With all football returning across metropolitan Melbourne 15 Werribee-listed players were able to return to their local clubs last weekend. Several players continue to push for a VFL berth with consistent form at the lower level.

GEELONG FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Max Augerinos featured in the best for St Mary’s as they defeated Bell Park. Augerinos gathered plenty of the footy with 29 disposals and was brilliant at the clearances.  The 43-pont win over Bell Park means St Mary’s continue to keep the pressure on top placed Colac.

Meanwhile, Geelong West continues to keep pace with the top three sides with a large contingent of Werribee-listed players helping the Giants to their third consecutive win.  

Emmanuel Ajang continued his great form in the weekend’s 39-point win over Newtown & Chilwell with another high possession game while also laying nine tackles and kicking two goals.  Ajang has now figured in the best in five of his six matches for Geelong West this season.

Phillip Moi Moi and Lachie Taylor were just as important in the win for the Giants with Moi Moi utilising his pace up and down the ground while also displaying solid decision making.  Taylor had a strong performance on the wing collecting 19 possessions and was involved in multiple scores.

Unfortunately, Tylar Watts only managed a quarter of football after being concussed in a marking contest in the first term and as a result took no further part in the game.

WESTERN REGION FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Werribee and Districts beat St Albans for their sixth win of the season with the help of Dan Neilson and Connor Thar.

Neilson played 90 per cent game time as a key forward and competed hard all day, often up against a double team.  He kicked a goal and rotated through the ruck in a team-first display.  Thar started well before copping a knock that would limit his output, however he still finished with 20 disposals.

Archi Manton produced another good showing as Yarraville Seedon suffered a narrow four-point loss to Sunshine.  Manton booted four goals for the fourth time this season to be one of the Eagles’ best.

James Edmonds and Liam Holtz-Fitz also featured for Yarraville Seedon with the former creating several chances but struggling converting only kicking one goal, while Holtz-Fitz showed flashes in several roles.

BALLARAT FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Two of Werribee’s more mature players went head-to-head on the weekend with Ryan Pendlebury’s Melton South taking on Matt Brett’s Darley.  Pendlebury’s side took the four points with the 28 year-old having a major say with more than 30 touches and 10 clearances.

Brett started on the wing but was soon forced into defence with Melton South’s full forward proving hard to stop. Brett was able to help quell his impact, however the Panthers celebrated a 28-point win.

VICTORIAN AMATEUR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Fitzroy suffered a heavy loss at the hands of University Blacks but Darcy Bennett had another big day in the ruck. Bennett dominated the hit outs and was in the best for the third match in a row.

St Bernards enjoyed their first win since late April with a 49-point triumph over Collegians with Edyn Sibbald kicking two goals to help the Bulldogs to their third victory of the campaign.

GOULBURN VALLEY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tom Boyd was again amongst the best for Shepparton as they went down to Rochester by 64 points.  Boyd restricted former Port Adelaide and St Kilda utility Logan Austin to two goals and little influence.

Werribee Football Club has received a major off-field boost securing a State Government grant that will assist the club to navigate the remainder of this year’s VFL season and some of 2022.

The club has secured $130,000 in funding through the Strengthening Victoria’s AFL Development Pathways Program set up to help Victorian VFL clubs recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Werribee was one club that strongly advocated for a funding package for second tier clubs set to compete in a restructured VFL competition that now includes teams from NSW and Queensland.

The club’s CEO Mark Penaluna met regularly with Member for Werribee and Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas, over a period of 12 months following the cancellation of the 2020 VFL season.

Penaluna said it was fantastic to be a successful recipient of this State Government funding.

“We are very thankful to the Victorian Government for making this money available and for granting our application successful,” he said.

“We have been fortunate to have ongoing financial support from our sponsors and members, but like all clubs we have taken a significant financial hit in the last year without any football being played in 2020.

“This money gives us the opportunity to plan with some degree of confidence for the next few months and as we move into 2022.”

Werribee and Victoria’s other six standalone VFL clubs received the maximum level of funding.  AFL-affiliated VFL clubs - Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons, and Sandringham - each received $65,000.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Martin Pakula, announced the recipients on Sunday.

“The VFL has a famous history in Victoria and provides an important bridge between local football and the AFL,” he said.  These grants will help our clubs build on their legacy and recover strongly after a coronavirus wipe-out in 2020 and further disruptions this year.”

The funding will help reimburse clubs for costs related to complying with COVIDSafe protocols and practices, as well interstate travel required as part of the new VFL competition.

Werribee will play its first interstate game on the weekend of July 24 & 25, traveling to the Gold Coast to face Southport Sharks.

Werribee has continued on the from it showed pre-lockdown, registering a fourth straight win with a 48-point triumph over Greater Western Sydney in its first match following the three-week VFL shutdown in Melbourne.

Werribee: 3.3 10.3 11.5 15.8 (98)
Great Western Sydney: 4.0 5.2 6.4 7.8 (50)

GOALS
Werribee: S. Mannagh 3, W. Buzza 3, N. Hayes 1, R. Kemp 1, D. Brew 1, H. Garoni 1, M. Hanson 1, J. Henderson 1, M. Lobbe 1, A. Lual 1, B. Malual 1
Greater Western Sydney: Z. Sproule 2, J. Riccardi 2, Z. Youlten 2, T. Bruhn 1

BEST
Werribee: M. Lobbe, M. Sodomaco, S. Mannagh, J. Maishman, T.Gribble, J. Henderson
Greater Western Sydney: A. Baker, M. Buntine, J. Peating, R. Angwin, N. Shipley, X. O’Halloran

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was almost the perfect start with Werribee opening the scoring just over a minute in when Wylie Buzza goaled from a free kick at the top of the 50. Werribee’s next goal didn’t come until the 18-minute mark via a left-footed snap from Matt Hanson which handed back the lead to the home team after GWS had registered back-to-back majors. However, the Big W’s second lead wouldn’t last long with the Giants adding two more in quick succession, one of those a second for former Werribee player Jake Riccardi. Buzza replied soon after with his second before Ryan Kemp and Nick Hayes failed to make the most of late chances.

Hayes made no mistake when the next opportunity presented, converting early in the second term and five minutes later Jack Henderson snapped truly after a superb tap from Buzza, from a boundary throw-in. While it was Buzza showing off his ruck craft on this occasion, Werribee would soon make the most of Matt Lobbe’s dominance in the centre of the ground. After Zach Sproule handed the Giants the lead again Werribee dominated the final 20 minutes of the half as Lobbe’s ruck work, combined with the efforts of Hanson and Joe Maishman in the midfield, saw Werribee nail five straight goals to go into halftime up by 31 points.

Just two goals were scored in the third quarter. Werribee struggled with its final kick going inside 50 early on in the third and when rain started to fall at Avalon Airport Oval, it made scoring tougher even with Tom Gribble and Michael Sodomaco continuing to drive the Big W forward. Werribee’s lone goal came with a minute remaining with Shaun Mannagh finding Bior Malual deep inside 50. From goal provider Mannagh would then deliver the spark the hosts needed to put the game beyond doubt. After Werribee were held scoreless for the first eight minutes of the last, Mannagh soccered through his second major and then moments later booted a third from a set shot. Ariek Lual added his first Werribee goal late in the match, while Lobbe capped off another strong display with a major of his own.

KEY PLAYERS
Tom Gribble: 30 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 7 clearances, 6 marks, 4 tackles
Shaun Mannagh: 23 disposals (16 kicks), 8 marks, 5 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 3 goals
Joe Maishman: 22 disposals, 10 handball receives, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 5 tackles
Michael Sodomaco: 21 disposals at 90% efficiency, 5 marks, 4 rebound 50s, 3 inside 50s
Matt Lobbe: 19 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 9 clearances, 42 hit-outs, 5 tackles
Nick Hayes: 17 disposals, 8 marks (2 contested), 4 inside 50s, 4 tackles, 1 goal

NEXT MATCH
Werribee vs North Melbourne
Saturday June 26
12pm at Arden Street Oval