VAFA: Division 1 club-by-club previews

See our rolling coverage of every club’s pre-season.

PRESTON BULLANTS

Preston Bullants are backing the kids to succeed and lead the club forward this season.

After positing a 7-10-1 record in Division 1 last season, the Bullants have future-proofed themselves by locking away senior coach Tom Hill for the next two seasons as they aim to take step forward in their development.

The mantra coming out of Ruthven Reserve is to see continuous improvement across the playing group.

“We are looking forward to seeing our young list mature,” Bullants football director Pat Ryan said.

“Training intensity continues to improve. It still has some way to go.

“It’s fantastic to see players who are demonstrating consistent approach with improvement being obvious especially those that have taken advantage of our gym access through our community partnerships.

“This is lifting standards which is great to see.”

Hill and his senior assistant Jim Saunders have been able to stabilise the list in an area of Melbourne which is surrounded by Northern league clubs.

A trio of players have crossed from Parkside after its promotion to Premier C with 2024 Division 1 Team of the Year midfielder Benedict Douglas joined by Dominic Douglas and Steven Logazzo.

There’s also a host of junior stepping up from the junior arm of the club.

“Pressure for spots is increasing in both the seniors and reserves. We will see a more balanced brand of football between offensive and defence to enable us to continue our progression,” Ryan said.

The Bullants gave themselves a platform to build on last season, having the best defensive record outside the top-four.

Their biggest challenge remains putting bigger scores on the board, having the seventh rated attack last season.

Oakleigh will travel to take on the Bullants in the season opener on Saturday, April 5.

BRUNSWICK

New Brunswick coach Jason Reynolds has declared his side hasn’t been promoted in Division 1 to “make up the numbers”.

Reynolds has joined the club after a two-year stint with Ringwood as the senior assistant in the Eastern league but had previously led now former VAFA club Bulleen-Templestowe for four seasons.

Reynolds said he felt the “time was right” for the club to take on a higher standard of competition.

“It’s been incredible,” he said of his first pre-season in charge of NOBS.

“I have coached against them in the past and I had a lot of admiration and respect for how they played. You were always enviable of their depth. Both sides have always been right in the mix.

“I’m hoping to bring a fresh set of ideas and help the club to continue going in the direction it’s aiming for.”

Reynolds’ off-season has been bolstered by an impressive off-season recruiting drive which has seen signings come locally and from interstate.

Ex-Sherwood Districts players Charlie Thorpe and Whitlam Bishop have made the move from Queensland.

“Lachie Pearson has played with the club the last couple of years and he’s from up there as well. He said a couple of his mates were keen to do the same and it all happened from there,” Reynolds said.

“The guys who are here already are real advocates for the footy club and it helps when it comes to trying to get new faces on board.

“Charlie has a lot of versatility, I’d expect him to play him mostly across halfback but he gets himself into really good positions. Really impressive so far.

“Whitlam is more your key position type. His ability to engage with his opponent and read the flight has been a standout so far. I was impressed with his first practice match.”

NOBS have also added ex-North Brunswick pair Fletcher Banfield and Mitch Hicks.

Banfield won the Division 3 league best-and-fairest last year while Hicks was the Bulls’ leading goalkicker.

“The midfield is pretty deep as it is, Fletch is going to add another layer to that,” Reynolds said.

“Having Mitch out on the ground makes my life easier, he’s like another coach. He has natural leadership.

“What’s impressed me is his defensive prowess for a big fella, it’s not something you see all the time.”

Former junior Daniel Mott has also returned to the club after a stint with St Bernard’s in the VAFA’s top grades.

There is also excitement surrounding Andre Jaycock after his time in the Essendon District league.

“Mott has been another standout. He’s very zippy,” Reynolds said.

“He’s got existing friendships which probably helps him to adjust a lot. He’ll extract a lot of footy for us.

“Andre has come on faster than I envisioned. He’ll play as a high half forward and roll through the midfield. His work ethic is something which makes him a real standout.”

In terms of players exiting the club, Tomas O’Farrell has joined Carngham Linton in the Central Highlands league while James Schmidt has headed for Woodend-Hesket.

UHS-VU

UHS-VU isn’t hiding what direction it wants to head in.

In its new 2025-25 strategic report, the Vultures said they “aim to support and promote the ambition of the playing group to participate at Premier C in the men’s competition”.

Now coach Paul Rocke is determined to lead his side towards after finals series after going down by seven points in last year’s preliminary final to Parkside, missing out on a promotion opportunity.

Rocke’s side started the last Division 1 season red hot, winning their first eight games, before eventually dropping to eighth on the ladder.

Overseas holidays and injuries hampered the club’s ability to field their strongest side.

“We really want to go one step further,” Rocke said.

“It’s going to be tight at the top this season and across the competition with how everyone has managed to recruit.

“All of our country guys are back from their overseas holidays, we’ve picked up about 10 new guys but we’ve lost a couple as well.”

Michael Corso is one of the confirmed clearances so far listed by the club after joining from Doncaster East.

“He just adds some stability to our side,” Rocke said.

“We’re not the biggest side but we’re very hard at the footy. We’re not big physically but you can’t fault our attack on the footy.

“We’ve got a new senior assistant coach (Robbo) who is a good friend of mine. He’s the calm one but is a wealth of knowledge for us as well.

“There’s a new ruckman as well who will really help us free up Liam Starzer who has played in there previously. He’s done a remarkable job.”

While the new faces are making an impact, Rocke said Jacob Hunt was “flying” on the track with Harrison Kennedy, Brandon Jackson and Patty Brookes also enjoying strong pre-seasons.

The Dimattina brothers — Ben, James and Matt — have also caught the coach’s eye with the youngest establishing him as “one of the first picked” in the past 12 months.

“We’re going to try and do a few things differently this year,” Rocke said.

“We’ve tried introducing a more free flowing game style which we think can work for us. There’s a good feeling around the club at the moment.”

OLD PENINSULA

New Old Peninsula coach Brendan Dunne can feel the excitement building.

As the start of the VAFA Division 1 season gets closer, Dunne is ready to watch his side in action after an off-season which has continued to build momentum.

The summer has been somewhat of a homecoming for the Pirates senior mentor personally, having started his own open age career with the club back in 2003 before moving into the VFL.

There’s been plenty of new faces com into the club including former Frankston Dolphins duo Will Crowder and Max Kleverkamp.

Key position prospect Jordan Pomeroy has returned after four years with Karingal in the MPFNL.

“We’ve got a small, tight knit group,” Dunne said.

“The returning players and new faces into the group have been able to gel really well. It’s still going to take a little bit for it all to come together but that’s what is exciting.

“Having spoken to the players throughout pre-season, we’ve been able to try them in new positions in match simulation and in training, there is still a period of adjustment.

“Magnets are being thrown around and we’ll probably do the same in the upcoming practice matches.

“Sometimes it can be refreshing to be thrown around as a player when you might have been pigeonholed before.”

Dunne confirmed George Fletcher would again be the Pirates’ captain after making a big impression during pre-season.

“He did a mountain of work before I even arrived in keeping the group together,” he said.

“He’s been awesome, he’s like a coach as well with how he goes about it.

“He’s done a full pre-season for the first time in a few years.”

Old Peninsula opens it season against Monash Blues.

ORMOND

Ormond coach Kyle Pinto feels as if the club’s off-season recruiting is “exactly what was needed”.

An elimination final exit in 2024, the Monders look set to be right in the mix for a place in the top-four again this season.

No senior side won a final last season and it means there’s a clear goal in 2025.

“The goal for this year is to win a final,” Pinto said.

“From a club perspective, we had a good winning percentage last year and we just want to continue our development with the younger guys. We got a ruckman and a key forward, exactly what we were after.”

Flyn O’Toole is the big man who has arrived from Morningside in the QAFL and helps fill a hole along ex-St Paul’s McKinnon key forward Tom Nicholls.

Other new faces include Tom Stait, Will Simon, Jack Toouli and Sean Gunning.

While the recruits look set to make a difference, Pinto is excited by what a couple of young guns could add to the senior side.

“Aaron Taylor played some footy for us early in the season and ended up playing in the Sandy Dragons premiership (in the Coates league),” he said.

“He’s only 19 and he looks set for a big season. Senin Seymour played the first three games of last year with the under-19s, we knew he was a star and then we brought him in.

“He ended up finishing top-10 in our best-and-fairest. Ball in hand, he’s one of our better ball users.

“The challenge is whether you play them or allow them to continue playing with their mates.”

Pinto said across the board there was a positive feeling.

“We’ve got increased numbers and no major exits,” he said.

“We’ve got to continue developing. There’s strong numbers in our 19s and we have a women’s team for the first time in a while.”

MONASH BLUES

New Monash Blues coach Andrew Batten isn't daunted by the task of leading a club which has suffered double relegation in his first senior role.

The Blues are back in Division 1 after dropping down from Premier B across the last two seasons but Batten believes a fantastic opportunity lies in front of the club.

Batten, who coached the under-19s last season before taking over from Dylan Cousins in December, brings a positive energy he is hoping to get through to the playing group.

Cousins stood down from the role due to family and work commitments having been in charge since late 2022.

“I feel like a young person’s coach, I love development and being able to work with this group,” Batten said.

“I’m very thankful the club has put faith in me to help take them forward. We’re going to take the small wins and hopefully the positive mindset can have an impact on the group.

“We have to embrace the challenge which we’ve been deal. I’ve shown the players that being relegated in two straight years has happened before, it’s nothing new.

“And like in the past, teams cane come together and it can turn into success very quickly.”

The Blues will have a very different looking line-up under Batten this season with several regular senior players from last season moving on.

Billy Robertson (Albury), Alex Bennett (Lavington), Jordan Storer (Queensland), Mitchell White (Mooroopna), Nixon Hall (Yinnar), Jack Thomas (Koondrook Barham) and Josh Hall (Mazenod) are all on the departure list.

“We’re trying to get some stability at the moment, a really stable culture and environment,” he said.

“We’re not putting a ceiling on the season we want to create a good, fun environment for our players. You never want to lose good players, you want them to play forever.

“But what an opportunity for some of these other guys to really establish themselves.”

With the university year starting earlier this month, there’s hope Batten might land a few latecomers.

He said it was “absolutely gangbusters” at a training session earlier this week.

“We were trying to think on our feet, there were people everywhere,” he said.

Monash Blues take on Old Peninsula in the opening game of the season.

OAKLEIGH

Walking into Oakleigh, new senior coach Chris Worner immediately felt like it was the club where he wanted to resume his career.

After what he described as a “hiatus” to lead his children’s junior teams, the former Hampton Hammers mentor is ready to lead the Krushers new era.

The club was immediately relegated back to Division 1 after winning just one game in Premier C last season but Worner didn’t get the impression of a club in turmoil.

“After my first meeting with Oakleigh, I immediately liked the atmosphere of the club,” Worner said.

“The hierarchy didn’t make the process stressful, it was a very welcoming environment. One night I thought I coming down to meet three or four of the players and 18 turned up.

“That showed the level of commitment this group had and then I decided to put all of my eggs in the Oakleigh basket.”

There has been some changes to the Krushers’ playing list throughout the off-season, most notably the loss of star forward Aaron Cloke to Black Rock.

Caleb Qumivutia has joined him at the Southern league club while Edward Standish and Harry Boontjez have moved to Murrumbeena.

Joshua Hall has remained in Premier C with Mazenod.

“We haven’t recruited heavily but losing players is something that happens at every club,” Worner said.

“We’re going to get a few guys back from injury which helps to add to our depth. This season is a bit of unknown for me because I’m not from the VAFA.

“I’m feeling confident with the list we’ve been able to put together.”

Worner said he isn’t afraid to give the club’s younger generation a go in the senior side either, if the earn the opportunity.

“We’ve got a few brothers at the club and the younger ones are putting pressure on their older siblings which creates some good competition,” he said.

“Some of the under-19s are probably in our best 18. If you’re between 16 and 19 and you’re in the best 22, I want to give you an opportunity if it’s something you want.”

Worner said there had been good numbers on the training track with between 45 and 50 players each night.

“We’ve usually got enough for match sim with some guys on the bench,” he said.

The Krushers open their season against Preston Bullants away from home.

THERRY PENOLA

A new era has officially arrived at Therry Penola.

After avoiding relegation last season, the Lions have turned to John Tate as the club’s new senior coach to lead what he described as a “very young list”.

It’s somewhat of a full circle moment for Tate personally. He played his first senior game of footy at Therry and will now take on his first senior coaching job with the VAFA club.

He has previous experience as an assistant and junior coach with EDFL clubs Keilor, Strathmore and Tullamarine.

Tate said he had taken a lot away from his time working with Keilor mentor Mick McGuane in shaping who he is as a coach.

“A lot of game simulation stuff. It’s very competitive,” he said of pre-season training.

“It is a really enthusiastic group. It’s a new opportunity for guys under a new coach.

“I’ve been careful not to overload the playing group in the pre-season with the injuries they had last year.”

Tate has turned to one of his former clubs to help bolster the playing stocks as well with the Lions securing 2022 Strathmore premiership star Sean Callander, who is capable of playing at either end.

“Sean Callender – premiership player. With work and injury, he’s had at least one-and-a-half years off.

“He’s got his body right and made himself available to play with his mates that were previously Strathmore boys who have come across over the years.

“He’ll fit in nicely for us.”

Flynn Harvey has returned to the club after his own stint in the EDFL with Keilor Park, while Nathan Thomas is another recruit from Sunbury Kangaroos.

“He was a Therry boy and now he’s back, a small forward. He’ll be good for us when we do get the ball up there,” Tate said of Harvey.

The Lions’ senior list will also be bolstered by several graduates from last year’s under-19s team.

“Thomas Reymers and Jack Viola are two of the guys going really well on the training track, they’ve really impressed me,” Tate said.

Finn Dolan (Oak Park), Lucas McKinnon (Nagambie) and Blake McKinnon (Nagambie) have been confirmed as leaving the club so far.

Therry open their season away to the newly promoted Brunswick on April 5.

ELSTERNWICK

A new era has officially arrived at Elsternwick in season 2025.

Ollie Gildea has stepped into the top job, replacing Peter Higginbotham who stood aside at the end of last season, as the Wickers prepare for a new challenge in Division 1, a level the club hasn’t reached in almost 40 years.

Higginbotham led the club from Division 4 to their current competition after being appointed at the end of 2019 – going onto guide the Wickers through Covid.

Gildea himself has seen the ups and downs of Elsternwick, joining as a player in 2013 before taking on the reserves coaching role to eventually being a senior assistant to the man known as Hugo.

“We barely won a game when I came on board, it was a pretty grim time,” Gildea said.

“It’s amazing how far has come in the last few years and I’m excited to be involved in the next steps of where we are going. I’m still in the formative stage of my own role but there’s a really good vibe around the place.

“Hugo and I had a great relationship, he had a fantastic way of empowering the coaching panel and it’s something which I think has held me in good stead.”

Elsternwick is still working away to finalise its list for the new season with the club hopeful of announcing some new recruits in coming weeks.

There has been three departures from last year’s premiership side including Flynn Brosnan (Tarwin).

“Having only a couple is pretty good for is, sometimes you can have a higher number,” Gildea said.

“We have structures which have held us in good stead but no two years are ever really the same. We do have styles but we can go between those when needed.

“Our mantra last year was proving we belong and that’s something we’re going to focus on again this year.

“It looks like it’s going to be a stacked division.”

Elsternwick opens its season away to Ormond.

Originally published as VAFA: Division 1 club-by-club previews