It’s our second last home game of season and we host the Northern Bullants at Avalon Airport Oval this Saturday.

Werribee are in red hot form coming into the clash gunning for our tenth win in a row when we run out for the 2:05 clash on Saturday.

Northern Bullants are currently 21st on the ladder but have already equalled their wins tally from the whole 2023 season. Last weekend the Bullants put in a valiant effort but ultimately fell to wildcard-placed Frankston by 28 points.

This Round 17 outing has the added attraction as the club celebrates its second 100 game milestone in two weeks. Following Louis Pinnuck’s 100th game Jack Henderson will become the latest centurion on Saturday. The durable former Geelong Falcon debuted in Round 1, 2018 and since has played 99 of a possible 100 games. Henderson has taken his game to a new level this season following the departure of veteran midfielders Tom Gribble, Matt Hanson and Shaun Mannagh. His consistency saw him rewarded with selection in the Smithy’s VFL representative team as the Big V returned to state of origin footy against the SANFL earlier this year. 

Additionally this weekend will feature the annual WFC Ladies Day, complete with a pre-game luncheon, guest speakers, and more. 

GAME DAY DETAILS 

Gates open from 12:30pm. 2024 members have free entry. Entry for non-members is $10 for adults and concession $5. Kids under 16 are free.

Pre-purchase your tickets to the game via this link.

MATCH DETAILS – ROUND 17
Werribee vs Northern Bullants
Saturday, July 20, 2:05pm
Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Round 17 Match Centre.

Watch live at afl.com.au

As Werribee run out to play the Northern Bullants this Saturday star midfielder Jack Henderson will become the second Werribee player in two weeks to reach 100 club games. 

The 100 game milestone and Werribee life membership awaits the durable midfielder who has played 99 of 100 possible games since his VFL debut.

Henderson has taken his game to another level this season following the departure of veteran on-ballers Tom Gribble, Matt Hanson and Shaun Mannagh. Henderson is averaging 23 disposals, six tackles and five clearances in the midfield, and has kicked 10 goals. Henderson’s consistency was  rewarded with selection in the Smithy’s VFL representative team as the Big V returned to state of origin footy against the SANFL earlier this year. 

Henderson signed for Werribee in 2018 the club’s first standalone season since 1999. A Geelong Falcons’ graduate, Henderson was originally from the New South Wales country town of Blighty and a junior with Deniliquin before moving south to attend Geelong College, where he won the school’s football best-and-fairest award. 

Henderson's first coach John Lamont was impressed during his first pre-season with the club stating "He’s a good kick, has good speed, and finished in the [Falcons] top-10 in the best and fairest in a premiership year, so we think he can have a positive impact in 2018." Consequently the young defender was awarded his VFL debut right away playing in Round 1 against Geelong. 

Playing as a lockdown defender in his VFL debut Henderon was matched against Geelong’s Gryan Miers in the Easter game at Torquay. He was named in Werribee’s best players, finishing with an efficient 11 disposals, five marks and five tackles. In his opening four games Henderson was also given the duties of marking AFL talent in Shai Bolton and Lachie Schultz, with the defender keeping Bolton goalless and restricting him to just eight touches in a stellar defensive performance that earned Henderson best-on-ground honours. 

His debut season was capped off by Henderson being awarded best first year player for Werrribee and playing all 18 games.

In 2019 coach Mark Williams moved Henderson forward, where he made an immediate impact, kicking four goals in Round 1 as Werribee won against North Melbourne. Henderson carried that goal kicking form throughout the season ending with 24 goals and named in the VFL Team of the Year. 

In 2020 with the VFL paused with COVID lockdown, Henderson took off to South Australia where he played eight matches for the SANFL's Sturt alongside his Werribee teammate Darcy Bennett. With the resumption of VFL football in 2021 he returned to Werribee and was the youngest inductee into the leadership group at the age of 21. It also saw his first exposure to midfield time, showcasing his speed and loose-ball gets and capped off the campaign with a third placed finish in the club best-and-fairest. 

Henderson has continued to feature in Werribee's leadership group each season from 2021 onwards. His consistency on the field has resulted in top-10 finishes in the club's best-and-fairest awards during those years. Additionally, in 2023, he was honoured with the Coaches Award for his outstanding contributions.

Senior coach Jimmy Allan spoke of Henderson’s character ahead of his milestone game; “Jack is a heart and soul player who has earned a great deal of respect at our football club. His work rate, courage, football nous and skill level make him a dream to play with and coach”.

Werribee made it nine wins in a row after defeating Coburg at home on Saturday.

At Avalon Airport, in the second of three consecutive home games, an eleven goal to three second half meant Werribee ran away 79-point victors 19.16.130 to 7.9.51. 

The day was made more special as the club celebrated star defender Louis Pinnuck’s 100th game. Pinnuck ran through a banner with a helping hand from coach Jimmy Allan’s son, Teddy (pictured below), and was chaired off by his teammates Dom Brew and Jack Henderson who share 100-game milestones in 2024. Pinnuck went about his work as per usual and tallied seven marks bringing him to third in the league for 2024 plus 16 disposals.

Coburg got off to a fast start booting the first goal in the opening three minutes, but Kobe Annand courtesy of a 50-metre penalty got Werribee on the board. Dom Brew, in typical Dom Brew fashion, won a holding the ball free kick to boot his second goal of the season. The game  was a back-and-forth contest until late in the quarter when Angus Hicks snapped a goal, followed by a set shot from Hudson Garoni, giving Werribee a 14-point lead at the first break. 

Riley Bice had a big first quarter gathering 10 disposals and six marks off half-back, while Dom Brew found seven disposals, four clearances and laid four tackles. 

In similar fashion to the first term Coburg kicked the opening goal of the quarter to narrow Werribee’s lead to nine points. Neither side was able to hit the scoreboard for the next 12 minutes, until Hudson Garoni stood up with a contested mark inside 50 to kick his second goal of the game and kickstart a run of three goals to close out the half. Dom Brew laid another tackle inside 50 for a second holding the ball free kick, and converted his second goal of the match. Zac Banch also found the goals crafting a stoppage goal from nothing to give Werribee a 28-point lead at half-time.

At the main break, Bice had 18 disposals and an impressive ten marks. Harry Grintell was also having a strong game on the wing gathering 14 disposals.

After letting multiple opportunities go begging in the first half, Aidan Johnson opened the second half with a big contested mark and two set shot goals within the first two minutes. Zac Banch followed with his second goal, capitalising on immense forward pressure. Hudson Garoni then kicked back-to-back goals, bringing his tally to four for the day and moving him back up to third in the Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal count.

To close out the term Jack Henderson in game 99 snapped truly from the boundary to kick a goal with his 18th disposal. This capped off a six-goal-to-none quarter, extending Werribee's lead to 68 points by three-quarter time. 

Coburg started the last quarter with the first two goals, however consecutive majors from Michael Selsby stemmed the flow. Selsby a late inclusion for Nick Hayes has been in great form with Yarraville Seddon Eagles in the Western Football Netball League averaging 27 disposals, eight clearances, four tackles and a goal per game over the last month. The small forward in his first VFL game of 2024 ended the afternoon with nine disposals and two goals.

Zac Banch notched his third goal of the day before Jack Riding closed out the game with a set shot goal and goal assist in the space of three minutes. Riding’s handball to Banch gave the first-year small forward his fourth of the day on the final siren. 

His four-goal effort earnt Banch the Totally Workwear Player of the Round. To go with his career-high four majors he gathered 17 disposals, 11 score involvements and another two score assists. 

Riley Bice ended the afternoon with a team-high 29 disposals to go with 14 marks and nine intercept possessions off half-back.  

Harry Grintell had his best game since moving to the wing, picking up 20 disposals, six inside 50s and five tackles. While the usual contributors in the midfield Dom Brew and Jack Henderson led the way with 27 and 25 disposals respectively and each hitting the scoreboard.