Written by Jordan Baxter

Forward Jay Dahlhaus is set to play his 50th game for Werribee when he returns to the side for Saturday’s Round 18 clash against Richmond at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, with the first bounce at 1:05pm.

In career-best form across the past two seasons, Dahlhaus’ 14th appearance of the year will see him notch up his 50th career game in what shapes as a crucial match, as Werribee looks to secure its seventh win of the season.

Dahlhaus joined the club in 2021 as an under-22 player and made his debut in Round 1 against Collingwood, recording 10 disposals, six kicks, and three inside-50 tackles. He was presented his guernsey by club life member and former coach Simon Atkins and debuted alongside fellow future 50-gamers Nathan Cooper, Nick Hayes, and close friend and now captain Jesse Clark.

After one more appearance in 2021, Dahlhaus earned promotion to the primary list for the 2022 season, claiming the final spot in Werribee’s 42-man squad.

Werribee Football Manager Mark Micallef credited Dahlhaus for the work he put in to earn his place.

“Jay had to work really hard to earn his spot on the list in terms of his conditioning and
getting his body ready for the rigours of VFL footy,” he said.

“We set some targets for him at the end of last year and he’s gone out and achieved
those with great enthusiasm.”
Dahlhaus enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, playing 14 games and averaging over a goal and 13 disposals per match.

He opened the 2023 season in the Round 1 side but was sidelined for the rest of the year due to injury. He returned in 2024 to play 19 games in a career-best season, finishing with 33 goals, almost doubling his previous best, and averaging 11 disposals, four marks, and three tackles a game.

Dahlhaus played a key role in the 2024 Grand Final victory over Southport, finishing with 13 disposals and kicking two crucial second-half goals in the six-point comeback win.

Reflecting on the win, Dahlhaus said:
“We rallied together at halftime and we really put the pressure on in that third quarter and used our speed and got out the back and we ended up getting on the end of a few goals.”

Dahlhaus was inducted into the club’s leadership group for the first time ahead of the 2025 season and has continued his brilliant form from 2024, having already notched up 17 goals across 13 games. Among them was a career-best five-goal haul in the club’s win over Frankston at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

Werribee will be looking to make it two wins in a row as they return home to face Richmond at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval this week. The 1:05pm game still has limited tickets remaining for the pre-game President’s Function, which can be purchased here.

MATCH DETAILS – ROUND 18
Werribee vs Richmond
Saturday, July 26, 1:05pm
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Pre-purchase your tickets to the game via this link.

Versatile forward Harry Grintell is set to reach 50 games for the Werribee Football Club when he runs out in Saturday’s Round 18 clash with Richmond at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

His 16th match of the season will also mark his 37th consecutive appearance for the club, having not missed a game since the 2023 Grand Final.

Grintell joined Werribee ahead of the 2023 season from the GWS Giants VFL program, where he played 21 games in the orange and charcoal after graduating from the Giants Academy.

Grintell’s first appearance in the Big W came in Round 1, 2023, against Brisbane at Brighton Homes Arena, receiving his debut guernsey from Werribee Legend Bruce Montgomery and debuting alongside fellow premiership player Sam Azzi.

Grintell featured in the opening four games before an injury sidelined him mid-season. After regaining form with a handful of games at Grovedale in the Geelong Football League, he returned to Werribee and played nine of the final ten matches to finish the year. He was called up as a late inclusion for the 2023 Grand Final, where he kicked two goals in Werribee’s loss to Gold Coast.

Starting 2024 in strong fashion, Grintell booted six goals across the first four rounds, including Werribee’s opening goal of the season at GMHBA Stadium, and a Goal of the Year contender up in Southport in Round 2.

Midway through the campaign in Round 10, Grintell was shifted onto the wing in a second-half role against former AFL wingman Brandon Ellis in the clash with the Gold Coast Suns. He finished with 16 disposals and six inside 50s in one of Werribee’s most important wins of the home and away season, and that performance cemented his place on the wing for the remainder of the year.

Grintell became one of just six players to feature in every game of the premiership-winning 2024 season and brought up his 50th VFL game in Round 18 against Port Melbourne, sharing the milestone with Angus Hicks.

Now in his third year at the club, the 23-year-old has been a reliable and versatile option, playing forward, back and through the midfield whenever required, leading to career-high 2025 averages across disposals (14.1), marks (5.1), tackles and clearances.

Grintell kicked off the season with over 20 disposals down back in the opening two games, including a career-high 22 touches against Essendon in the side’s first win of the year. Since moving forward in recent weeks, he has kicked his first goals of the season with a two-goal performance against his former side GWS in Round 15 and followed up with a goal in each of the past two matches.

Reflecting on his time at Werribee after last year’s flag, Grintell said:

“I didn't think we’d be going for two flags in two years (when I came down from GWS), but it was a really good effort and a massive shout out to all the Werribee fans and Werribee staff, they are unreal.”

Werribee will be looking to make it two wins in a row as they return home to face Richmond at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval this week. The 1:05pm game still has limited tickets remaining for the pre-game President’s Function, which can be purchased here.

MATCH DETAILS – ROUND 18
Werribee vs Richmond
Saturday, July 26, 1:05pm
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Pre-purchase your tickets to the game via this link.

Werribee will be looking to make it two wins on the bounce as they return home this Saturday.

At Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee will host their penultimate home game of the 2025 season, with the first bounce at 1:05pm.

The home side snapped a five-game losing streak last Sunday and come into the clash in winning form. The reigning premiers saw three more debutants added in the win, taking the season tally to 21, as they produced a strong four-quarter effort at Coburg City Oval to run out 20-point winners.

The result lifted Werribee to 14th on the ladder, coming up against a Richmond side sitting ninth, again, the same position they finished in last season.

Richmond returns from a Round 17 bye, having last played in a 27-point loss to Southport, a match that saw the Tigers feature 17 VFL-listed players.

It will be the first meeting between the two sides in 15 months, with Werribee winning by 21 points in their Round 3 matchup last season.

The first bounce is at 1:05 pm, with the game also streamed live and free on the AFL app and AFL.com.au. Click here to watch the game live.

MATCH DETAILS - ROUND 18
Werribee vs Richmond
Saturday, July 26, 1:05 pm
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Round 18 Match Centre

Watch live at afl.com.au

Werribee returned to the winners’ list at VFL level with an impressive 20-point victory over Coburg away from home, snapping a five-game losing streak. At local level, several Werribee-listed players stood out across their competitions, with four named in their side’s best and a couple making strong returns from injury.

Read how the seven Werribee boys fared in the 16th edition of the Weekly Player Report.

Geelong Football Netball League:

Josh Sanders - Lara
Returning for his first game in a month, Josh Sanders picked up right where he left off and was named in Lara’s best players in the inexperienced side’s 68-point loss to Grovedale. He worked tirelessly to collect 25 disposals, five tackles and two intercept marks in a solid comeback performance from roughly 70% gametime.

Tylar Watts - Leopold
Also returning from a month on the sidelines, Tylar Watts made an impact in tough conditions in Leopold’s low-scoring draw with South Barwon. Splitting his time between ruck and forward, Watts was especially effective in his two quarters as a ruckman, finishing with 16 hitouts and 11 disposals. His work rate around the ground was particularly impressive, shown by his three intercept marks.

Goulburn Valley Football Netball League:

Anthony Depasquale - Kyabram
Anthony Depasquale played a key role in Kyabram’s 120-point demolition of Benalla, splitting his time between deep and high forward. He was involved in a number of scoring chains, and finished with 15 disposals at 80% efficiency, four marks (three contested), and the one goal. A heavy fall in the third quarter slowed him slightly, but he played out the game and looks to have pulled up fine.

Dom Gugliotti - Mooroopna
Despite Mooroopna’s heavy loss to Shepparton Swans, Dom Gugliotti was named in the best players for his side. The rebounding defender gathered 27 disposals at 81% efficiency, pulled in 10 marks (three intercepts) and provided plenty of drive from the back half in a polished performance.

Northern Football Netball League:

Cam Wild - Hurstbridge
Cam Wild delivered one of his best games for the season to help Hurstbridge to a 21-point win over West Preston-Lakeside. Named in the best players, Wild’s pressure, aggression and team-first approach stood out. He finished with 12 disposals, with nine contested, four clearances and four tackles in a physical midfield effort that was celebrated post-game by teammates.

Ballarat Football Netball League:

Rye Penny - Bacchus Marsh
For the second week running, Rye Penny was named among Bacchus Marsh’s best players and pulled down a mark-of-the-year contender in defence. His intercept marking and spoiling were crucial in slowing Darley’s forward launches. Penny finished with 11 disposals, three contested intercept marks and four one-percenters in another strong showing down back.

Isaac Nixon - Bacchus Marsh
Isaac Nixon was kept under close attention in Bacchus Marsh’s 17-point loss to Darley but still competed hard, ending with four tackles up forward and hitting the scoreboard for a goal from his nine disposals, which included eight contested.