Werribee heads to Williamstown in Round 4 for its first day match of the season to face fierce rivals the Seagulls on Good Friday.

The Big W will aim to bounce back after a disappoiniting display at home to Southport and avenge last year's loss to Williamstown who are winles in 2022.

Werribee has made three changes for the match with Nick Hayes and Bior Lual returning after missing last week's game against Southport.

Ariek Lual will also make his first appearance of the season with the incoming trio replacing Tom Boyd, Tom McCaffrey and Reuben William.

For those attending the match, WFC members and non-members can buy tickets online beforehand or once there at the gate. Ticketing details HERE.

ROUND 4
Werribee vs Williamstown
Friday April 15, 1.05pm
Downer Oval, Williamstown
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Werribee's first home game in 2022 ended in a disappointing defeat to visiting Southport with the Big W downed by 52 points in their Round 3 contest at Avalon Airport Oval. 

For the second consecutive year in an early season night clash Werribee were jumped in the first quarter with Southport piling on five goals late in the opening term to establish a 34-point lead. 

The clinical visitors increased their margin steadily from there as basic skill errors cost the home team dearly in co-captain Tom Gribble's 100th Werribee game. Gribble was comfortably the Big W's best player leading the team with 29 disposals and two goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Southport took just over a minute to kick the first goal of the game, but it was met with a quick response from Werribee through Logan Wagener's snapped effort. The Sharks added a second major at the six-and-a-half-minute mark but again it took only two minutes for Werribee to reply, this time via a Josh Porter mark and goal. Werribee failed to convert two set-shot opportunities soon after and then Southport tore the game open with six goals in 19 minutes before co-captain Dom Brew pegged one back at the quarter time siren.

Werribee had a couple of opportunities to cut into the deficit to start the second term but instead it was the visitors who took advantage of their first chance five minutes in. The next 15 minutes saw only a single rushed behind for Werribee as both teams battled for field position before the Sharks added a second major. Saad El-Hawli kicked his first Werribee goal after 24 minutes, but Southport’s lead grew to 48 points before Hudson Garoni added a late major.

Down 43 points at the main break things got worse for Werribee once the second half got underway with Southport goaling inside 30 seconds. Michael Sodomaco in his season debut was one who tried to spark Werribee and did so with a goal seven minutes in but the home team was unable to make any inroads through the middle of the quarter. Eventaully Werribee got some reward via Sam Paea and Gribble who had been outstanding up to that point.

In the final term Southport once gain added to its advantage early before second majors to both Paea and Wagener reduced the margin to 28 points. However, any hope of a miraculous Werribee comeback was all but ended over the next eight minutes as Southport restored their dominance on the scoreboard kicking three of the last four goals.

FINAL SCORE

Werribee: 3.2 5.6 8.8 11.12 (78)
Southport: 8.6 12.7 14.12 19.16 (130)

GOALS

Werribee: T. Gribble 2, S. Paea 2, L. Wagener 2, H. Garoni. D. Brew, S. El-Hawli, J. Porter, M. Sodomaco.
Southport: J. Townsend 4, R. King 3, T. Fields 3, B. Gowers 2, J. Williams 2, M. Pescud 2, Z. Foot, J. Joyce, D. Charlesworthy.

BEST

Werribee: T. Gribble, J. Clark, L. Wagener, M. Sodomaco, D. Brew, M. Hanson
Southport:

KEY PLAYERS

Tom Gribble : 29 disposals (15 kicks), 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 5 tackles, 8 score involvements, 2 goals.
Shaun Mannagh: 25 disposals (15 kicks), 14 handball receives, 5 inside 50s, 8 tackles.
Dom Brew: 22 disposals (16 contested), 8 clearances, 9 tackles, 1 goal.
Reuben William: 22 disposals (14 kicks), 6 rebound 50s, 3 inside 50s, 3 score involvements. 
Michael Sodomaco: 19 disposals (17 kicks), 9 rebound 50s, 3 inside 50s, 3 score involvements.
Logan Wagener: 13 disposals, 5 tackles, 7 score involvements, 2 goals.

WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS HERE

NEXT MATCH

Werribee vs Williamstown
Friday, April 15, 1.05pm
Downer Oval, Williamstown.

It’s been a long time coming but Werribee co-captain Tom Gribble will finally reach the 100^th game mark for the Big W in the club’s round 3 clash with Southport. 

Just 11 games away from the milestone at the end of the 2019 season it’s been more than a two year wait for Gribble to notch three figures and with it gain Werribee Life Membership. 

After Covid wiped out the entire 2020 season and half of the 2021 campaign Gribble will deservedly celebrate his 100^th in front of a home crowd at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday night. 

“It’s hard to put into words what playing 100 games for one club means,” Gribble said. 

“The VFL system can be quite challenging in terms of guys having to dance around to try and find a home, but I was pretty fortunate to find my home at the age of 19 and here we are nine years later. 

“It’s a great achievement and to see the list of past 100 game players and life members of the club, including one of my great mates Sods (Michael Sodomaco), it does mean a lot.” 

A Geelong Falcons graduate, Gribble spent his first year of senior football with Geelong in the VFL where he played four matches before signing with Werribee for the 2014 season. 

Gribble played all 18 games in his first year at Avalon Airport Oval before a botched surgery and ankle issue sidelined him for the entire 2015 campaign.  

He returned in 2016 in round five and since then has barely missed a game with the midfielder soon establishing himself as one of the competition’s best players. 

Individual accolades followed with a J.J Liston Trophy in 2019 and his first Bruce Montgomery Trophy as Werribee’s best and fairest also came that same season.  

Captaincy was added to his resume for 2022 and Dom Brew who he shares the leadership with, said playing alongside Gribble has been a privilege.   

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to run out with Tommy every week for over half of those 100 games, it’s something I love doing and now to be co-captain with him is unreal,” he said. 

“His will to win and hate to lose is phenomenal and is something we’ve bonded over the last few years and he’s now beyond a footy friend but one of my best mates.” 

As one of his teammates in 2019 and now his coach, Michael Barlow said Gribble continues to develop in all facets. 

“The commitment and application Tom has shown has not only been to better his own performance but to help bring success to this club,” Barlow said. 

“He’s probably grown a lot since first arriving at the club and that growth, in not just football but life, has certainly been enormous since I returned here in 2019 and his progression and ability to bring others along for the ride while investing in his own career is second to none.” 

Werribee CEO Mark Penaluna said Gribble had endured more than most players will at a VFL club as well as personally with the death of his father Andrew in 2020.  

“It’s been a journey for Tom with partial alignments, full alignments, the travelling Tigers and temporary clubrooms and now to being standalone, you name it he’s been through it all as a player and has dealt with plenty of adversity on and off the field,” Penaluna said.  

“On the field he’s a best and fairest winner and a Liston Trophy winner but that aside he’s been a wonderful servant of our club and I’ve really enjoyed our relationship and discussions over the journey, and what he means to this footy club is a hell of a lot.” 

Gribble himself hopes there is plenty more to give with his sights set on ultimate team success and sharing the field with his younger brother Noah who has joined him at the club this season. 

“Throughout this week I’ve been asked what games stand out and for me it’s easily the finals I’ve played,” Gribble said.   

“I think I’ve played in four and they are just unreal to experience, it’s why we play. The atmosphere is something else and on the field the play just goes up another level.  

“I’m 27 years old, I turn 28 after the season finishes, but I do hope there is a lot left to give and I’ll probably drag it out for as long as it takes to win that flag. 

“I’m probably driven by that, but I’ve also got my brother here now and to keep playing with him for a while would be a great experience too.”

Football returns to Avalon Airport Oval for the first time in 2022 with Werribee facing Southport on Saturday night (April 9) in what will be the first ever match-up between the two teams.

After an opening round win over Frankston before a bye in Round 2, Werribee will be aiming to inflict a second loss on the Sharks who collected their first win of the year against Williamstown last week.

Tom Gribble reaches a major milestone against Southport running out for the 100th time in Werribee colours and while it's the most significant it's not the only games celebration with Josh Porter and Lou Pinnuck both notching game 50 for the club.

There are five changes for Werribee with co-captain Dom Brew returning which means he and Gribble will lead the side together for the first time.

Former captain Michael Sodomaco, utility Keegan Gray and youngster Noah Gribble also come into the side for their first matches of the season.

After eight players made their first appearances for Werribee in Round 1 there'll be one debutant tomorrow night with ruckman Sam Conway pulling on the Big W for the first time following his move from Williamstown.

The players going out of the side this week are Nick Hayes (suspension), Bior Malual,  Marty Brennan, Jay Dahlhaus  and Jack Driscoll.

Entry to Saturday night's game is free for WFC members. Members yet to receive their 2022 Membership Cards please see our match day staff at the gate.

Entry for non-members is $10 for adults and concession $5.

ROUND 3
Werribee vs Southport
Saturday April 9, 7.05pm
Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
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