It’s been 216 days since a team in the blue and blue last took the field, and in that time, the Animals have seen a vast number of changes, with personnel changes including Glenn Hopkins and Mel Dell’Olio taking over as men’s head coach and women’s head coach respectively, and Cam Gardner as club president, with Greg Rollo-Walker his vice. Capping off a busy off-season includes an official name change that’s been years in the making. Wattle Park AFC will run out onto the field for the first time in the club’s history on a massive day for Round 1, which will be full of firsts. 

On-field, a quadruple header awaits the Animals Family on Saturday as all four teams face Elsternwick, with the Seniors wrapping up proceedings for Wattle Park AFC’s first ever home game under lights when they run out onto Bennettswood Reserve at 4:45pm. 

But it’s the Thirds who will begin the Animals’ 2023 campaign at 9:20am, followed by the Women at 11:40am and the Reserves at 2pm. Off-field, the social calendar kicks off with two big functions as we open our doors for Past Players Day at 12pm before our annual Thank God It’s Started event begins at the final siren of the last game of the day. 

After rather large recruiting efforts in preseason, there is no shortage of players donning the blue and blue for the first time this weekend.

THIRDS

Gideon Sands returns as Thirds coach this season for her second official year at the helm, and has named eight debutants to pull the jersey on for the first time. Sam Cordy begins life as an Animal in the ruck, while Scott McCarney joins an elite midfield at his feet and James Nelson slots straight into half-forward. Rounding out the new players are Jacob Mitchell, Noah Heydon, Patrick Leevers, Tyson Henry and Seunghyeon Lee, who will start the game on the bench. Joe Caldow has been named captain, with Adam Jopling and George Burgess rounding out the leadership group as vices. 

RESERVES

An Animals favourite in Josh Webb has the reins for the Reserves side this year, and he’s selected five debutants to take the field. Jack Hernan joins a backline of many names already familiar to the Animals Family, and the midline has been overtaken by three new recruits in Mitch Lamb, Harrison Jones and Connor Xipolitos. A tough forward line awaits the opposition and is bolstered by the addition of Matt Humphrey. Returning player Ray Kuhnell will run amok in the middle, playing his first game for the Animals since 2019’s heart-breaking Seniors preliminary final loss. Captaining the Reserves this year is the younger Anthony Smith, with Matthew Price and Isaac Waite his vices. 

Stalwart backman Baxter Newbegin will play his 50th game for the club. 

WOMEN

With new coach Mel Dell’Olio making his official debut, nine players will make their club debuts this weekend, including three who will play their first ever game of football. Emma Turner and Caity Power join an already stacked backline, while Clover Hart has her name written all over the wing. Fresh off a three-goal haul in the practice match, Blaire Preddey debuts at full forward for her first game ever, with Elli Haylock providing run at half-forward and Jas Adern in the pocket. In her first game as an Animal, Jemima Clancy starts as rover, while rounding out the debutants are Tegan Murphy and Chanelle Delarue on the bench. Ebony Ratcliffe takes the field for the first time as captain, with Lilli Fogarty and Rhiannon Stute rounding out the leadership group. 

Inaugural women’s players Sheridan Harris and Bridget Monaghan will make club history when they pull on the jersey for the 50th time, the first two to reach the milestone. 

SENIORS

Under brand new lights and in front of VAFA cameras, new coach Glenn Hopkins will field a rather new-look Seniors squad, with some familiar faces making their return to the side and, going against the grain, just one debutant. Reece Luehmann, who last played for the Animals in the 2019 Reserves grand final, and Sean Drummond, whose last senior game was in 2017, have been injected into an already very strong backline, while Tom Hernan will play his first game in the blue and blue in the forward line. Returning as captain is club stalwart Harry Davis, with Nathan Bird and Hugh Schaeche joining him as vices. 

Wattle Park AFC’s season kicks off with a huge day on Saturday and there is nowhere else you’d want to be. Get down to Bennettswood Reserve and cheer on your favourite Animal!

Head to our Instagram for the full lineups here and a rundown of Saturday’s schedule.