Werribee Centrals will become the first team in the modern era to field three open-age teams after entering a team in the Western League’s third-grade competition.
The Centurions have introduced an extra side to the club to accommodate record numbers at Galvin Park, which saw over 20 players missing a game at times in 2024.
“We probably ended up with more (players) last year than we expected to have,” senior coach Rhyce Prismall said.
“We have a – which we’re really proud of – a friends and mates culture; everyone wants to bring their mate down for a run.
“It’s a really exciting time that we can finally have the opportunity to not turn people away.
“We haven’t actively recruited for the last three years, which is good for us, but it’s also hard when people just want to come down and have a run.”
Prismall says first-year reserves coach John Diker felt the pressure at selection last year, especially when leaving out players who had done most of the pre-season.
“It used to cause him a lot of stress and anxiety, knowing that we don’t have bad people at the club,” Prismall said.
“So the people you’re telling they’re not playing, they’re normally really good clubmen and really good at all the functions and family members have been involved in the club,” Prismall said.
“So we’re looking forward to less of those conversations this year, and providing opportunity, especially for ex-juniors, (and) kids who come up when they’re 18, that might not be ready for senior footy because we expect to be a top-end sort of side.”
The ‘thirds’ competition has been run by the Western League for several years, hosting Glenorden and North Sunshine’s ‘senior’ teams, with sides from Bacchus Marsh and Eynesbury also participating.
Matches are played across the weekend, including Friday nights and Sundays, opening the door for Saturday workers to have a kick.
“I was a part of Keilor Footy Club when they were getting theirs up and running, and I look at their success now,” Prismall said.
“Their thirds have played in every grand final and their reserves have only lost a handful of games in almost a decade.
“I think it just makes the club stronger on a whole and makes us a bit of a destination club in the area.”
X: @krockfootball
