Photo: Jack Elliott (left) and Andrew Paddle (right) dominated in the Community Divison, with four-goal hauls.
The Wheelchair Magpies’ deliver disciplined performances across both divisions, as key contributors continue to emerge.
Championship Division
Collingwood battled to find their rhythm early, but a late surge came in the third quarter when forwards Ben Jankovski and Anthony Perito clicked into gear, putting unanswered scoreboard pressure back on the Hawks.
Their burst of energy shifted the game’s momentum and gave the Pies a much-needed spark heading into the final term.
The duo was supported by another impressive outing from the 2025 Community Best & Fairest winner Michael Telban, who continues to grow in confidence in just his second game at Championship level.
Telban’s improvement was evident in his decision‑making and clean ball use, while Jankovski’s consistent work rate and leadership helped steady the side during key passages of play.
Debutant Louis Rowe also impressed, adding a fresh dynamic to the backline and proving to be an asset in the weeks ahead.
Despite the result, Collingwood’s effort never wavered, and the group will take plenty from the contest as they look ahead to their clash next week with St Kilda.
VWFL - Championship Division
COLLINGWOOD 9.8 (62)
HAWTHORN 15.5 (95)
Hawthorn (Championship) won by 33 points.
GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD: Sam Maraldo (4), Ben Jankovski (3), Anthony Perito (2)
ESSENDON: Yassin Hill (8), Finn Broadbent (7)
Community Division
It was a strong response from the Community team as they bounced back from their Round 1 loss against Essendon with a composed and connected performance.
Captain Jack Elliott produced the highlight of the match with a classy finish from an almost impossible angle.
The play began with a sharp vision handball to Mattthew Blunt, before surging forward to get involved again. When the return handball came, Elliott gathered cleanly and snapped truly, capping off an instinctual passage of play.
Elliott and Andrew Paddle finished with four goals apiece, forming a dominant forward pairing that Hawthorn struggled to contain.
Paddle presented as a strong presence all game and helping steer the team’s ball movement with calm direction.
Together, the trio set the standard for a disciplined and connected performance and with their confidence rising, the Community side will aim to carry this momentum into Round 4 to secure back-to-back wins against the Saints.
Community Division
VWFL - Community Division
COLLINGWOOD 8.7 (55)
ESSENDON 3.4 (22)
Collingwood (Community) won by 33 points.
GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD: Jack Elliott (4), Andrew Paddle (4)
ESSENDON: David Ralph (2), Ash Burn (1)
The Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL) provides Victorians with a physical disability the opportunity to play in a competitive and adaptive version of Australian Rules football.
WHEELCHAIR FOOTBALL Find out more on the team here.
