After ending Kerang’s premiership dynasty on grand final day last year, Nyah-Nyah West United will be hoping to begin a dynasty of their own when season 2025 gets underway next week.
No longer the hunter, but now the hunted, the Demons are once again expected to be one of the teams to beat after retaining the bulk of their premiership winning list.
Jarrod Skinner, who retired from senior football following their grand final win, and Brandyn Grenfell are the only ones of the 22 premiership players that won’t pull on the red and blue this season.
Although Grenfell’s departure for Colbinabbin is set to leave a significant hole in their forward line, the Demons could end up stronger in attack following the additions of key forwards Alex Birch and Nash Richman, with their front half appearing less one dimensional without Grenfell.
Also returning is Dean Harrop, who can play at either end of the ground, and Brady Davidson, who missed most of last season with injury, with NNW United’s depth to further improve as a result.
Also making a return is Corey Daniels, who will return as co-coach alongside Jason Murphy, with Daniels pleased with what he’s seen from the Demons playing group across the pre-season.
“We’ve had great numbers on the track all pre-season, everyone’s invested, everyone’s connected well and they’ve all returned with a positive attitude,” Daniels said.
“We just want to continue to get better, yes we won the flag last year and it was great for the town, great for the community and great for us, but you can’t sit on your heels.
“You have to want to keep getting better and keep improving and we want to raise the bar again.”
Having built a brand over the past two seasons as an attacking team that spreads from contest and links up by hand, the Demons don’t appear to be in any hurry to change their well known – and successful – style now.
The return of the Iudica brothers, Jordan and Lucas, along with improvement from Dom Gallo, Brayden Bigham, Charlie Boulton and Ethan Saville, who has spent the summer playing up north, should once again hold NNW United in good stead through the engine room.
“Our contest and pressure game is definitely something we pride ourselves on, along with being able to explode from the contest with speed,” Daniels said.
“That’s our one wood and everyone knows that, but that’s who we are and we have to keep playing to that strength as well.
“We’ve spoken about the fact that teams will go to work on trying to negate that, but we have to stay true to our DNA and try and counteract it.
“We like speed and speed can be really hard to defend when you do it right, but we also want to continue to improve our foot skills and improve at defending the ground better.
“Because we are that quicker, lighter team, we have to be really good at the contest and that’s something that ‘Murph’ (Jason Murphy) has really added to our game last year, that ability to compete hard and win the contested footy.”
Despite being undersized at times, the Demons’ back six will remain largely the same, with Joel Campbell and Joel Walsh holding down the key defensive posts, with support coming from Campbell Everitt, Jaydyn Stirling and the underrated Zach Threadgold.
Richman, who is expected to start the season as a key forward, also has the capacity to be swung into defence if needed.
The biggest unknown surrounds the availability of finals hero Ethan Curran, who is expected to spend the majority of the season plying his trade with the Bendigo Pioneers following his exploits in last year’s grand final demolition of Kerang, while Max Thompson will also feature in the Pioneers’ under 16s squad this season.
NNW UNITED FAST FACTS
JOINED LEAGUE – 1997
GROUND – Nyah Recreation Reserve
PREMIERSHIPS – 3 (2000, 2001, 2024)
PRESIDENT – Jarrod Skinner
SENIOR COACHES – Corey Daniels and Jason Murphy
2024 LADDER POSITION – Premiers
2024 BEST & FAIREST – Joel Walsh
2024 LEADING GOALKICKER – Brandyn Grenfell (89 goals)
FROM THE COACH
“Obviously, we want to challenge again, there’s no doubt about that and having a pretty stable list is great as well. We should see some improvement from our younger guys, in fact we’re still incredibly young as a group with plenty of guys aged 24 to 16 that we want to see to continue to get better and share in another flag.”
IN’S
Nash Richman (Walkerville)
Alex Birch (South Croydon)
Dean Harrop (Murrabit)
OUT’S
Brandyn Grenfell (Colbinabbin)
Jarrod Skinner
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025
Having taken the Central Murray by storm last season, the Demons will be primed for more of the same in 2025.
Having developed and honed their hard running, fast, take-the-game-on style over a number of years, they aren’t about to change now, especially after the success it has generated for them.
Although the loss of Grenfell will hurt, the inclusion of Nash Richman and Alex Birch should help the Demons spread the load up forward and potentially make them more potent up forward, along with their small forwards Charlie Boulton, Riley Daniels, Liam White and Max Thompson.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Joel Walsh
Stamped his authority as one of the best defenders in the Central Murray with a dominant performance in the Demons 54-point grand final win.
Polled 14 votes in last year’s Jack Betts Medal count, finishing equal sixth, as well as winning his second straight Pat Phelan Medal as NNW United’s best and fairest player.
Reads the play better than most and commands the Demons’ defence with his ability to not only intercept the mark but also run and create many of his team’s attacking plays with his booming right foot.
Is the barometer for the Demons, who will be looking for another big season from their centre half back as they look to defend their title.
BIG IMPROVER
Zak O’Shannassy
Underrated youngster who is already a senior premiership player for the Demons.
Has played 27 senior games over the past two seasons, including 17 last year, and appears ready to have a breakout 2025 campaign.
Used in a variety of roles, O’Shannassy is most affective on the wing and around the contest, where he is able to put his head over the ball and also burst from the pack with speed.
THE BURNING QUESTION
Can the Demons go back-to-back?
Having retained almost their entire premiership winning squad, there’s little doubt that NNW United will be one of the teams to beat this season.
The Demons were underrated by most pundits – including me – last year, but will now be the hunted instead of the hunter, with their ability to handle the scrutiny that comes with being the reigning premier set to be their biggest challenge.
Having a talented, young and locally based squad, which will improve naturally, and combined with big bodied recruits Richman and Birch, should ensure the Demons remain in the premiership window for many seasons to come.
