The Werribee Football Club is thrilled to announce that 2022 co-captains Tom Gribble and Dom Brew have both re-signed for next season.   

The duo took over the Werribee captaincy this year in place of long-time skipper Michael Sodomaco. 

In 2022, Gribble joined the list of 100 game players at the club before going on to win both the J.J Liston Trophy and Bruce Montgomery Trophy for the second time in his career. 

Brew embarked on his sixth year with the club this past season and averaged a career high 20.1 disposals per game while again finishing as one of the competition’s leading tacklers.  

Football manager Mark Micallef said the pair led well together and grew in the role over the course of the season. 

“Both Tom and Dom displayed strong leadership this year and we’re excited to see their continued development as leaders in 2023 and beyond,” he said. 

“Tom obviously had an outstanding year on the field winning a number of individual accolades and has a strong desire to add to his football CV with team success at Werribee. 

“Dom wears his heart on his sleeve with his passion close to unrivalled, he’s not only a key player on the field but the empathy he has for his teammates off it is just as big an asset.” 

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.

Werribee has retained a mix of key position talent, leadership and quality with Nathan Cooper, Nick Hayes, Josh Porter and Bior Malual all re-signing for 2023. 

Hayes and Porter, both 28, are two of the team’s elder statesmen with Hayes having played footy across three different states while Porter has now had three stints in the VFL with Werribee.  

The pair offered great versatility in 2022, South Australian-native Hayes was again crucial in the forward half with his ability to play up the ground or close to goal while Porter provided sure hands in attack and plenty of minutes as a back-up ruckman. 

Hulking fullback Cooper enters his third year at the club and will be hoping for some continuity with his footy next season after a COVID-year and then an injury-affected 2022 that limited him to 12 games.   

Malual is approaching 50 games for the club after breaking through at VFL level in 2019 and will again be relied upon for his dash and as one of the side’s best kicks.   

“It’s great to have these four guys re-commit for another season as they’re all hugely important to us at both ends of the ground,” Werribee football manager Mark Micallef said.  

“Josh and Nick are two of our most experienced players and are so important to our forward group thanks to their football IQ and ability to direct and educate our younger players. 

“Nathan is one of our key posts down back and was terrific early in the season before going down with injury while Bior is crucial to the way we play with his hard running and beautiful ball use.” 

Meanwhile Ollie Hanrahan recently informed the club he will take some time away from football in 2023 after deciding to focus on cricket over the next 12 months. 

Harahan joined Werribee after five seasons in the AFL with Hawthorn and was a quality addition for the club with his class on full display in several matches in 2022, most notably against his former club Box Hill in round 19.  

Hanrahan will appear for Hawthorn Kingston in Victorian Premier Cricket this summer and then plans to spend next winter playing in England. 

Picture (left to right): Josh Porter, Nathan Cooper, Bior Malual, Nick Hayes.

Werribee has locked in four key pieces for next season with Kye Declase, Shaun Mannagh, Jack Henderson and Hudson Garoni all re-signing with the club.

Declase and Mannagh both earned the VFL Team of the Year honours for the first time in 2022 before finishing second and third respectively in this year’s Bruce Montogomery Trophy, while Henderson and Garoni are two of the club’s standout players under the age of 23.

After spending the second half of 2021 with AFL premiers Melbourne, Declase returned to Avalon Airport Oval this past season where he enjoyed another stellar campaign on the wing.

Mannagh built on a brilliant first season for the club to again be one of the team’s best offensive weapons while also showcasing his versatility as a damaging midfielder.

Henderson again played a variety of roles to great effect and is yet to miss a game since his debut in 2018, making 65 consecutive appearances in black and gold.

Meanwhile, Garoni topped Werribee’s goal kicking for the first time in 2022, kicking five majors on three occasions as well as tallying the second most contested marks in the VFL.

Werribee football manager Mark Micallef said the re-signings were great news for the club.

“We’re extremely delighted to have some of our key pillars in Kye, Shaun, Jack and Hudson all re-sign for 2023,” he said.

“They have been outstanding performers for the club over recent seasons and each has the potential to take their game to another level and help us achieve our on-field goals.

“For us it was fantastic to see an unwavering commitment from all four to want to remain at the club and be a part of success here.”

Picture (left to right): Jack Henderson, Shaun Mannagh, Kye Declase, Hudson Garoni.