The final siren at Ikon Park brought to a close the 2023 VFL season and, unbeknown to footy fans, the playing days of Michael Sodomaco.

The club’s longest serving captain made the announcement at the 2023 Bruce Montgomery Trophy night and leaves the club in a much better place than when he arrived as a promising 18 year old Geelong Falcon back in 2010. 

“Walking into Werribee I thought, you beauty. I had a good year at under 18s and can’t wait to play (Sodomaco was captain and was the Falcons’ B&F winner in 2010). There was a good country presence which I really liked but I was not going to kick Dom Gleeson out of the midfield in my first year. The overwhelming experience was I just had to get better and work harder.”

Sodomaco has seen many versions of the club in his decade and a bit at Avalon Airport Oval, and not just in the facilities now enjoyed by all. The on-field structure has included a partially aligned list then a fully aligned model and now a standalone club, plus the demise of the development league, a competition he cut his teeth on in the early days. 

“There was a sliding doors moment back in about my third year. I rang Scotty West, the coach at the time, and said ‘I am not sure where I fit in the scheme of things. I am training well, playing well in the twos but I just can’t get in.’ We had a really good sit down. That was part of the reason in the shift from midfielder to half back flanker. That’s when the opportunity came to break into the senior side.”     

Sodomaco not only became an important player but a leader and club captain from 2015 to the end of the 2021 season.  

2015 was also when Martin Carter became President. “There is only one Michael Sodomaco in this world and it is a testament to his character and how he is perceived at the Werribee Football Club that he was captain for 7 consecutive years. That is a vote from the players and the coaches as to what sort of person he is on and off the ground. We’d like to see him back at some time in the future to assist us with his football brain and the qualities he has as a person.”     

The decision to hang up the boots was a difficult one for the popular number 3. 

“I wish I was 22 again and the club was in the state it is in. A standalone club with solid off field foundations. We’ve built a strong playing culture, a really good recruiting structure. The club is in a great spot to be a consistently successful team and that wasn’t always the case in my time.” 

“We have a great group of young blokes who hopefully stick around and take the club to where it should be. One step further than where we went this year.”   

Family will become Michael’s focus and while his wife Sarah and children Rosie and Ollie will see more of him, there will still be time for football.

“The plan is to keep enjoying the club. It has been a staple of our week for 12 years. I have awesome memories with my folks (Steve and Felicity) and my kids. I have even brought the in-laws along. I am pumped to be on the other side of the fence. I am incredibly thankful and honoured to have played for the club for so long. It has been an amazing chapter in my life.”    

In news that will come as no surprise to keen followers of the game and VFL football in particular, the VFL Coach of the Year - Werribee's Michael Barlow - is joining the North Melbourne Football Club as Development Manager. 

Just days after guiding Werribee into its first Grand Final in almost twenty years, Barlow accepted the offer to take the next step in his coaching career.

Werribee President Martin Carter naturally has mixed emotions: "The entire club is delighted for Mick but also disappointed to lose one of our favourite sons (again) to the AFL. Interestingly, our last two senior coaches have been headhunted by AFL clubs, which says a lot about the status of our club and our senior coaching position. We are proud to have played a part in Mick's football journey firstly as a player when he was drafted to Fremantle and now as his AFL coaching career begins." 

Barlow's three years as senior coach culminated with the Grand Final appearance after a club record-breaking 17 game winning streak, achievements he is very proud of: "The grand final loss still stings but this playing group gave everything they had and will be better for the experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed this stint at Avalon Airport Oval and thank the club for giving me the opportunity. It is a special club with an outstanding administration, great facilities and a culture committed to excellence on and off the field." 

The most sought after coaching job in Victorian football is now vacant and Werribee CEO Mark Penaluna expects a lot of interest: "Replacing someone of Mick's calibre is not an easy task but I am sure there are a lot of quality football people who will be keen to join us. It is a position full of possibilities and we are keen to build on what we achieved this year."      

Dom Brew has won his first Werribee best and fairest award taking out the 2023 Bruce Montgomery Trophy on Thursday night after a career best season.

He polled 233 votes to finish 14 clear of runner-up Shaun Mannagh on 219 votes with two-time Bruce Montgomery Trophy winner Tom Gribble third with 214 votes.

The hard-nosed midfielder expanded his offensive game this season while still negating the opposition’s best onballer.

Brew, 26, played all 21 games and averaged a career-best 25 disposals per outing while leading the team in contested possessions (14.7), clearances (7.6) and tackles (9.9).

He was also recognised as the Trademark Player of the Year, an award voted on by the 23 selected players each round.

Runner-up Mannagh placed in the top three for the third straight season equalling his 2021 finish with Gribble near the top again after winning last year’s count.

Best and fairest voting is completed by senior coach Michal Barlow and assistants Nick Daffy, Chirs O’Keefe and Simon Riddoch who award 0-5 votes to every player at the end of each game, including finals.

Last year’s runner up Kye Declase was fourth polling 209 votes with defender Nathan Cooper rounding our the top five on 201 votes.

Declase was named the Best Finals Player and Cooper the Defensive Player of the Year.

Hudson Garoni claimed Werribee’s goal kicking award with a career-best 45 majors, while the ever-reliable Jack Henderson took home the Coaches Award

Sam Clohesy collected Most Improved after appearing in every game in his second season while finishing the year as one of the club’s most consistent performers.

Fellow young gun Kobe Annand was named the Best First Year Player after a terrific debut season in the ruck.

Champion midfielder Matt Hanson was recognised with Life Membership of the club, as a result of playing his 100^th game for Werribee in the Qualifying Final against Box Hill.

Meanwhile, team manager Joe Elevato received the Ray Smith Club Person Award and Bailey Henderson the Community Development Award for his efforts supporting Werribee’s community endeavours.

2023 Award Winners
Property Award: Flynn Young
Trainers Award: Bailey Henderson & Shaun Mannagh
Community Development Award: Bailey Henderson
Local Player of the Year: Emmanuel Ajang (Geelong West)
Best First Year Player: Kobe Annand
Most Improved: Sam Clohesy
Coaches Award: Jack Henderson
Leading Goal Kicker: Hudson Garoni (45 goals)
Defensive Player of the Year: Nathan Cooper
Trademark Player of the Year: Dom Brew
Best Finals Player: Kye Declase
Life Membership (100 Games): Matt Hanson  
Ray Smith Club Person: Joe Elevato

The Werribee Football Club is excited to announce the launch of a new program that will work in partnership with North Melbourne’s Next Generation Academy for Multicultural and Indigenous boys and girls in Wyndham. 

The program is a joint initiative between the AFL, Werribee Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club focused on identifying, engaging and developing underage talent in non-traditional communities. 

The program will target Multicultural and Indigenous boys and girls aged 11-13 and provide them with access to both high performance resources and facilities as well as high-level coaching. 

Werribee Football Club CEO Mark Penaluna said it was excellent opportunity for the club - "We consider ourselves a leader in terms of what we deliver in the community,” he said. 

“We’ve been introducing football to people of all ages for many years through in-school programs and a range of other initiatives, and we’re thrilled to be adding to that.  

“It’s wonderful that the AFL and North Melbourne have given us the tick of approval to partner with North Melbourne’s NGA program, which captures the Wyndham region, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to invest further in the game in Wyndham, particularly in women’s football. 

“Wyndham is one of the most culturally diverse areas of the state and we’re excited to start work on increasing the talent pool of Multicultural and Indigenous male and female players.” 

Over recent months the club has been delivering development programs for boys and girls in years 7-9, completing a four-week program at Point Cook College and The Grange College in Hoppers Crossing.

Werribee has been running community initiatives across Wyndham since 2007 and now employees one full-time and two part-time staff, along with a casual work force.

The club delivers a range of programs with many Wyndham-based schools, local Auskick centres and other organisations including Reclink Australia, Wyndham City Council and The Salvation Army.