FOOTBALL
THE Redbacks will be looking to pounce this season, after falling short on a grand final spot last season.
Wedderburn’s senior coach Tom Metherell said it’s early days to have a goal for the season.
“Yeah, it is very early to tell,” he said. “It’s quite a tough competition in the North Central Football League. Many teams recruited well.
“It’s an old cliche but you do take it week by week.
“We have recruited quite well and only lost a couple of players so we expect to be strong.
“We would love to be there on the day, but there is a lot of work to be done.”
Wedderburn have made some changes to their side just to improve on some areas on their team but overall their team is the same.
With some players including 2014 VFL premiership winning player Mitch Jensen, who last played with Diggers Rest and captained them to a premiership back in 2023.
Other players include Jesse Guelfo and Josh Hall who all have family members that had put on the black and red stripe jersey, so those two will be watched closely by the locals.
Another player is Dane Keukan who was a former Redback in 2023, and has returned to Wedderburn after a season with the Strathfieldsaye Storm.
Former under 19 AFL Victorian Country representative Zach Pallpratt will be joining the Redbacks as well, after winning the 2024 premiership with Sandhurst in the Bendigo Football League.
Metherell has claimed a lot of the players have family or friends in Wedderburn.
“Yeah, they are all settling in well. They had family or friends that brought them here, which made the transition a lot simpler for the boys,” he said.
“It’s not like they are entering a team with 40 new faces. They all knew the lads well prior to joining so the transition was very easy for them.”
WEDDERBURN
JOINED LEAGUE: 1950
GROUND: Donaldson Park
PREMIERSHIPS: 8 (1951, 1968, 1970, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
PRESIDENT: Chris Hargreaves
SENIOR COACH: Tom Metherell
2024 LADDER POSITION: 3rd
2024 BEST & FAIREST: Jackson McEwan
2024 LEADING GOALKICKER: Tom Campbell (48 goals)
FROM THE COACH
“Yeah, these are very exciting times for Wedderburn.
“We will be a lot more set in stone this year with our new clubrooms.
“We missed half of last year due to the rebuild and we played the first six games away.
“So there’s a little bit of continuity of having home games, which will be good for the players.
“The league has gotten a lot stronger. A lot of clubs are getting better, so there won’t be any easy weeks which will be good for the competition.
“It’s also pretty good for our younger group too.”
PLAYER TO WATCH
Hamish Lockhart: “A player that has come in leaps and bounds, Hamish got a lot of midfield minutes last season.
“He has not missed a session this year and has put in a lot of work to be better.
“Will be very interesting to see how the young fella goes, he is still trying to find a way into senior footy.
“He has realised the work that has to be done, and he has done that, so he should be able to reap the benefits come game time.”
INS & OUTS
INS
Ben Bacon (White Hills)
Joshua Hall (Marong)
Mitch Jensen (Diggers Rest)
Dane Keuken (Strathfieldsaye)
Lachlan Maher (Bridgewater)
Jye Mortlock (Nattee Bealiba)
Jake Pallpratt (White Hills)
Zach Pallpratt (Sandhurst)
Mark Robinson (West Brunswick AFC)
Aaron Smith (Currie)
OUTS
Jaidyn Berry (Maiden Gully)
Tom Campbell (Sandhurst)
Jesse Douglas (Officer Senior)
Jordan hargreaves (North Bendigo)
Jacob Piccoli (North Bendigo)
Jarred Postile (Clunes)
Kobe Uddin (Karingal Bulls)
Tyson Webster (Maiden Gully)
NETBALL
WEDDERBURN are looking towards making it two in a row this season after their dominant performance in the A grade last season.
Susie Lockhart has stated that it will be the aim for making it two in a row.
“Definitely, back-to-back is the aim for us, so that is what we will aim towards this season,” Lockhart said.
With the signings of Paige Ryan and Kelsey Pallpratt from Sandhurst along with Sophie Cockerell from Lake Wendouree, their goal could be achievable this season.
PLAYER TO WATCH
“It’s a tough one for me to choose, but I believe our 2024 best fairest Maddison Postile along with our newest signings will be great to watch this season.”
