileybury College), Harrison Jones (Haileybury College)
Outs: Jack Lonie (Seaford), Kye Turner (Melbourne AFL)
Coach’s comments: Daniel Ward
“We have had a great pre-season, we are pretty healthy,” he said.
“The test starts in round 1 against St Kevin’s, the premiers from last year, so looking forward to that and looking forward to the group raising their expectations of where they see themselves in the pecking order.”
Player to watch: Max Sievers. The winger and on-baller missed the finals series last season but had a fantastic campaign before leaving for overseas. He will be back this season and will be a handy addition to the Haileybury outfit.
OLD MELBURNIANS
Last season: Fifth (11-0-7, 105.31)
Captain: Jackson Paine
Ins: Jacob Thompson (Greenvale), Benjamin Harding (Claremont WAFL), Robbie Morrison (returning player), Dylan Clarke (Port Melbourne VFL)
Outs: Nick De Steiger (retired), Oscar Hoskingg, Alexander Armstrong, Thomas Paule, Fergus Borthwick (ACL)
Coach’s comments: Paul Satterley
“I think we will have a very different look to teams that have been put out the last few years given those retirements,” he said.
“There is an influx of a lot of young guys coming through in particular from the under-19s.
“So in round one alone, we will have six debutants for the club.
“We are a very different looking side to teams we have put on the park the last few years so with that comes an element of the unknown.
“But what we do know, we have had a really strong pre-season, we are fit.
“We fell off a bit in the latter stages last year... and we have addressed that over the break.”
Satterly said fitness and game style will give them the opportunity to execute their more aggressive game plan.
Player to watch: Edward Nichols. The midfielder-forward won the best first year player a couple of years ago and is on the rise. He is fit and firing and will be one to watch.
Edward Michelmore. He will move from defence to midfield after a great pre-season where fitness rose nicely.
Jacob Thompson. The new recruit for the OM’s is set to kick big bags of goals this season. He is a Darcy Fogarty type of player and also the nephew of former AFL coach Mark “Bomber” Thompson.
OLD SCOTCH
Last season: Sixth (8-0-10, 95.58%)
Captain: Andy Jelbart
Ins: Doug Lawrence, Charlie Cormack, Sam Grant, Rhys Galvin, Henry Brown, Darcy Fountain, Alex Noblet, Jordan Clarke, Mackenzie Allen, Max Tate, Luca Anderson
Outs: Lachlan Byrne-Jones, Alex Lukic, Jack Lipscombe
Coach: Mark Gnatt
Old Scotch could also see the following under-19 graduates in action: Rye Spark, Hamish Wild, Angus Jones, Hugo Boreham, James Braddy, Ryan Walsh.
OLD XAVERIANS
Last season: Third (12-0-6, 146.33%, semi-final)
Captain: Marcus Stavrou
Ins: Dan Hannebery (St Kilda), Sam Naismith (Port Melbourne VFL), Josh Green (GWS Academy), Billy Gowers (Southport Sharks)
Outs: Xavier Richards (Bansdale), Ben Banting (interstate)
Coach’s comments: James Byrne
“We are feeling good,” he said.
“We will obviously have some new players coming into the side, we have got a fair few debutants tomorrow.
“We got a really good young group coming through, we still got our top end talent which is good which will help guide that.
“We don’t know where we will sit until we start playing.
“It will definitely be a different look to what we had last year but we have had a really good preparation and we are just keen to start playing now.”
Byrne was complimentary of the hard work his players put in during pre-season.
Player to watch:
Brothers Hayden and Jordan Troiani come into the season with good pre-seasons. Both are set to play in the midfield this campaign.
Tommy McRae who plays with Casey in the VFL is set to be a handy player for Xavs when available.
Ed Niall and Tom Dunne will step up from the club’s under-19 premiership last year.
Ben Bilston-Mcgillen will miss the first game due to his debut with Richmond in the VFL but the forward could be a key player if he becomes available.
Skipper Marcus Stavrou was also another player to look out for.
ST KEVIN’S
Last season: First (15-0-3, 167.28%, premiers)
Captain: Sam Critchley
Ins: Mitch Wallis, Josh Wallis, Nick Singh (Williamstown VFL)
Outs: Connor Ross (overseas) Lachie Farrugia (overseas)
Coach’s comments: Anthony Lynch
“We have had a good summer,” Lynch said.
“The core senior group has stayed together which is awesome.
“It’s always good to add a few extras, both some experienced guys like Mitch and Josh but also some young guys.
“We will debut a couple of guys out of the school which is exciting.
“The group is hungry for more, the guys who missed out want to be involved and the guys that were involved want to go again.
“We couldn’t be any better prepared, we are ready for the season to start.”
Player to watch:
Harry Wardlaw. The forward-mid has pace, is fit and will be set for a big season after a strong preparation.
Luke Winter. Winter has developed strongly over the pre-season and is set to take his game to another other level again this campaign.
UNIVERSITY BLACKS
Last season: First in premier B (15-0-1, 212.67%)
Captain:
Ins: Oscar McDonald (Carlton), (Finn Raymond (Queensland),
Outs: Bede Mahon (retired), Matthew Dea (Mildura), Jordan Quaile (overseas)
Coach: Dale Bower
UNIVERSITY BLUES
Last season: Eighth (4-0-5, 95.90%)
Captain: Ayce Cordy
Ins: Tom Cutler (Essendon AFL), Dane Crognale (Caulfield)
Outs: Patrick Hays (retired), Kieran Harper (retired), Joe McCula (retired) Ben Capra (retired), James Carr (GFL), Jay Kennedy Harris (Old Camberwell)
Coach: Guy Martyn
Player to watch: Geordie LaCava. The youngster could have a breakout season with his kicking ability, speed and defensive prowess off half back.
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