
From formation to A-Grade: Old Geelong Women’s makes history
Old Geelong Football Club opened its 2025 season in historic fashion, with its women’s side marking their first year in the William Buck Premier competition with two wins straight out
The VAFA congratulates the 49 players selected in the Big V Premier B-Division 3 Men’s initial squad ahead of the clash against the Bendigo Football League at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo on Sunday, July 13.
Former Big V player and Fitzroy coach Luke Mahoney has taken the reins for a second consecutive season, having led the side to a thrilling 13-point victory at Elsternwick Park in 2024.
This unique team represents five different sections of the VAFA Men’s competition from Premier B to Division 3. Luke and his coaching panel found this year’s squad selection even more challenging than last year.
“We got there in the end, but it wasn’t easy because of the increase in talent, especially in our Divisions, which really stood out to us. There were a lot more options this year,” said Mahoney.
“Being our second year doing the exercise, we had a better starting point with our whole coaching group on board again. We have a clear understanding of how we want to play, so we knew who to target and why, which was a big advantage for us.
“We grouped players into the roles we know we need – for example, running backs, inside mids and outside mids. We then saw plenty of footy live and on tape and worked our way through those groups.
“We’re very happy with where we’ve ended up, given the quality we’ve got. It’s a good, well-rounded, balanced squad.”
Mahoney also has a better understanding of the opposition.
“Bendigo surprised us with their launch ability off half-back last year,” he said.
“They got a lot of momentum from their rebounding defence, which caught us unawares a bit. They got their transition going, so we have to be mindful of that on the longer ground at QEO, which is suited to more run and carry.
“We’ll adjust accordingly and also have some very good running rebound defenders to consider – the likes of Nathan Ligris and Matt Clarkson – that could perform a similar function for us.
“Our overall mantra is fit, fast and flexible.
“We know Bendigo’s midfield will likely be a strength for them and ours will be for us too. We have three very handy rucks in our squad – Alex Mirkov, Jack Sheridan and Boston Dowling. So we’ll have some big decisions to make about how we structure our ruck division. Our forward line set-up might partly dictate that.”
Mahoney has a healthy mix of returning players and fresh faces in his initial squad.
“We have around 10 guys who played last year – a good core group who know each other and us as coaches. Plus, we have another half-dozen or so who were in the 2024 squad but didn’t play. We can lean on our leaders – what worked well last year? What can we do differently?
“Then, we have a big injection of fresh talent as well, which is exciting. This Big V experience can be something they’ll treasure in their footy careers. Something they can look back on in future years with pride, knowing they were part of this particularly significant year – the Big V Centenary – which adds a special layer to what’s already an incredible privilege.
“Last year, we were all about embracing the history of the Big V and being able to attend the Friday Big V lunch was a real eye-opener for our players. They immediately realised that this is not a ‘kick and giggle.’ There is a lot of history and stories created over a century of competition, and they will write their own against Bendigo.
“They will make some great connections beyond their own club. When you pull on the Big V, you join a new club – the Big V Club – and with that comes new connections and memories.
“I personally got so much out of that as a player and am really looking forward to the Big V Gala on the Thursday night. There will be plenty of guys there that I played with and coached over the journey, so to catch up with them will be special.
“The Big V experience is something unique to our competition. It means more to the VAFA than rep footy does to some other comps.
“When our players walk into that room full of 800 people, they will immediately understand the privilege they have earned to become a part of 100 years of football history.”
“And bringing it back to a pure football perspective, our Big V program is a fantastic opportunity for the guys coming in from the lower divisions to showcase their talents and challenge themselves at a higher standard of footy. They’ll go back to their clubs as better players and hopefully take great confidence from this experience.
“Enthusiasm is our starting point. We want every player to arrive at camp with a real positive attitude and embrace the experience. We all know that 49 doesn’t go into 22. But each player has the opportunity to shape this experience for themselves and what they get out of it, irrespective of whether they make the final cut.
“There will be chances to take positives away from what we provide throughout the program. It might be a little thing they can take back to their club – a new drill, a new idea, a conversation with a team-mate or a coach.
“We will focus on connection and getting to know each other. As we get closer to gameday, we’ll layer in simple messages around how we want to play. Each player has his own understanding of what they’ll need to do week-to-week to prepare, and we’ll bring it back a fair bit to a style they can adapt to. We’ll train those specifics in our last couple of sessions.”
All sections are represented, with:
Training begins next week and will include five sessions between now and gameday in Bendigo on Sunday, July 13.
VAFA BIG V PREMIER B – DIVISION 3 SQUAD 2025
Thomas Wilson | Albert Park |
Harry Flack | Aquinas |
Riley Virtue | Beaumaris |
Callum Linehan | Beaumaris |
Riley Mihailovic | Beaumaris |
Blake Williams | Box Hill North |
Fletcher Banfield | Brunswick |
Seb Gotch | Canterbury |
Archie Loughnan | Caulfield Grammarians |
Matthew Clarkson | Caulfield Grammarians |
Darcy Lowrie | Fitzroy |
Nathan Ligris | Fitzroy |
Max Waters | Kew |
Adam Tomaro | Marcellin |
Matt Fewings | Mazenod |
Lachie Harker | Old Camberwell |
James Allen | Old Camberwell |
Liam Thomas | Old Camberwell |
Luke Kelvie | Old Carey |
Jack Sheridan | Old Geelong |
Michael Nicholls | Old Geelong |
William Horsfall | Old Geelong |
James Adams | Old Geelong |
Alex Mirkov | Old Ivanhoe |
Will Nichols | Old Melburnians |
Ned Nicholls | Old Melburnians |
Sam Laube | Old Melburnians |
Christos Manoussakis | Old Trinity |
Boston Dowling | Old Trinity |
Louis Davidson | Old Trinity |
Hugo McGlashan | Old Trinity |
Charles Beasley | Old Trinity |
Jackson Hille | Ormond |
Oliver Green | Parkdale Vultures |
Matt Holden | Parkside |
Mitchell Baker-West | PEGS |
Max Kleverkamp | Old Peninsula |
Bailey Payze | Old Peninsula |
Luke Green | Preston Bullants |
Benedict Douglas | Preston Bullants |
Ben Murphy | St Bedes/Mentone Tigers |
Mitchell Rowe | St Bedes/Mentone Tigers |
Mitch Barry | St John’s |
Sean Callander | Therry Penola |
Harry Davis | Wattle Park |
Ben Ablett | West Brunswick |
Jordan Busuttil | Williamstown CYMS |
Will Bokma | Williamstown CYMS |
Zachary Provest | Williamstown CYMS |
The VAFA Big V Premier B-Division 3 Men’s squad will be trimmed to 23 in the lead-up to the match against Bendigo FNL on Sunday July 13, at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo, which will be live-streamed at VAFA.com.au.
Book your tickets today for the 2025 Big V Gala Dinner, presented by CitiPower – a landmark event celebrating 100 years of Big V Representative Football.
This prestigious event will bring together past and present players, coaches, officials, club representatives, partners and supporters for a night of celebration, storytelling and recognition of the proud legacy of the Big V.
Date: Thursday evening, 10th July 2025
Location: CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park
Tickets: $195 per person (includes three-course dinner, beverages & entertainment)
Old Geelong Football Club opened its 2025 season in historic fashion, with its women’s side marking their first year in the William Buck Premier competition with two wins straight out
The VAFA Club Connect Club of the Month award recognises a VAFA club who through its actions both on and off the field, best exhibits the values of the VAFA,
The VAFA congratulates Griffin Box from Aquinas OC Football Club who has been nominated as the Round 8 Anytime Fitness Men’s Rising Star. Griffin has polled coaches votes in 5