The Werribee Football Club's licence to be a part of the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition has been accepted.

We are delighted to be part of this very exciting new chapter in second tier football. We see Werribee as an integral part of the football landscape and look forward to playing our part on and off field. More details and thoughts coming soon.

AFL RELEASE

The AFL has today confirmed 22 licences for the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition with clubs to be based in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria all confirmed to line-up in 2021.

The largest second-tier football competition in Australia is set to begin in April next year and will consist of a 16-round season, providing all players with a premium standard of football.

Confirmed licences

Standalone Second-Tier Clubs: Aspley, Coburg, Frankston, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne, Southport, Werribee, Williamstown

Standalone AFL Clubs: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Footscray, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, North Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney Swans

Aligned Clubs: Sandringham, Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons

The VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition will integrate into a streamlined calendar for men’s football with the 2021 NAB League Boys, with both seasons set to begin in April, running concurrently with the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

All clubs will have connections to community clubs and pathway programs, including a varied alignment to Under-19 NAB League Clubs for Victorian-based teams.

The name of the competition will be announced in the coming weeks with the competition to maintain a strong connection to the heritage of the respective Hard Yakka / Totally workwear VFL and Toyota NEAFL competitions and the communities who support them.

The VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition will sit alongside the SANFL and the WAFL in 2021 to provide players with the highest level of second-tier football. The AFL will continue to work with all AFL Clubs on their non-selected AFL players ahead of their respective 2021 seasons.

The AFL will continue to work closely with AFL NSW / ACT and AFL Queensland to ensure the continued development and progression of premier men’s and women’s competitions in the State and Territory.

The salary cap is set at $200,000 for standalone clubs and $100,000 for AFL and aligned clubs. As previously communicated, there will be no license fee payable by any club to participate in the 2021 Second-Tier Competition with the AFL to subsidise all approved Club travel for interstate matches.

A date for commencement of pre-season training ahead of the 2021 season will be advised in due course.

The AFL will continue to review all arrangements including return-to-train and return-to-play protocols in consultation with clubs, the various State Governments and respective Health Officers to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in this competition remains the priority.

In this edition, 25 years on, we remember the events of 1995. Then General Manager Ivo Havard gives the story from inside the club while Ken Gannon talks about being on the other side of what transpired. The Chirnside Park Rally and more.

The official podcast of the Werribee Football Club, hosted by Kevin Hillier

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Post-Production by Chris Visscher | Southern Skies Media

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Half a dozen Werribee Football Club players have journeyed north to take part in the 2020/21 Northern Territory Football League season which kicks off this weekend.

Dane McFarlane, Shaun Mannagh, Brodie Newman and former Werribee player Brydan Hodgson have all linked up with Premier League side Wanderers, while Dom Brew and Tom Boyd will line up for the Nightcliff Tigers in the top tier. All have completed a mandatory 14-day quarantine period and have been named for their respective side’s season opener.

First-year Werribee defender Jesse Clark will also feature in the competition for the Southern Districts Crocs and will be available for selection when he exits quarantine next week.

Werribee Football Manager Stuart Balloch said: “It’s great for these boys to have the opportunity to play some footy in 2020, in what has been a tough year on many fronts back home in Victoria.

“Getting match fitness up in the NT over the next few months will give them all a great platform to hit the 2021 VFL season with form and momentum.

“With limited exposure available this year due to COVID-19, being able to showcase their ability will also help them be identified on the talent player pathway, which is something Werribee was not able to provide in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“We wish them the best of luck, and look forward to welcoming them back home ahead of an exciting 2021 season.”

Werribee has recorded the second biggest win in its VFA/VFL history, piling on 27 goals to beat Northern Bullants by 160 points at Preston City Oval on Sunday. The victory was Werribee’s third in a row, moving them up to seventh on the ladder after six rounds of the 2021 campaign.

HOW IT HAPPENED

It took just 90 seconds for Werribee to kick its first goal of the game with Nick Hayes getting on the end of a deep forward 50 entry from debutant Ariek Lual. Lual came into the side for captain Michael Sodamaco and impressed early as did another first gamer in Ryan Kemp who kicked two first quarter goals in his season debut. Kemp, Wylie Buzza and Harry Stubbings each kicked two majors in the swashbuckling opening term which saw the Big W lead by 60 points at the first break.

Scoring wasn’t as free flowing in the second quarter with the first goal not coming until the 12-minute mark via Stubbings. Buzza and Kemp also continued to trouble the Bullants defence as they both booted their third majors in the term, while defender Max Spencer added his name to the goals list as Werribee’s total neared three figures at halftime.

With eight individual goal scorers in the first half, it was surprising that Shaun Mannagh’s name was absent from the list as he eventually finished as the game’s leading goal scorer with five. Mannagh opened his account seven minutes into the third quarter, and it didn’t take long for him to add a second. Kemp’s fourth took the lead beyond 100 points while Werribee’s defence limiting the Bullants to a single point in the term, also contributed to the commanding three-quarter time lead.

The visitors rounded out the game by piling on eight fourth quarter goals with the first four coming in the first 10 minutes and the last four over the final seven minutes of the term with Matt Lobbe inserting the exclamation mark on the dominant display by goaling after the final siren.

GOALS
Werribee: S. Mannagh 5, W. Buzza 4, R. Kemp 4, H. Stubbings 3, N. Hayes 3, K. Gray 2, K. Declase 1, H. Garoni 1, J. Henderson 1, D. Brew 1, M. Lobbe 1, M. Spencer 1
Northern Bullants: J. Boyd 1, F. O’Dwyer 1

BEST
Werribee: S. Mannagh, W. Buzza, M. Hanson, N. Coughlan, L. Pinnuck, H. Stubbings
Northern Bullants:

KEY PLAYERS
Matt Hanson: 32 disposals, 14 handball receives, 5 tackles, 10 inside 50s
Tom Gribble: 32 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 5 tackles, 6 inside 50s
Wylie Buzza: 25 disposals at 84% efficiency, 8 marks (2 contested), 12 hitouts, 4 goals
Louis Pinnuck: 24 disposals, 6 marks, 4 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s
Shaun Mannagh: 20 disposals (16 kicks), 6 marks, 7 inside 50s, 5 goals
Harry Stubbings: 20 disposals, 11 marks (1 contested), 3 goals, 4 score assists
Nick Coughlan: 16 disposals (13 kicks), 6 marks (2 contested), 8 rebound 50s

NEXT MATCH
Werribee vs Sandringham
Saturday May 29
1pm at Avalon Airport Oval