2025 Premier B Men’s Team of the Year

Premier B was the VAFA’s most competitive section in 2025, featuring a deep field of top-quality teams that jostled for position all the way to September.

Seven teams entered the final home & away round with a shot at playing finals, with Williamstown CYMS, Old Camberwell and Old Geelong all unlucky to miss, having sat inside the Top 4 at various stages of the season.

Their respective win-loss records (10-8, 10-8 and 9-9) reinforces just how competitive this section was this year. 11 wins were required to play Premier B finals in 2025 (compared to 9 in Premier Men’s, while 10 with a solid percentage would have got you there in Premier C).

Old Ivanhoe and Old Trinity battled it out at the top of the table all year, with the Hoers ultimately claiming the minor premiership on percentage from the T’s. Both finished the home & away season with a 14-4 record, two games clear of Caulfield Grammarians, who overcame a 1-3 start to storm home and win 7 of their last 8 matches.

Old Carey won their last 4 to come from the clouds and snatch fourth spot, having sat seventh just a month earlier.

But the Panthers’ winning streak would be snapped in the First Semi by a white-hot Fields, while Old Trinity seized the September advantage by upsetting the Hoers in the Second Semi to progress straight to Grand Final Day.

Caulfield then rode their wave of momentum into the Preliminary Final, and sent Old Ivanhoe crashing out of the premiership race in straight sets, courtesy of a stunning 59-point win that earned the Fields elevation back up to Premier Men’s next season.

Old Trinity looked to have the premiership decider under control when they led it by 35 points at the major break. But full credit to the Fields, who refused to yield and held the Ts to a single goal in the second half. That ultimately proved to be enough though, as Donald McDonald and his team hoisted the cup by two goals.

The Team of the Year is based on feedback and analysis of the home & away season from coaches, umpires and VAFA Media, and is compiled by our Premier B reporter, Paddy Grindlay.

Here is the VAFA’s 2025 Premier B Men’s Team of the Year:

The premiers provide 4 members of this team, including Coach of the Year, Donald McDonald. Big V duo Christos Manoussakis and Hugo McGlashan (who won the T’s Best & Fairest) are joined in the side by Lachie Mulcahy in one of the key defensive posts.

The other is occupied by gun Caulfield defender Oscar Roberts, who is one of five Caulfield Grammarians in this line-up. He is joined in defence by Matt Clarkson and Charlie Eerhard, who finished second in the Fields’ Best & Fairest to Sam McInerney, who also makes this side, along with veteran forward Julian Dobosz, who booted 29 goals from his 16 games.

Old Ivanhoe have four representatives, led by three-time League Best & Fairest Billy Murphy. What a luxury to have Billy rotating through from a forward flank in a midfield that can only be described as ‘absolutely stacked.’

Such is the depth of Premier B midfield guns that selectors could easily have picked three worthy starting midfields and still have players unlucky to miss!

Fellow Hoers Alex Mirkov joins Murphy in the ruck, with Patty Naish starting on a back flank – these three claimed the podium spots in Old Ivanhoe’s Best & Fairest. Teammate (and VAFA Rising Star nominee) Ryder Mantello gets the nod on a wing, and what a bright future this eye-catching 20-year-old has ahead of him.

Old Camberwell shaped as a likely finalist for much of the season before falling short in the final round. Three Wellers have got a guernsey from the selectors here, with Best & Fairest James Allen starting in the centre square as the Captain of this side, feeding forwards Liam Thomas (who finished second after kicking 57 goals to win the League goalkicking), and Harry Laukens (36 goals).

This high-octane attack also features OM’s B&F runner-up – the ever-reliable Will Nichols – and Zac Provest, who enjoyed his most productive VAFA season with 41 goals for Willy CYMS.

Zac is one of two CYs in this side, along with Best & Fairest winner Will Bokma, who lines up as another gun in our on-ball brigade.

Speaking of guns, Old Carey is providing three for Donald McDonald to enjoy coaching here – Best & Fairest winner Mitch Wooffindin will line up in the middle, with Isaac Ellwood alongside him on a wing, and Luke Kelvie starting across half-back. These three finished on the podium for the Panthers this season and will provide plenty to this side as well.

Old Geelong’s star ruckman Jack Sheridan rounds out this formidable line-up after another superb season that saw him earn Big V selection and collect the OG’s Best & Fairest.

What a pleasure for D-Mac to be able to throw a Sheridan-Mirkov ruck combination at the opposition – two differing styles that provide Donald with the flexibility to create mismatches and exploit any ruck combo lined up against them.

All in all, it’s an extremely deep and talented side, and a particularly tough one to get into. Many more worthy candidates were closely considered, and they can feel unlucky to miss out, but every player picked here certainly deserves the honour.

Congratulations to all who made the team!