Ararat, Sea Lake-Nandaly, Wangaratta Rovers and South Warrnambool stick with flag-winning coaches
The 2025 country footy season is creeping closer. See how more major league reigning premiers are shaping up.
The 2025 country footy season is another week closer to starting.
Completing a two-part series by The Weekly Times on how the reigning premiers in the 12 biggest leagues in the state are shaping up, we look at those defending the flag in the Hampden, Murray, North Central, Sunraysia and Wimmera leagues.
SOUTH WARRNAMBOOL (Hampden)
What’s changed: Jay Rantall, who returned from a hamstring injury to play in the premiership win last year, is having another crack at VFL with Geelong.
Notable gain: Dual Nirranda premiership player Jackson Couch makes the step up to Hampden league ranks.
Couch has been a goalkicking force in the Warrnambool District league, with 80 goals the last two years.
Notable loss: A member of South’s back-to-back flag teams, Josh Saunders has joined Timboon, leaving a big hole in the premier’s midfield.
Biggest challenger: Koroit is getting the band back together. Former premiership stars, Sam Dobson, Frazer Robb, Blair McCutcheon and Lachie Rhook return, but the big inclusion will be key defender Ben Miller from the Geelong league.
CONGUPNA (Murray)
What’s changed: Nothing of note. Drought-breaking premiership coach Ben Bingham is staying on for another season with a highly successful summer of player retention.
Notable gain: Shepparton East ruckman Tom McCluskey has come on board to bolster a big-man department that already includes best-on-ground in the grand final, Sam Buxton.
Notable loss: Premiership player Joel Shannon, who played 16 matches last year, has joined Bellarine league club Barwon Heads.
Biggest challenger: Cobram. Has a new coach, Mark Meyland, and recruits include 194cm ruckman Will Irwin from the Darwin Buffalos. Tall forward Ben Ryan also returns and Tyron Baden will return from a knee reconstruction in first half of season.
SEA LAKE-NANDALY (North Central)
What’s changed: Sticking to a winning formula on the coaching front. Bryce Delmenico is fronting up again as the club attempts to win a third successive flag.
Notable gain:Oscar Brownless, a 2018 father-son pick by Geelong, joins Sea Lake-Nandaly and will play at least half the home and away season plus finals.
Notable loss: Will Simpson, who has played in the Tigers last two flags, has joined Swan Hill in the Central Murray league.
Biggest challenger:Calder United brings together two teams that missed finals last year, but retains players of the quality of Matt Wade and Steven Kennedy and adds Balranald star Kobe Lloyd will be hard to beat.
WANGARATTA ROVERS (Ovens & Murray)
What’s changed:A new points system has come into the O&M this season where team totals are allocated points on ladder positions the previous year.
As the reigning premiers, Rovers will drop from 40 to 36 after winning their first flag in three decades.
Notable gain: Nathan Cooper was one of the best key defenders in the VFL last year for premiers Werribee. This season he plays full-time for Rovers in a massive boost to their chances of going back-to-back.
Notable loss: In a move few saw coming, speedster Jack Gerrish is leaving the reigning premiers to play for Tungamah in the Picola District league. But the Rovers have headed off a potential return to Ocean Grove by grand final best-on-ground Ed Dayman.
Biggest challenger: There are question marks on some of the challenging brigade, notably runner-up Yarrawonga, and Wangaratta and Wodonga, which also played finals. Look out for major moves from Albury and Myrtleford.
MILDURA IMPERIALS (Sunraysia)
What’s changed: After rising from wooden spooners to premiers in 12 months, Imperials take a massive player points cut from 45 to 36.
Notable gain: The Noosa connection grows stronger with Jai Fitzpatrick joining Aaron Laskey and Ryley Buntain at the club.
Ryan Hards, a former best and fairest winner and premiership player, is also back from Donald.
Notable loss: Imperials biggest hits over summer have been the departure of premiership pair Will O’Donnell and Harry Prendergast.
Biggest challenger: Wentworth’s stocks have taken a dive with the serious injury to star forward Jarrod Brander.
Irymple will be thereabouts again. Maybe South Mildura can replicate what Imperials did last year and make a big charge from low on the ladder with the arrival of the Neagle brothers and Harrison Soragi from Balranald.
ARARAT (Wimmera)
What’s changed: No change at the top for the club chasing a third successive premiership with Tom Williamson and Tom Wills still the co-coaches of a team stacked with talented loyal locals.
Notable gain: Naish McRoberts was the best and fairest and leading goalkicker at Ararat Eagles last year and comes across to the Wimmera league in a further boost to the premier’s midfield.
Notable loss: The departure lounge has seen next to no action in an ominous sign to rivals.
Biggest challenger: Southern Mallee Giants. Watch for Bailey Morrish to add some grunt to the midfield after not playing at all last year.
Last played at Deer Park where he was a star.
PART ONE
MELTON (Ballarat)
What’s changed: Not much at the top. After leading Melton to the flag last year, Troy Scoble is staying in the role in 2025. Melton will take part in the inaugural Yarrawonga Gather Round next weekend.
Notable gain: Midfielder Ben McMahon returns from Diggers Rest where he has played since the Covid interrupted years of 2020-21. Jordyn Cotter missed the flag last year when he broke his ankle mid-season and will be back.
Notable loss: Ruckman Brett McIntyre will miss the first half of year to embark on the Kokoda Trail.
Biggest challenger: Darley
SANDHURST (Bendigo)
What’s changed: Superstar midfielder Lachlan Tardrew has joined Bryce Curnow as co-coach of the Dragons. Former co-coach Ash Connick has taken on the coaching job at Birchip-Watchem.
Notable gain: Key forward Tom Campbell, who booted 48 goals for Wedderburn in the North Central league, will play for the reigning premiers.
Notable loss: Star onballer Noah Walsh has joined VAFA club St Kevins, but recently suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Biggest challenger: Gisborne
NYAH-NYAH WEST UNITED (Central Murray)
What’s changed: The co-coach arrangements. Jason Murphy will be joined this season by Corey Daniels, who replaces Nick O’Neill, but he stays on as a player.
Notable gain: The Demons have secured versatile key position player Nash Richman, who has played for Walkerville in South Australia in recent seasons.
Notable loss: Key forward Brandyn Grenfell has departed and joined Colbinabbin after booting 89 goals in the club’s drought-breaking flag win.
Biggest challenger: Cohuna Kangas
LEOPOLD (Geelong)
What’s changed: Back-to-back flag coach and former Geelong star Garry Hocking has stepped down as coach and been replaced by Luke Kelly, who most recently was an assistant coach at Port Adelaide under Ken Hinkley.
Notable gain: Ruckman Tyler Watts has come from Geelong West, but has been included on Werribee’s VFL list.
Notable loss: High-flying key defender Tevin Nofi has joined Bellarine club Anglesea and Jake Pitt, who missed the flag due to injury, will play for Albury.
Biggest challenger: South Barwon
TRARALGON (Gippsland)
What’s changed: Tristen Waack played most of last season for VFL team Northern Bullants, but returned for Traralgon’s successful flag assault. He will be full-time with the Maroons this year.
Notable gain: In a “now or never” move, veteran Churchill midfielder Chris Williams is having a crack at major league action with the Maroons.
Notable loss: Ruckman Max Jacobsen played a starring role in the upset grand final win against Leongatha, but will play for Morwell East this year.
Biggest challenger: Leongatha
ECHUCA (Goulburn Valley)
What’s changed: Andrew Walker has stepped aside as co-coach after leading the Murray Bombers to the last three flags with Simon Maddox, who is staying on and will be joined by Leo Tenace.
Notable gain: No marquee signings, but plenty of talent rising through the ranks who will be given a taste of senior footy along with Moama pair Lachlan Hogan and Mitchell Bell.
Notable loss: After a top-five finish in Carlton’s VFL best and fairest last year, Logan Prout is setting himself for an even bigger season for the Blues and will align with a suburban club rather than travel back to Echuca. Young key forward Hugh Byrne is also on North Melbourne’s VFL list, but still expected to play for Echuca.
Biggest challenger: Kyabram
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