Werribee’s 2024 Premiership Side Produces Five AFL Debutants
Werribee’s 2024 premiership side continues to leave its mark on the AFL, with Zac Banch becoming the fifth player from last year’s grand final team to debut at the elite level.
The 22-year-old pulled on the North Melbourne jumper for the first time in Saturday’s clash with Sydney at the SCG after being selected in this year’s Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
Banch joins Flynn Young, Jack Henderson, Riley Bice, and Aidan Johnson as 2024 Werribee premiership players to make their AFL debuts in 2025, a remarkable achievement for a standalone VFL club.
Banch started the 2025 season in outstanding form for Werribee, kicking consecutive bags of three goals before setting a VFL record with eight goal assists against Frankston. That form translated quickly at Arden Street, with the small forward averaging two goals across five games in North Melbourne’s VFL side before earning his Round 19 AFL debut.
North Melbourne senior coach Alastair Clarkson delivered the news to Banch in front of his teammates on the Thursday. Named as the substitute, he was activated after Callum Coleman-Jones went down with injury and became North Melbourne player number 1073. Banch played three quarters at the highest level in a match that also featured premiership teammate Riley Bice for Sydney.
Flynn Young, drafted two picks after Banch in the mid-season draft, made his AFL debut three weeks earlier in Round 16 after four VFL games for the Blues.
Young also began as the substitute, coming on at Adelaide Oval against Port Adelaide and collecting five touches in his first outing. Werribee captain Dom Brew and Football Manager Kyle Hartigan both flew to Adelaide for the occasion, joining Young in the rooms pre-match as he was presented with his debut guernsey.
After two more games as sub, Young earned full games against Brisbane and Melbourne. His clash with the Demons was a memorable one as he slotted his first AFL goal with a set shot from outside 50, set up by a pass from Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow. It was also Young’s first AFL win, as Carlton came away eight-point victors.
Riley Bice, Aidan Johnson and Jack Henderson all debuted in Round 1.
Bice, the first mature-age player selected in last November’s AFL Draft at pick 41, made an eye-catching debut as Sydney’s sub against Brisbane, racking up 12 disposals and 304 metres gained from just 31 percent game time at the SCG.
Less than 24 hours later, Henderson and Johnson made their AFL debuts in Melbourne’s three-point loss to Greater Western Sydney at the MCG. Around 30 Werribee players, coaches and staff were in the stands for the game, with most making their way into the rooms pre-match to represent the club as the two were presented with their debut guernseys by Demons great David Schwarz. Both Henderson and Johnson made an immediate impact, each booting a goal in their first AFL outing.
Bice earned his first full match the following week against Fremantle at Optus Stadium and immediately had the AFL world talking. He collected 14 disposals, kicked a last-quarter goal and set up another as Sydney snatched a thrilling three-point win. In his next game, Bice produced a performance worthy of Brownlow votes, gathering 26 disposals and 15 marks under the roof at Marvel Stadium in just his third AFL match.
At this stage of the season, Bice has played 15 games, including the recent clash with Banch, while Henderson and Johnson have played five each.
While the departure of this talent has opened the door for a new wave of players, with 21 debutants already blooded in 2025, it has also cemented Werribee’s reputation as a powerhouse stepping stone from local football to the AFL.
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