After winning his third consecutive leading goalkicker award in 2024, Hudson Garoni will spearhead the Werribee attack once more in 2025, with the key forward officially re-signing for next season.

Garoni, who brought up his 50th VFL game earlier this season, has played all but two games over the past four campaigns. This year, he appeared in all 21 matches, setting a new career-best tally with 49 goals and earning selection in his second consecutive VFL Team of the Year 40-man squad.

Garoni was the only player in the competition to kick a goal in all 18 games in the home-and-away season, which saw him place third in the Frosty Miller Medal.

He carried this streak into the finals, where he delivered a bag of three goals in Werribee's preliminary final win over Brisbane, including two in the last quarter as the Tigers overcame a two-goal three-quarter time deficit. In the Grand Final, Garoni came through once again, kicking a goal that saw Werribee take the lead as they pulled off another come-from-behind victory. Reflecting on the premiership triumph, Garoni said, “We knew we weren’t playing our best footy at half time so to run over them like that, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

"Team success is why we play, so it is unbelievable.", he added.

Football Manager Ash Collins spoke of his delight to have Garoni going around for another season in the black and gold; "Hudson's top-three finish in the Frosty Miller Medal count shows his elite talent and impact as a focal point in our forward line”.

“We’re really excited to have him back in the fold to lead from the front half of the ground again in 2025."

Debuting for Werribee in Round 19, 2019, as a Murray Bushrangers graduate, Garoni kicked a goal with his first kick for the club. He has since played 69 games, booting 144 goals, kicking the most goals across the VFL since making his debut against Box Hill in his debut season.

Garoni’s first leading goalkicker award came in 2022, with a 32-goal season that featured three bags of five. In 2023, he elevated his game, leading the three-headed attack alongside Sam Paea and Josh Porter. He capped off the grand final year with a career-high 45 goals, including a career best haul of 6 goals against Williamstown on ‘Past Players Day’. This total earned Garoni a third place finish in the ‘Frosty’ standings and selection in the Smithy’s VFL representative team as the Big V made its return to state of origin footy against the SANFL earlier this year.

Following the 2023 season, this year Garoni showed no signs of slowing down, booting four goals in Werribee's Round 1 clash with Geelong. Leading a new-look forward line, Garoni finished the season with 14 multiple-goal games, including back-to-back five-goal performances in Rounds 17 and 18 against the Northern Bullants and Port Melbourne.

He came into the final round of the home-and-away season equal on top of the Frosty Miller standings, but ultimately finished third, kicking one goal in Werribee's win over Box Hill to secure their first minor premiership in 19 years.