Western Rams out to end local footy’s longest losing streak in 2023

The Western Rams are riding a 52-game losing streak but the club hopes some inspiration from an AFL great can turn its fortunes around.

Round 6: Collingwood v Essendon Dane Swan goal third quarter. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Local footy’s longest active losing streak.

It doesn’t sit well with Riddell District club Western Rams.

The club, formerly known as Rockbank, hasn’t sung the song since 2018, losing 52 games on the trot, but a new season brings renewed hope.

A new coach, Leigh Sporle, and several new recruits, including a former AFL club academy and VFL-listed midfielder, has the club dreaming of a long-awaited four points.

And the excitement levels have gone through the roof with Brownlow Medallist and Collingwood great Dane Swan to run out with the club for Round 1.

Swan and his new Rams teammates will launch the RDFNL season against Melton Centrals at Ian Cowie Reserve on Saturday.

The club hopes the Magpies hero, who grew up not too far away in Westmeadows, can sprinkle a little bit of magic and help inspire a win.

“We’re pretty excited, the boys are really excited to have Swanny come and join,” Rams president Helena Gonebale said.

“It’s gee’d everyone up a little bit and inspired a little bit of hope and energy into the team, the Rams have obviously struggled over the years.

“We’ve got a ton of new players and with the likes of Swanny coming down it will lift everyone.

“We’ve got some great young talent coming down to play with us, that we think are VFL hopefuls and if he can get in their ear and give some inspiration and motivation, it will be fantastic.”

While Swan will only play one match, exciting young talent Fitzroy Greenwool has signed on for the entire 2023 season.

Greenwool, 22, is a graduate of the Gold Coast Suns Academy and was on Sandringham’s VFL list last season.

New Western Rams coach Leigh Sporle. Picture: Hamish Blair

He’s a recruit that wouldn’t have been possible in previous years but he has followed Sporle across from Sunbury Kangaroos.

Outer East Division 2 league best-and-fairest Dean Galea and former Claremont WAFL-listed player Junior Shandley are two more quality additions.

Competitiveness is the first aim for a team that conceded an average 130 points per game last season and scored just 20.

Sporle’s arrival in the off-season has given the club a “new energy”, which has flowed into the pre-season, according to Gonebale.

“There’s been quite a revamp at the Rams in terms of leadership, new trainers, new coaches and lots of real positivity,” she said.

“There were a couple of players that were considering moving on before Leroy came across and they knew his work previously so they decided to stick around.

“So not only has he brought talent in but helped maintain our playing list as well.

“We’ve had back-to-back wins in our practice matches, which has certainly boosted the confidence of our players.”

While the Rams have struggled on the football field, the netball club is going from strength to strength.

The club won the under-19 premiership last season with a 28-goal win over Macedon, while the C-Grade team made the grand final.

Elisa Butterworth-Gonebale was named the RDFNL Netball Rising Star and won the under-19 league best-and-fairest, while Percilla Hetaraka-Kelly won the C-Grade league medal.

Western Rams hope last season’s success can flow into 2023 with the A- and B-Grade teams.

Rockbank, positioned between Melbourne’s outer western suburbs and the growing satellite suburb of Melton, the region is more of the city’s most diverse.

And that is reflected in Western Rams. A source of pride for Gonebale.

“I think we’d be the most culturally diverse club in the league, I think that’s fair to say,” she said.

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“Across football and netball we’ve got a number indigenous players and a number of other cultures as well.

“We’re really excited to see what that brings to the space and the energy it brings to the club and we’ll be looking to further support that this season with a number of initiatives, which we’re looking forward to.”

Western Rams and Melton Centrals kick off the Riddell District season at Ian Cowie Reserve on Saturday, April 1.

Woodend-Hesket and Riddell then play a standalone Good Friday fixture on Friday, April 7 before the season kicks off in earnest on April 15.