As pre-season training returns for the 2025 season, Werribee's playing list continues to take shape, with the club thrilled to announce that premiership forward Angus Hicks has re-signed for the upcoming VFL season.

The 25-year-old forward joined Werribee last season from Richmond’s VFL program and made an immediate impact, both on and off the field.

Before making his club debut, Hicks was inducted into the leadership group for the 2024 season, having made the switch to Werribee after serving as Richmond’s vice-captain in 2023; “I was in the leadership group at Richmond but I wasn’t expecting that”, Hicks said prior to the season.

“It’s pretty humbling that everyone decided they wanted me in the group. There are so many great leaders.”

Although his pre-season preparations were interrupted by injury, Hicks made his Werribee debut in Round 2. In a thrilling encounter against Southport, he kicked the winning goal, converting a clutch set-shot after winning a holding-the-ball free kick inside 50, and securing a three-point victory for Werribee.

A best-on-ground performance against Williamstown on ANZAC Day kickstarted a standout stretch of form between Rounds 5 and 8, where he averaged 20 disposals and over two goals goals per game.

As Hicks played his 14th game of the season in Round 18 against Port Melbourne, he also marked his 50th VFL game, a milestone seven years in the making for the forward.

Despite suffering an injury in the dying stages of Werribee’s Round 19 loss that threatened to sideline him for the finals, Hicks worked his way back to recover in time for the Grand Final, and was the sole inclusion for the premiership decider. The experienced forward played a pivotal role in the team’s draught-breaking victory, being the third-highest rated player on the ground after half-time as Werribee mounted their second half comeback.

Finishing his first year at the club as a premiership player, Hicks capped off the Grand Final winning season with career-highs in goals and disposals, booting 14 goals and averaging 16 touches in his 16 games for 2024.

Football Manager Ash Collins spoke on the significance of Hicks’ leadership and experience for the 2025 campaign, stating; “Having one of our leaders like Angus back with the group is huge. He's really experienced at this level, and with the likes of Nick Hayes, Nathan Cooper, and Nick Coughlan departing, he'll play an important role in leading our team in 2025."

The Werribee Football Club is proud to confirm our long-standing partnership with Melbourne Avalon Airport will continue until at least the end of 2027.

Having recently become known as Melbourne Avalon Airport, the facility offers travellers a convenient and time-efficient service through pocket-friendly airfares. As its slogan says, it’s flying made easy.

With significant growth over the past decade, the airport has become the first choice destination for many local Geelong and Wyndham residents, for both domestic and international travel.

Having commenced its support of the club in 2011, Werribee’s traditional Chirnside Park home has since become known as Avalon Airport Oval.

This recent rebrand means the venue will be known as Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval from 2025.

Werribee FC CEO Mark Penaluna says “Melbourne Avalon Airport continue to be a wonderful partner of the Werribee Football Club.”

“It’s always been clear to us that both our club and the airport are very much aligned in terms of being at the forefront of the local community and nurturing excellence in all areas of our organisations.”

“We can’t thank Ari and the rest of the Melbourne Avalon Airport team enough for their ongoing support of the club, and we’re excited to be able to continue the success of our partnership.”

Ari Suss, Acting CEO of Melbourne Avalon Airport, is thrilled to continue the partnership.

“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting local communities, nurturing talent, and fostering growth in the region,” he says.

“We are invested in the success of the region and we are proud to contribute to the Werribee Tigers’ success. Together, we are building a lasting legacy of excellence both on and off the field.”

In 2025, We’re Going Again … Are You? Purchase your Werribee FC membership HERE.

‘It is a fitting end to an incredible season for the club” those words summed up President Martin Carter’s feelings in announcing that senior coach Jimmy Allan and Football Manager Ash Collins have signed till the end of the 2026 season.

‘Everyone at the club has celebrated the premiership success and rightly so, but now it is time to look ahead and we have the two best football people secured. I hope supporters will become members, members will re-sign early and the community joins us to share in this very exciting time for the club”

Training and planning for the 2025 season is well under way for both Allan and Collins along with the finalisation of the playing list and changes to staff. Allan is very pleased with how things are developing. 

“The premiership changed where we are as a club in many ways but internally it has not changed our values, work ethic and commitment. For Ash and I having the stability of this long-term commitment allows us to focus on our core objectives for the club. We are grateful that the Board has seen fit to extend our time and we’re excited about the opportunity to continue to play our part in leading the club forward. The 2024 premiership is now part of the club’s rich history. Let’s move onto the next chapter.’       

Photo: AFL Photos.     

Werribee’s Operations Manager Zach Thornton who has spent seven years with Werribee has left to pursue a new career in the music industry with Good Neighbour, part of the Mushroom Group.

A proud City of Wyndham local, Thornton’s association with Werribee Football Club began well before his full-time employment. As part of a university placement in 2015, he worked as an intern under Mark Penaluna. A few years later, a chance meeting with the Werribee CEO at Eagle Stadium, while Thornton was working for Western Leisure Services, led to his appointment as a casual Match Day Manager for the 2018 season.

In his first season in 2018, Thornton worked from portable offices located at the back of Avalon Airport Oval while the venue underwent extensive redevelopments. Returning in 2019, as the upgraded facilities opened, Thornton’s role also advanced as he secured a full-time position as Memberships & Match Day Manager.

Throughout the challenges to the competition posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the cancellation of the entire 2020 season and the latter half of 2021, Thornton remained working with the club and emerged from the pandemic as Werribee’s Operations Manager following the 2022 season.

Looking back on his time at the club, Thornton said, “I'm incredibly proud to have been part of such an important institution in my hometown these past seven years.”

He added, “Pena and WFC have been very kind to me and if I can depart with the belief that I've left an imprint on the club for the better then I leave a happy man.”

Mark Penaluna, the man who brought Zach to the club in 2018, said, “Zach will leave a significant hole but a positive legacy with our club, possibly none more so than how he carried himself as a young man during the COVID pandemic. We wish him absolutely the best with his future endeavours.”

Replacing Thornton is Sam Wharton, who brings prior experience from fellow standalone VFL club Port Melbourne and most recently, the not-for-profit organisation Reclink. Wharton has already spent six weeks settling into his new role.