Werribee has moved within percentage of the top eight after an emphatic win over Geelong at Avalon Airport Oval in Round 13.

After a tight opening term the Big W kicked away in the final 15 minutes of the first half to lead by 31 points at the main break. The margin remained 31 points after three quarters before Werribee finished with a six-goal final term to secure victory by 63 points. It was Werribee's first victory over Geelong since 2014.

Shaun Mannagh was instrumental in Werribee notching a fourth consecutive win with the dynamic forward receiving the Damian Drum Medal after a scintillating three-goal performance. Drum, a former captain of both Werribee and Geelong was also on-hand to present the award named in his honour.

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 3.5 7.9 10.12 16.16 (112)
Geelong: 3.0 3.2 6.5 7.7 (49)

GOALS
Werribee: M. Hanson 3, S. Manngh 3, O. Hanrahan 3, H. Garoni 2, T. Boyd 2, N. Hayes 2 S. Clohesy.
Geelong: E. Ratugolea 2, Z. Williams 2, L. Waddell, R. Abbott, F. Evans.

BEST
Werribee: S. Mannagh, M. Hanson, S. Conway, O.Hanrahan, T. Gribble, N. Hayes.
Geelong:

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a brilliant opening 30 minutes of footy with the momentum changing several times throughout the first quarter. Hudson Garoni got Werribee off to another good start kicking the first goal of the game eight minutes into the contest, but Geelong would soon take the lead with two quick goals. Werribee’s response was swift with Nick Hayes and Sam Clohesy adding back-to-back majors to give the Big W a nine-point lead at the 23-minute mark. The Cats hit back in the final five minutes courtesy of Ratugolea’s second with the difference five points at the first break.

It was Werribee who did nearly all the scoring in the second term as Matt Hanson, Tom Gribble and Ollie Hanrahan controlled the midfield battle. However, it took some time for the home team to register its dominance on the scoreboard having kicked 3.8 up to the 10-minute mark of the second quarter. Shaun Manngh was the one of the key architects in Werribee building an important halftime lead with the classy forward kicking the first goal of the of the term before becoming provider for Hanson. Mannagh picked out Hanson with three pinpoint passes in six minutes with the best and fairest winner having no problems nailing his three set shots.

The third quarter was another evenly matched period with both teams kicking 3.2. It took Werribee just over a minute to score its first goal with Mannagh again providing silver service inside 50, this time to Tom Boyd. Geelong replied with two majors in the space of a minute and would dominate much of the next 10 minutes, however Werribee was able to weather much of what the Cats threw at them with the defence led by Nick Coughlan and Lou Pinnuck stepping up. Hayes gave the Big W a steadying goal at the 20-minute mark with his second of the game, before Boyd got on the end of another Mannagh pass to provide a late response to Geelong’s third goal of the term.

Another Mannagh goal helped stretch Werribe’s advantage early in the last and then after a couple of missed opportunities from Geelong the hosts put the game beyond doubt kicking three straight majors through the middle part of the term. Mannagh and Hanrahan both capped off brilliant games by added their third majors either side of Geelong’s lone fourth quarter goal. Mannagh was named best afield receiving the Damian Drum Medal after having 23 disposals including 15 score involvements and 8 direct assists. Werribee finished the game +114 in disposals and +59 for uncontested marks. They also had twice as many inside 50s (66-33) and topped the tackle count.

KEY PLAYERS
Tom Gribble: 35 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 13 groundball-gets, 6 tackles, 9 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 6 score involvements.
Ollie Hanrahan: 28 disposals (18 kicks), 13 contested possessions, 5 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 3 clearances, 8 score involvements, 3 goals.
Matt Hanson: 23 disposals (16 kicks), 13 handball receives, 8 marks, 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 7 score involvements, 3 goals.
Shaun Mannagh: 21 disposals (17 kicks), 8 marks, 13 inside 50s, 15 score involvements, 8 assists, 3 goals.
Lou Pinnuck: 21 disposals (17 kicks), 9 marks (1 contested), 6 intercept possessions, 5 rebound 50s.
Matt Keast: 19 disposals (12 kicks), 7 marks, 2 tackles, 3 score involvements.
Nick Hayes: 18 disposals (14 kicks), 9 marks (3 contested), 5 tackles, 6 score involvements, 2 goals.
Charlie Ham: 18 disposals at 83% efficiency, 3 marks (1 contested), 2 tackles, 4 score involvements.
Sam Conway: 15 disposals, 9 clearances, 21 hit-outs, 3 inside 50s, 2 tackles.

VIEW MATCH GALLERY

NEXT MATCH
Round 14
Werribee vs Port Melbourne
Friday June 24, 7:05pm
ETU Stadium, Port Melbourne

Werribee has strengthened its key defensive stocks signing young backman Sam Witherden.  

Witherden is another who returned to the NAB League for his 19^th year in 2021 while also getting a taste of VFL football during the middle part of the season.  

After appearing in the opening three games for the Geelong Falcons, a knee injury kept Witherden out for eight weeks before he returned and made two appearances for the Sydney Swans as a top-up player.  

Witherden, who was also hindered by injury in 2019 with a six-month long hip issue, hopes to put those troubles behind him now and enjoy an injury free run with Werribee.

“Having missed a fair few games over the last couple of years I’m just looking for consistency with my game and body and see where I can take my footy in 2022,” he said. 

“I came down for the trial week and ever since have fallen in love with the place, the boys have made it feel like home.   

“Whenever we do our defensive craft, I’ve kind of clung on to Coops (Nathan Cooper) whether he likes it or not, and it’s been good to just bounce ideas of each other and it has made it a lot easier to kind of find my feet.”  

Werribee football manager Mark Micallef said there is plenty of potential in the 19-year-old Witherden.  

“Sam’s had an injury interrupted last few years, but we think his best football is all in front of him and we’re really excited to see what he can do at Werribee this season,” he said.  

“He’s the younger brother of West Coast Eagle Alex Witherden and has really impressed us so far. 

“He’s a great character, displays leadership and direction and provides a lot of energy for the whole playing group.”  

Werribee got its 2022 VFL season off to a winning start with a hard-fought victory under lights at Frankston on Saturday night in the inaugural clash for the SkyBus Cup.

The Big W trailed by as much as 11 points early in the second half but five straight goals from the 15-minute mark of the third quarter gave the visitors the ascendancy before claiming a 26-point victory at the final siren.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Werribee rolled out eight first gamers at SkyBus Stadium and it was one of those in Tom McCaffrey who opened Werribee’s scoring in 2022 with a goal six minutes into the contest after Frankston had controlled the early stages. Werribee settled into the match from there and dominated possession for the next eight minutes, but it was the home side, against the run of play, who would kick the game’s second. Three more Werribee behinds failed to see the visitors capitalise before former Hawthorn player Ollie Hanrahan finally gave Werribee some further reward late, when he snapped a classy goal with his back against the boundary.

The second quarter continued to see more highly contested football and after Frankston failed to make the most of three scoring opportunities Werribee’s first inside 50 resulted in a goal to Logan Wagener to give the Big W a 12-point buffer. The next seven minutes were scoreless before Frankston kicked its first of the term at the 18-minute mark. That was meet by a Werribee reply with Jack Henderson goaling four minutes later, but the home side maintained the upper hand around the footy and two goals in the final four minutes of the half saw the Dolphins enter the main break with a three-point advantage.  

In the third it was Frankston who started the stronger of the two sides, but they again failed to make the most of their attacking opportunities while Werribee’s first furore forward would result in Kye Declase converting a set shot following a calm and controlled build out of defence. Frankston won the next centre clearance and back-to-back goals would see the hosts with an 11-point lead 10 minutes in, but the momentum would soon swing back in Werribee’s favour. McCaffrey goaled twice in the space of a minute and with Josh Porter making his presence felt in the middle of the ground two more majors followed from Shaun Mannagh and Declase. Another Mannagh goal on the stroke of three-quarter time saw Werribee with 21-point lead going into the last.

The frantic pace and relentless pressure of the first three terms started to show when the fourth quarter got underway but despite the play opening up, scoring remained hard to come by. Two more of Werribee’s first gamers hit the scoreboard in the last with Sam Paea opening his account three minutes in before Reuben William goaled at the halfway mark. With Nathan Cooper remaining stout in defence and Tom Gribble and Henderson both finishing off strong nights in midfield Werribee was able to safely secure its first four points of the season.

FINAL SCORE

Werribee: 2.6 4.6 10.9 12.11 (83)
Frankston: 1.3 4.9 6.12 7.15 (57)

GOALS

Werribee: T. McCaffrey 3, K. Declase 2, S. Mannagh 2, O. Hanrahan, J. Henderson, L. Wagener, S. Paea, R. William.
Frankston: J. Stern 2, W. Walker 2, T. Mynott, R. Stoddart, W. Fordham

BEST

Werribee: N. Cooper, T. Gribble, S. Mannagh, K. Declase, J. Henderson, J. Porter
Frankston:

KEY PLAYERS

Tom Gribble : 34 disposals (23 kicks), 24 contested possessions, 9 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 6 tackles.
Jack Henderson: 24 disposals, 13 groundball gets, 7 clearances, 7 tackles, 2 score assists.
Kye Declase: 23 disposals (18 kicks), 7 marks, 5 rebound 50s, 4 inside 50s, 6 score involvements, 2 goals.
Shaun Mannagh: 23 disposals, 6 inside 50s, 5 clearances, 7 tackles, 7 score assists, 3 goals.
Ollie Hanrahan: 22 disposals. 4 clearances, 7 tackles, 6 score involvements, 1 goal.
Hudson Garoni:16 disposals, 8 marks (3 contested) 15 hit-outs, 6 tackles, 5 score involvements.
Marty Brennan: 15 disposals (11 contested), 4 clearances, 3 tackles, 2 score assists.  

View the Match Gallery HERE

Watch match replay HERE

NEXT MATCH

Werribee vs Southport
Saturday, April 9, 7.05pm
Avalon Airport Oval

What started out as a small collaboration in 2004 of providing pegs to hold down ground covers and brackets for fence signage has grown into Werribee Steel being a key supporter of the Werribee Football Club in 2023 as a Principal Sponsor. 

With over 50 years industry experience, Werribee Steel is a leading steal fabricator and supplier for builders statewide and locally seeking structural steelworks or a homeowner with a unique vision of bespoke steel designs. 

Like our players on the field, the skilled team at Werribee Steel is dedicated to bringing precision and finesse to every aspect of the fabrication process. 

Werribee Steel's Robert Cannizzaro said the company has always held the belief that supporting the community plays an active role in its growth, development, and overall well-being and that continuing to support organisations such as the Werribee Football Club brings great joy.  

“As a proud sponsor and supporter of the Werribee Football Club, the 2023 season has been an absolute thrill,” he said. 

“Watching the team play outstanding football against quality opposition has been nothing short of exhilarating and has filled us with immense pride and excitement. 

“It's been an incredible experience to contribute to the club as a Principal Sponsor and we look forward to cheering the team on as they continue to shine on the field.”  

Werribee Football Club CEO Mark Penaluna said it was fantastic to see the association with Werribee Steel reach 20 years. 

“Werribee Steel is just one of many club sponsors that is located in the heart of Werribee and is just a few minutes away from our home at Avalon Airport Oval,” he said.  

“We hope everyone at Werribee Steel has enjoyed the 2023 VFL season to date and we’re sure Robert and the team will be there to support us on the field over our upcoming finals campaign.” 

Find out more about Werribe Steel HERE

Image: Werribee Football Club CEO Mark Penaluna with Marco De Muri and Robert Cannizzaro of Werribee Steel.

A first home win of the season continues to allude Werribee with the Big W suffering a disappointing 70-point loss to Sydney at Avalon Airport Oval in Round 7.

Down by 62 points at halftime after kicking just two goals in the opening two terms of play, the home team matched it with the Swans thereafter.  In the second half Werribee held the visitors to just four goals while finishing the match with their best quarter of football.

The loss sees Werribee fall to 2-4 on the season while remaining winless at Avalon Airport Oval from three outings this season.

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 1.1 2.1 2.2 4.8 (32)
Sydney: 6.2 12.3 14.5 16.6 (102)

GOALS
Werribee: O. Hanrahan, M. Keast, S. Mannagh, S. Paea.
Sydney: J. Amartey 4, C. Sinclair 3, H. Morrison, J. Bell, T. Hickey, L. McAndrew, M Roberts, F. Rogers, L. Taylor, C. Warner, S. Wicks.

BEST
Werribee: S. Mannagh, T. Gribble, B. Malual, N. Cooper, O. Hanrahan, M. Sodomaco.
Sydney:

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the third week in a row Werribee was the first team to score but a single behind was all the Big W would register for the first 25 minutes of the match as Sydney took control of the game from the eight-minute mark, kicking six goals from eight scoring shots to open up a 31-point advantage. Young tall Sam Paea finally got Werribee on the board converting his first opportunity from a set shot but the quarter ended with Sydney’s sixth major of the game.

Werribee fell further behind early in the second as Sydney extended their lead with a pair of goals in opening seven minutes before first gamer Matt Keast provided a response for Werribee with his first goal at VFL level, with second gamer Lochie Smart also involved in the build-up. However, the Keast goal would be Werribee’s only score of the quarter with the margin 62 points at the main break after Sydney kicked four straight goals to finish the half.

Having struggled to get anything going in the first two quarters while overusing the football by hand Werribee changed its style of play in the third term and would enjoy more possession than Sydney. Kicking against a strong breeze the Big W didn't make the most of their forward 50 entries however, at the other end of the ground the defence stepped up with Nathan Cooper and Hudson Garoni - who had moved back to counter Sydney’s height – holding firm, the Swans would only add two goals.

Werribee again had an even share of possession in the last quarter and after missing a couple of early shots on goal finally got some reward on the scoreboard courtesy of an Ollie Hanrahan major before Shaun Mannagh added a second goal with five minutes to go. While the final margin was 70 points their were positives for Werribee in the second half which saw them only marginally outscored 4.3 to 2.7.

KEY PLAYERS
Tom Gribble: 30 disposals (21 contested possessions), 8 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 6 rebound 50s, 5 tackles.
Bior Malual: 23 disposals at 83% efficiency, 11 handball receives, 9 marks, 4 tackles.
Shaun Mannagh: 21 disposals, 10 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 rebound 50s, 1 goal.
Michael Sodomaco: 21 disposals (14 kicks), 14 handball receives, 3 inside 50s, 3 tackles.
Hudson Garoni: 17 disposals, 4 marks (2 contested), 8 intercept possessions, 3 rebound 50s, 3 clearances.
Ollie Hanrahan: 16 disposals, 10 handball receives, 3 clearances, 4 score involvements, 1 goal.
Nathan Cooper: 12 disposals, 10 intercept possessions, 4 tackles, 3 rebound 50s.

VIEW MATCH GALLERY


NEXT MATCH
Round 9
Werribee vs GWS
Sunday May 22, 10.05am
Giants Stadium, Sydney

Werribee suffered its sixth loss of the year in Round 17 going down at Box Hill by seven points in the annual contest for the Beyond Blue Cup.

Despite the loss Werribee remains inside the top eight with the team to have its final bye this week before the last four home and away games of the season. 

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 3.4 4.5 9.9 11.14 (80)
Box Hill: 2.1 4.10 6.11 12.15 (87)

GOALS
Werribee: O. Hanrahan 4, N. Hayes 2, D. Brew, D. Cassar, S. Mannagh, J. Porter, M. Sodomaco.
Box Hill: F. Greene 6, L. Shiels 2, B. Cavarra, J. Parsons, J. Serong, J. Thorpe.

BEST
Werribee: O. Hanrahan, K. Declase, L. Pinnuck, N Coughlan, L. Rocci, T. McCaffrey
Box Hill:

HOW IT HAPPENED
Michael Sodomaco was a late change for Bior Malul and it was the game day inclusion that would kick Werribee’s first goal of the game, doing so from inside the centre square with the former captain’s long range effort bouncing through after just two minutes of play. Werribee added a second courtesy of strong mark and 50 metre penalty to Nick Hayes before Shaun Mannagh pushed Werribee’s advantage to 14 points, 20 minutes in after winning a free kick in the pocket and goaling with a classy snap. Noah Gribble had a busy first term with nine disposals, while a team high 21 intercept possessions and seven spoils saw the Big W end the quarter with a nine-point lead.

With the breeze favouring the pavilion end of the ground the Hawks took control of the contest in the second term. After an early goal to the hosts, Werribee was able to limit the damage for the next 10 minutes, but after 12 minutes a second Box Hill major completed the first lead change of the day. Josh Porter reduced the margin to two points at the 21-minute mark, kicking truly following a spearing pass from Tom McCaffrey, who impressed on the wing in his fourth game of the season. Fellow wingman Kye Declase also found plenty of ball in the term, while down back Lucas Rocci limited the impact of the dangerous Ben Cavarra. Werribee trailed by five points at the main break after Box Hill added three late behinds.

The home team were again first on the board when the second half got underway, but the Big W’s response came swift thanks to former Hawk Ollie Hanrahan who booted back-to-back goals to give Werribee back the lead after seven minutes. Hanrahan first pounced on a loose ball at top of the 50 and nailed the goal across his body before getting on the end of Matt Hanson’s next centre clearance and converting from outside 50. Midway through the term Hayes and Darcy Cassar helped stretch Werribee’s lead further, with Cassar’s first VFL goal giving the Big W a 16-point buffer at the 20-minute mark. The margin would remain 16 points at the end of the third as a late Dom Brew goal cancelled out Box Hill’s second major of the quarter.

Werribee failed to extend its advantage early in the final quarter but after three straight misses, two of those by Hanrahan, the number two made no mistake with his next attempt goaling from 45 metres to have the Big W out by 25 points eight minutes into the term. Box Hill hit back with two goals and when Hanrahan bagged his fourth of the afternoon with a kick out of mid-air Werribee’s lead was 20 points with just 13 minutes to play. However, the Hawks would have the final seven scoring shots of the day as Werribee struggled to get its hands on the ball in the later stages of the game. The hosts went ahead at the 29-minute mark and then a minute later Werribee needed two goals to achieve victory which ultimately proved too much to overcome in the final three minutes.

KEY PLAYERS
Kye Declase: 27 disposals (17 K), 8 marks (2 CM), 4 I50s, 6 score involvements, 2 tackles. 
Ollie Hanrahan: 24 disposals (16 K), 6 marks, 5 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 10 score involvements, 4 goals.
Lou Pinnuck: 23 disposals (18 K), 7 marks, 10 intercept possessions, 4 inside 50s, 7 rebound 50s.
Tom McCaffrey: 20 disposals (13 K), 4 marks, 11 handball receives, 3 score involvements, 3 tackles. 
Dom Brew: 19 disposals (12 K), 12 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 8 score involvements, 8 tackles, 1 goal. 
Nick Coughlan: 18 disposals (16 K) at 88% efficiency, 6 marks (3 CM, 5 IM), 10 rebound 50s, 2 tackles.
Nick Hayes: 15 disposals (13 K), 9 marks (5 CM), 4 inside 50s, 7 score involvements, 2 goals.

VIEW ROUND 17 IMAGE GALLERY

Seven Werribee players will feature in a 23-man multicultural team to play Carlton VFL this weekend.

The Fitzroy Cubs program has been introduced this year with the purpose of showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse talent prior to the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft and as pre-cursor to the AFL’s upcoming Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

It's hoped the program will provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse young people a new pathway into elite football competitions.

Emmanuel Ajang, Akol Deng, Saad El-Hawli, Ariek Lual, Bior Malual, Sam Paea and Reuben William have all been selected to appear in the match at IKON Park on Sunday.

A talent identification day was held at Brunswick Oval on Sunday 24 April which assisted in the selection process.

The Fitzroy Cubs will be coached by Northern Bullants assistant coach Jason Williams - who has recently been appointed head coach of the AFL’s Indigenous talent programs.

Three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Chris Johnson is serving as the team's manager.

The Fitzroy Cubs v Carlton’s VFL game will be from 10:50am at IKON Park on Sunday 15 May. It will be followed by the second Colgate Young Guns Series game, with the Colgate Young Guns taking on Victoria Country U18 from 1:30pm.

WATCH MATCH HERE

Werribee recorded a 45-point win over Richmond on Sunday to take its unbeaten run to seven games after 12 rounds of the VFL season.

The Big W led from start to finish in their latest away clash, topping the Tigers at Punt Road for the second straight year to record their eighth win of 2023.

Werribee again limited its opponents to just 37 points while another week of inaccurate goal kicking didn’t factor into the result for the visitors as they saluted 11.16 (82) to 4.13 (37).

The game’s five highest disposal getters were in Werribee jumpers with Tom Gribble leading all comers with 37 touches while defenders Nick Coughlan and Louis Pinnuck also found plenty of footy.

Werribee’s 11 majors came via six individual goal scorers with five players kicking multiples including Noah Lever whose two first quarter majors helped the visitors to a 29-5 lead.

The early dominance of Werribee came with the Big W enjoying 56% time in possession compared to Richmond with just 26% in the opening term.

The hosts hit back in the second quarter and had it not been for more inaccurate goal kicking, the difference would have been closer than the 11 points that it was at halftime.

A lone Shaun Mannagh goal was Werribee’s only major in the second as Richmond kicked three.

Goals to Nick Hayes and Bior Malual inside the opening eight minutes of the third term helped restore a more comfortable advantage for Werribee, before Mannagh’s second major in response to a Richmond goal had the visitors up by 22 points going into the last.

The Big W were at their defensive best in the fourth registering their best intercept and tackle tallies of the day, holding Richmond scoreless and finishing the match with three unanswered goals in the final 10 minutes courtesy of Hayes, Kye Declase and Hudson Garoni.

As has been the case for much of Werribee’s current win streak, the Big W topped the disposal count (381-275), contested possessions (140-106), clearances (37-17), inside 50s (56-45) and tackles (56-54).

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 4.5 5.9 8.11 11.16 (82)
Richmond: 0.5 3.10 4.13 4.13 (37)

GOALS
Werribee: K. Declase 2, S. Mannagh 2, H. Garoni 2, N. Hayes 2, N. Lever 2, B. Malual.
Richmond: S. Banks, K. Brandtke, A Hicks, L. Street.

BEST
Werribee: L. Pinnuck, S. Clohesy, T. Gribble, N. Coughlan, D. Brew, N. Hayes.

PLAYER STATS
Tom Gribble: 37 disposals (17 K, 20 HB) at 84% efficiency, 17 contested possessions, 9 marks, 10 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 7 score involvements, 5 tackles.
Dom Brew: 29 disposals (19 K, 10 HB), 16 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 6 score involvements, 5 tackles.
Shaun Mannagh: 29 disposals (20 K, 9 HB), 4 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 9 score involvements, 3 tackles, 2 goals.
Jack Henderson: 28 disposals (12 K, 16 HB) at 89% efficiency, 8 marks, 4 clearances, 9 score involvements.
Nick Coughlan: 27 disposals (22 K, 5 HB), 5 marks (2 intercept), 11 rebound 50s, 4 score involvements.
Louis Pinnuck: 24 disposals (18 K, 6 HB) at 92% efficiency, 18 marks (2 contested, 4 intercept), 5 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 5 score involvements, 3 tackles.
Michael Sodomaco: 19 disposals (15 K, 4 HB) at 84% efficiency, 7 marks, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 5 score involvements, 3 tackles.
Noah Lever: 18 disposals (7 K, 11 HB), 3 marks, 4 spoils, 10 tackles, 6 score involements, 2 goals.
Sam Clohesy: 17 disposals (14 K, 3 HB) 6 marks, 5 intercept possessions, 6 rebound 50s, 2 inside 50s.

ROUND 12 IMAGE GALLERY - VIEW HERE

NEXT GAME
Round 13
Werribee vs Carlton
Saturday 17th June, 2:05pm
Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

A first away game in almost a month saw Werribee overcome fellow standalone club Coburg by 60 points in Round 11 of the Smithy's VFL season.

The 13.19 (97) to 5.7 (37) result against the Lions took the Big W’s winning run to six games and see's them maintain fourth position on the ladder courtesy of the club's seventh win of the year.

Werribee regained defenders Michael Sodomaco and Jesse Clark for the contest along with veteran bigman Josh Porter who was important in the ruck in his first VFL game since Round 7.

With Kobe Annand missing through injury, Porter helped the visitors dominate in the middle of the ground with the likes of Tom Gribble, Dom Brew and Jack Henderson again finding plenty of footy.

Werribee had 10 different goal kickers on the day with Bior Malual and Keegan Gray proving their effectiveness as forwards each kicking two goals, a number that was matched by Sam Paea.

A low score against after another strong display from captain Nick Coughlan and Co. down back, now has Werribee with the second-best defensive record in the competition with Box Hill the only team to have conceded less points than the Big W.

The visitors recorded a season-high 416 disposals and 110 marks at Coburg City Oval but failed to fully capitalise on the scoreboard in muddy conditions, and in game that had plenty of congestion at times.  

Early goals to Jack Boyd and Kye Declase had Werribee leading by 14 points after a little more than six minutes, but it took another 10 minutes for the Big W to add a third major which came through Bior Malual, before Emmanuel Ajang slotted his first VFL goal soon after.

The visitors ended the opening quarter with the four straight behinds and that inaccuracy continued in the second term with four more behinds before Coburg made the most of their first opportunity at the other end. But three goals in as many minutes had Werribee on top by 42 points at the 19-minute mark with the Big W then going to halftime with a 43-point buffer.

Werribee had the first five scoring shots of the third term with Paea’s second goal and a first to Shaun Mannagh pushing the margin out to 58 points. However, the Big W’s advantage was cut to 45 points at the end of three quarters with Coburg fighting hard and adding two majors of their own.

Some of Werribee’s best football came in the opening 17 minutes of the final stanza with majors to Noah Lever, Keegan Gray and Nick Hayes extending the visitors’ lead to a game-high 11 goals before it was reduced to an even 10 at the end of the game.

At the final siren Werribee was +108 for disposals, +24 in contested possessions, +31 for inside 50s, +18 in clearances, and +9 for tackles.

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 4.7 8.12 10.15 13.19 (97)
Coburg: 0.3 2.5 4.6 5.7 (37)

GOALS
Werribee: K. Gray 2, B. Malual 2, S. Paea 2, S. Mannagh, H. Garoni, K. Declase, N. Hayes, E. Ajang, J. Boyd, M. Keast.
Coburg: A. Clarke 2, J. D'Intinosante, T. Jepson, J. Kemp.

BEST
Werribee:T. Gribble, N. Hayes, J. Henderson, N. Cooper, B. Malual, K. Gray.

PLAYER STATS
Tom Gribble: 40 disposals (17 K, 23 HB)at 83% efficiency, 15 contested possessions, 11 marks (1 contested) 9 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 3 tackles, 15 score involvements.
Jack Henderson: 33 disposals (14 K, 19 HB), 17 handball receives, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 7 tackles, 12 score involvements.
Dom Brew: 30 disposals (17 K, 13 HB), 19 contested possessions, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 10 tackles, 7 score involvements.
Kye Declase: 27 disposals (13 K, 14 HB) at 81% efficiency, 8 marks, 5 inside 50s, 10 score involvements, 3 tackles, 1 goal.
Louis Pinnuck: 21 disposals (21 K, 1 HB), 14 marks (3 intercept), 7 intercept possessions, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 5 score involvements.
Josh Porter: 20 disposals (8 K, 12 HB), 6 marks, 23 hit-outs, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 7 score involvements, 2 tackles.
Bior Malual: 20 disposals (11 K, 9 HB), 6 marks (2 contested), 11 score involvements, 3 score assists, 2 goals.
Nick Hayes: 17 disposals (10 K, 7 HB), 6 marks (1 contested), 3 tackles, 6 score involvements, 1 goal.
Keegan Gray: 16 disposals (12 K, 4 HB) 4 marks, 2 clearances, 9 score involvements, 3 score assists, 2 goals.

ROUND 11 IMAGE GALLERY - VIEW HERE

NEXT GAME
Round 12
Werribee vs Richmond
Sunday 11th June, 1:05pm
Punt Road Oval

The Werribee Football Club is proud to launch its first ever Indigenous guernsey ahead of NAIDOC Week which commences Sunday.

The jumper was designed by Noongar woman and Indigenous artist Kirby Bentley and will be worn by Werribee players in Saturday’s round 15 match against North Melbourne at Avalon Airport Oval.

The name Werribee is an Aboriginal word meaning backbone or spine and is the prominent feature on both the front and back of the guernsey being depicted through boomerangs.

Land (leaves), water (blue lines), meeting places (circles in circles), people and elders (arches in double arches) are also included in the jumper's design.

It explains that - "Through land and water, we stay connected. Brining our words together and paying respects to our elders past, present and emerging."

As part of educating players, staff and officials a presentation and smoking ceremony will be performed by local Bunurong members prior to training on Thursday night.

Bunurong representatives will also complete a Welcome to Country before the opening bounce on Saturday.

Werribee Footballl Club CEO Mark Penaluna said it is great to be recognising First Nations people and their culture.

"We're very proud to be celebrating Indigenous culture and look forward to seeing our players wear the club’s first ever Indigenous guernsey against North Melbourne this weekend,” he said.

“We are grateful to have had Kirby design the jumper and look forward to welcoming members of the Bunurong group on Thursday evening and again on Saturday."

NAIDOC Week runs from July 3 to July 10. The current theme of the celebration is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! You can find out more about NAIDOC Week HERE.

Werribee has celebrated victory in the first Wednesday night VFL match in 64 years downing Richmond by 37 points at Punt Road Oval in Round 12.

The Big W took just 20 seconds to score the opening goal of the game and controlled much of the play for the first three quarters to gradually build a match winning lead.

Werribee stretched its advantage to 48 points early in the last before Richmond, fielding 18 AFL-listed players, reduced the margin slightly. In the end the visitors comfortably claimed a third straight win to move to 5-4 on the season. 

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 3.4 6.7 10.9 13.13 (91)
Richmond: 1.2 3.2 4.4 8.6 (54)

GOALS
Werribee: H. Garoni 3, J. Dahlhaus 3, S. Clohesy, O. Hanrahan, M. Hanson, S. Mannagh, H. Stubbings, S. Conway, L. Pinnuck.
Richmond: J. Bauer 3, M. Rioli 2, T. Young, N. Cumberland, R. Mansell.

BEST
Werribee: O.Hanrahan, R. William, N. Cooper, H. Garoni, L. Pinnuck, T. Gribble.
Richmond:

HOW IT HAPPENED

Werribee were fast starters for the third week in a row with Hudson Garoni grabbing the opening major just 20 seconds in with a quick shot on goal after the ball spilled to him at the back of the pack. Richmond’s reply took just over a minute before Garoni had his and Werribee’s second at the 11-minute mark as he converted from the set shot thanks to a free kick. Matt Hanson snapped Werribee’s third just after the mid-point of the term, but the next 14 minutes only delivered a single Richmond behind as both teams enjoyed periods controlling the play, but ultimately struggled to capitalise inside 50.

Scoring continued to be hard to come by early in the second term and after Werribee squandered its first couple of chances Richmond goaled after 10 minutes of play. Shaun Mannagh against his old side, kicked Werribee's first of the quarter at the 17-minute mark before Jay Dahlhaus and Sam Clohesy nailed later opportunities to give Werribee reward on the scoreboard. The visitors looked to be heading to the main break with a 29-point advantage, but Noah Cumberland goaled on the siren to cut the margin to 23. Tom Gribble (28 disposals), Ollie Harahan (23) and Michael Sodomaco (20) were all influential in opening half while key link man Nick Hayes 11 disposals and 7 tackles also enjoyed a strong half.

It was two unlikely types that provided Werribee’s opening goals in the second half. Lou Pinnuck hit the scoreboard first with his goal coming five minutes in after a 50-metre penalty resulting from strong tackle at halfback. Three minutes later Sam Conway coolly slotted his first VFL major after a contested mark close to goal. Hanrahan gave Werribee three in a row with a classy snap midway through the term and when Garoni snagged his third from point blank range Werribee had its biggest lead of the night. Another late Richmond goal saw Werribee with a 41-point buffer heading into the last having dominated the middle two quarters enjoying 49% and 56% time in possession in the second and third terms compared to Richmond with 30% and 28% TIP.

Werribee’s defence had been close to impassable over the course of the first three quarters with Nick Coughlan, Nathan Cooper, Reuben William and Pinnuck all brilliant in repelling many of Richmond’s attacking efforts. With the result all but confirmed the hosts enjoyed their best quarter of the match in the last adding four majors while Dahlhaus with two and Harry Stubbings were the goal kickers for the Big W. Richmond’s final score of 8.6 (54) was the identical tally Werribee limited its previous two opponents to - GWS in Round 9 and Collingwood in Round 10. Werribee finished the match +84 in disposals, +46 in contested possessions, +27 for inside 50s and +14 in tackles.  

KEY PLAYERS
Tom Gribble: 34 disposals (18 kicks), 17 contested possessions, 10 clearances, 10 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s,  5 tackles, 3 score involvements.
Ollie Hanrahan: 32 disposals (15 kicks), 12 handball receives, 6 marks, 7 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 6 score involvements, 1 goal.
Dom Brew: 25 disposals (19 kicks), 13 contested possessions, 5 tackles, 8 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 7 score involvements.
Shaun Mannagh: 23 disposals (12 kicks), 4 marks, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 9 score involvements, 1 goal.
Louis Pinnuck: 17 disposals (14 kicks), 7 intercept possessions, 8 marks (3 contested), 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 30 rebound 50s, 1 goal.
Hudson Garoni: 17 disposals (10 kicks), 5 marks (3 contested), 2 tackles, 6 score involvements, 3 goals.
Nick Hayes: 14 disposals (10 kicks), 5 marks (1 contested), 7 tackles, 3 inside 50s,  4 score involvements.
Reuben William: 13 disposals (10 kicks), 7 intercept possessions, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s.

VIEW MATCH GALLERY

WATCH REPLAY & HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT MATCH
Round 13
Werribee vs Geelong
Saturday June 18, 1:05pm
Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Werribee's fate was decided in Round 21 with a five-point loss to Essendon on Sunday rulling the Big W out of finals contention in 2022.

Needing to beat the Bombers at Windy Hill, Werribee's finals hopes looked to still be alive at the 29-minute mark of the final quarter as Marty Brennan put the visitors two-points up, but the hosts stole victory late scoring the final goal of the game.

The result leaves Werribee (8-9) two games outside the top eight with one round to play, with Carlton or Richmond the only sides capable of claiming the last finals spot.

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 4.1 4.2 8.7 10.9 (69)
Essendon: 0.3 4.9 6.10 10.14 (74)

GOALS
Werribee:O. Hanrahan 2, J. Dahlhaus 2, H. Garoni, J. Porter, M. Brennan, K. Declase, T. Gribble, M. Keast.
Essendon: J. Menzie 2, P. Voss, A. Waterman, T. Cutler, A. Davey, A. Lord, Z. Reid, H. Jones.

BEST
Werribee: N. Coughlan, O. Hanrahan, S. Mannagh, T. Gribble, J. Dahlhaus, D. Brew.
Essendon:

HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite a late change with star on-baller Matt Hanson ruled out of the match, and the remainder of the season with a broken hand, Werribee jumped from the blocks opening up a 19-point buffer early as Ollie Hanrahan, Josh Porter and Hudson Garoni all goaled inside the opening eight minutes. Kye Declase gave Werribee a fourth goal at the 16-minute mark, but that was all the scoring the Big W would muster with the aid of the breeze as the Bombers controlled the footy for much of the second half of the term.

The second quarter saw Werribee record the highest possession count of the match but most of that was in the back half of the ground as the visitors battled to contain the Bombers who would go inside 50 a total of 22 times. The hosts took the lead at the 27-minute mark with their fourth goal and Werribee went to the main break seven points down.

Essendon stretched their advantage to 13 points with the first goal of the second half, but Werrribe replied quickly through Matt Keast and Hanrahan, with two majors in the space of two minutes cutting the deficit to a point. The Bombers added a second goal 12 minutes in, but back-to-back Jay Dahlhaus goals would see Werribee regain the initiative at the 22-minute mark. The visitors had to settle for a nine-point lead at three quarter time lead after missing three late shots on goal.

With three Essendon goals coming inside the first 10 minutes of the final term Werribee needed a response, and it came from the boot of co-captain Tom Gribble at the 11-minute mark. The next 16 minutes would fail to produce a major with five behinds added to the scoreboard, before Marty Brennan’s 29th minute goal put the visitors two-points ahead. With Werribee's 2022 campaign looking like being decided on the last weekend of the home and away season, Big W hearts were broken with two minutes to go when Essendon intercepted the ball on Werribee’s half-forward line and quickly transitioned forward to score the match winner.

KEY PLAYERS
Tom Gribble: 30 disposals (15 K), 15 contested possessions, 9 clearances, 3 tackles, 6 score involvements, 1 goal.
Nick Coughlan: 26 disposals (24 K) at 88% efficiency, 4 marks (2 IM), 14 rebound 3 score involvements.
Dom Brew: 25 disposals (16 K), 13 contested possessions, 11 groundball gets, 10 tackles, 3 inside 50s.
Ollie Hanrahan: 23 disposals (15 K), 13 contested possessions, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 7 score involvements, 2 goals.
Shaun Mannagh: 21 disposals (14 K), 10 contested possesions, 6 clearnaces, 4 inside 50s, 5 tackles.
Bior Malual: 16 disposals at 81% efficiency, 5 intercept possessions, 4 marks, 3 inside 50s, 2 tackles.
Jay Dahlhaus: 13 disposals (11 K), 4 marks, 5 tackles, 5 score involvements, 2 goals.

ROUND 21 IMAGE GALLERY

NEXT MATCH
Round 22
Werribee vs Northern Bullants
Saturday August 20, 2:05pm
Avalon Airport Oval

The Werribee Football Club is delighted to welcome Western Storage Transport as a new principal sponsor in 2022.

Having started out in 1982, Western Storage Transport have been providing their expertise for 40 years, initially offering off-site storage before expanding to now include total logistics solutions.  

Werribee Football Club CEO Mark Penaluna said it was great to have a new supporter in WST. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Western Storage Transport to the Werribee family and thank them for their sponsorship commitment this year,” he said.  

“They are a company with a long history of servicing local businesses in the western region of Melbourne, so it’s great to have them join us.  

Also a sponsor of senior coach Michael Barlow, Western Storage Transport CEO Alex Cilmi said it was exciting to now be associated with the club.   

“We were looking at opportunities to support local sporting clubs and jumped at the chance to sponsor the Werribee Football Club,” he said.  

“We are looking forward to a successful partnership and enjoying club success and the chance to promote WST to our local community.” 

Visit the Western Storage Transport website  HERE.

Third year players Lucas Rocci and Emmanuel Ajang and first year players Sam Clohesy and Darcy Cassar have re-signed for next season.

All four battled injury at different stages in 2022 but showed their potential when given the opportunity throughout the campaign.

Small defender Rocci added another six games after debuting for the club in 2021 while powerful inside midfield Ajang had a significant impact in his first VFL match which came in the final round of this season.

Clohesy and Cassar, both outside midfielders, impressed in their first few Werribee outings with Closhesy playing five straight games in the middle of the year while Cassar made three appearances after being given his chance in round 15.

“We’re excited to have more of the club’s promising young talent re-sign for next year,” football manager Mark Micallef said.

“Rocci is a local Werribee product who we’re thrilled to have back, he works hard and is a tough shut-down defender who can also create some good drive from the back half.

“Emmanuel was the feel-good story at the end of the year for us cracking the team and absolutely making the most of his opportunity by winning our Trademark Player of the Game Award.

“Sam is tall, hard running outside player who can play multiple roles and we look forward to see what he can develop into with another preseason.

“Darcy had an untimely injury just before the start of the season but got his chance later in the year and we’re excited by his ability to find ball and get in good spots on the outside.”

Four of Werribee’s top young players in Jesse Clark, Sam Conway, Jay Dahlhaus and Charlie Ham have all re-committed for next season.

Clark and Dahlhaus are set for their fourth and third years with the club while Ham and Conway will enter their second seasons at Avalon Airport Oval in 2023.

After playing every game in 2021 hybrid defender Clark was only able to add four games this year after a knee injury suffered in round five ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

Dahlhaus emerged as a dangerous small forward in 2022 and tallied 18 goals in 14 games after adding the ability to regularly hit the scoreboard to his elite level pressure.

Ham, a mid-season draft selection by North Melbourne in 2021, appeared in all 18 games this season and was named Best First Year Player after a consistent campaign across halfback and on the wing.

After three games in three years at Williamstown, Conway claimed Werribee’s number one ruck mantle in 2022, showcasing his potential in 15 games with several impressive outings mid-season.

“It’s exciting to have this group of four back on board, all are Geelong Falcons products and have shown the ability to be consistent contributors at VFL level,” football manager Mark Micallef said.

“Jesse unfortunately suffered a knee injury in the first half of the season but is and outstanding young leader and reliable defender while Jay really announced himself in the VFL this year.

“Charlie and Sam slotted into our program seamlessly, both are real competitors, Charlie is able to match it with bigger bodies and Sam too, as he went up against AFL-listed ruckmen most weeks.”

Picture (left to right): Jay Dahlhaus, Sam Conway, Charlie Ham, Jesse Clark.