2025 Holmesglen Under 19 Premier Team of the Year

The Holmesglen Under 19 Premier division delivered another superb season of action that showcased some of the VAFA’s finest up-and-coming young talent.

St Kevin’s and Old Brighton continued their rivalry from 2024, with SKOB claiming the minor premiership on percentage from the Tonners after both racked up a 15-3 home-and-away record.

Old Scotch and University Blues rounded out the Final 4, with a 3-game gap back to De La Salle in fifth.

Uni Blues eliminated the Cards in the First Semi-Final, but were then knocked out themselves in an unforgettable extra-time Preliminary Final after the Blues stormed home to tie the game in the final term before SKOB steadied to win it in overtime.

The Tonners led the Grand Final at every change to go back-to-back in Under 19 Premier with a 3-goal win.

Each VAFA Team of the Year is based on home-and-away feedback and analysis from coaches, umpires, and the VAFA Media team, and compiled by our Holmesglen Under 19 reporter Callum Farquhar.

The 2025 VAFA Holmesglen Under 19 Premier Team of the Year is:         

Six Old Brighton premiership winners made the Team of the Year, including skipper George Hill, who is also the captain of this side.

He is joined by Sam Fanning and Mason Szonyi in defence, plus Andrew Langworthy and Cooper Dowe up forward. Langworthy was Old Brighton’s leading goalkicker with 36 majors and won the club’s Best & Fairest.

Swiss army knife utility Charlie Richardson (VAFA Anytime Fitness Rising Star Nominee) can provide coverage across all zones and will be a valuable weapon in this line-up with his ability to play at either end and create or solve mismatches.

St Kevin’s also have six representatives, including Coach of the Year Paul Greenham, who led his team to the minor premiership.

He’ll have familiar faces right across the field, with Matt Redenbach lining up at half-back, Johnny Gambaro and Liam Edwards starting in the centre square, and prolific goalkickers Lucas May (55 goals) and Benjamin Palmer (42) up forward.

Palmer won the League Best & Fairest by 6 votes, while May received a Rising Star nomination, as did Old Scotch’s Matt Mayes, who will line up in defence, where his intercept game will be pivotal.

He is one of three Cardinals, with Finn Nankervis and Tom Farrar, who graduated to become a regular in Old Scotch’s Premier Men’s line-up in a sensational debut VAFA season.

Uni Blues also have three members in the line-up – Will Furphy, Carl Ziebarth and Sam Sinnott, who polled 11 votes to finish fourth in the League Best & Fairest.

St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers have two representatives, with Liam Napier (who polled coaches’ votes in 12 of his 16 games) down back and Jai Pugsley (who kicked 32 goals) up forward.

The remaining clubs have one representative apiece – prodigious midfield talent (and another Rising Star nominee) Antonio Giampa from De La Salle, dangerous goalkicker Jude Fountain from Caulfield Grammarians, and the ever-reliable Ted Hansen, who polled coaches’ votes in 14 of his 18 games for Old Xavs this season.

It’s a brilliant line-up packed full of exciting young talent and it augurs well for the VAFA’s senior stocks in the years to come, as those who have tasted the top tier cement their spot and are joined by some of these other young guns who are on the rise.

Congratulations to all who made the final 22 – it was certainly a tough one for selectors to settle upon – and we look forward to watching your footballing journey continue to the next level in 2026.