As Werribee prepares for its first home game of the 2026 season this weekend, a VFL-high six of the club’s standout performers have earned recognition among the competition’s finest names, with selection in the Smithy’s VFL State Team squad.

Dom Brew, Louis Pinnuck, Jack Riding, Ryan Eyers, Charlie Lazzaro and Will Elliott have all been named in the 43-man squad, announced today ahead of next Saturday’s clash with the SANFL on April 11.

The Big V will return during the AFL’s Gather Round for a third consecutive year, following last year’s historic AAMI State Game where the VFL defeated the SANFL for the first time since 2002.

Brew and Pinnuck headline Werribee’s selections after both played key roles in that 2025 victory. Brew captained the side for a second straight season, while Pinnuck was awarded the Frank Johnson Medal for a best on ground performance.

Brew’s inclusion comes off the back of another dominant campaign in 2025, where he became just the third player in club history to claim three consecutive best-and-fairest awards. The midfielder averaged a career-high 28.9 disposals and 10.1 clearances per game, leading the competition in clearances while also ranking number one for contested possessions and tackles.

Pinnuck also produced career-best numbers across the season, averaging 21.9 disposals and 9.3 marks per game, ranking third in the competition among players who featured in ten or more matches. His influence behind the ball remained a strength, averaging six rebound 50s per game.

After being named in the extended squad in 2025, Jack Riding has again earned recognition with selection in this year’s initial squad. Transitioning further into the midfield, Riding elevated his game across 17 matches, averaging a career-high 24 disposals, alongside five tackles and five clearances per game. His impact going forward was a feature, finishing among the competition’s top players for inside 50s, while his form earned him a pre-season opportunity with Hawthorn’s AFL program.

Key defender Ryan Eyers is another rewarded for a strong first season at the club. After crossing from Geelong’s VFL program, Eyers quickly established himself as a consistent presence in defence, highlighted by back-to-back best-on-ground performances in Rounds 3 and 4. Prior to a hamstring injury in Round 12, he had emerged as a leading contender in the club’s best-and-fairest count. Across his season, Eyers averaged five marks and four intercept possessions, while ranking inside the competition’s top five for spoils.

Despite his season ending early through injury last year, Eyers has picked up right where he left off in 2026, highlighted by a standout Round 1 performance where he took on the daunting task of number one draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and kept him goalless in Werribee’s win over Gold Coast at People First Stadium.

The final two Werribee representatives are new recruits Charlie Lazzaro and Will Elliott, both of whom have made an immediate impact since arriving at the club.

Lazzaro, who brings 39 games of AFL experience, earned selection following a standout 2025 season with Port Melbourne where he averaged 27.1 disposals per game, along with more than five tackles and four clearances. He has carried that form into 2026, making an outstanding start to his Werribee career and taking an early lead in the Coaches MVP leaderboard with back-to-back Totally Workwear Player of the Match performances.

Elliott, who joined from the Northern Bullants ahead of the 2026 season, has also hit the ground running in Werribee colours. The 202cm key forward kicked 27 goals across his first two VFL seasons and was previously named in the 43-man state squad in 2025. He has opened his Werribee career in strong form with four goals across his first two games, including three on debut against the Suns at People First Stadium.

The six players are joined by senior coach Dan Lowther, who has been named as an assistant coach for the VFL State Team, part of Jackson Kornberg’s coaching panel for the clash.

The match will feature as part of a representative double-header, with the men’s game to be played from 2:30pm following the women’s clash between the VFLW and SANFLW from 12:00pm. The Smithy's VFLW State Team squad was announced last week.

The match will take place at Glenelg’s Stratarama Stadium on Saturday, April 11.

A final squad of 23 will be confirmed closer to game day.