The Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL) is comprised of two divisions: the Championship Division and the Community Division.
These competitions are designed to allow those currently living with a disability to play in a competitive, adaptive version of Australian Rules football.
Who is in the team?
Championship Division ⎯ Our Primary list consists of Josh Christian, Will Crooks, Martyn Ford, Ben Jankovski, Sam Maraldo, Patrick McKay and Anthony Perito.
Utilities ⎯ Our Supplementary list includes Brad Axford, Troy Hawkins, Alex McKay and Arnold Razon.
Community Division ⎯ Our Secondary list consists of Matthew Blunt, Aaron Cutajar, Jack Elliott, Iain Paech, Kylie Prestwich, Kaine Sinclair and Michael Telban.
Who will lead the team?
Collingwood’s key forward, Ben Jankovski will captain the Championship Division team, with support from Vice-Captain, Anthony Perito.
Defender Troy Hawkins has once again been selected by his peers as captain of the reigning premiers Community Division side and will be supported by Jack Elliott as Vice-Captain.
Who will coach the teams?
Andrew Paddle will return as coach for both teams this year.
Paddle has recently tasted success as Head Coach of Victoria Metro at the 2024 AFL Open Champions and led the Pies to victory in the 2024 Community Wheelchair Grand Final against Richmond.
He also played an integral role in Collingwood’s VWFL premierships as a player in 2019 and 2021 and has been coach since 2022.
Who do we play?
The VWFL is comprised of five teams that are aligned to AFL clubs including Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Richmond, and St Kilda. The five teams battle it out over 10 rounds, followed by finals.
Collingwood had a bye in Round 1, and will play their first game of the season in Round 2 this Sunday 25th of May at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville against Hawthorn.
You can view the full fixture here.
Can I attend?
Yes! Entry is FREE.
All games are played at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville, except for Rounds 5 and 9.
Round 5 will be played at RSEA Park in Moorabbin and Round 9 will be held at Geelong Leisuretime Centre.
How are the teams placed?
The Championship Division side finished as runners-up last season and will be looking to go one step further in 2025. With their sights set on the title, they’ll need to build on their impressive form and overcome the defending champions, Richmond.
The Community Division side will begin 2025 as reigning premiers for the first time and will be eager to defend their flag and maintain their dominance at the top.
How can I watch or attend?
All games will be live streamed via the Victorian Wheelchair Football League Facebook page.
How do I stay connected?
For all the latest news, scores and highlights, follow Collingwood’s AFL handles on X, Facebook and Instagram.
The Community Foundation website is updated regularly with the latest Community stories, and information on Collingwood Wheelchair Football.
