In the first week of the 2025 Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL) Finals, both of Collingwood’s adaptive football divisions - Championship and Community - secured their place in the prelims.
For the Senior side, it was a must-win Elimination Final against Essendon.
The Pies gradually found their rhythm; more and more with each quarter after a slow start, to finally put the Bombers away by the time the game reached the third term.
The backline again was solid in defence, with the defenders competing relentlessly in their one-on-one’s and keeping Essendon to 11 goals for the game.
But it was centre Martyn Ford who was the glue that connected the team.
His ruck taps from the backline Brad Axford and Josh Christian to the forwards Patrick McKay (8) and Ben Jankovski (4) ensured the Pies always got first access to the ball.
Ford’s contributions helped the team score seven unanswered goals in the premiership quarter and ensured the Pies maintained control for most of the game with his team-first attitude.
Overall, it was a four-quarter team effort that secured Collingwood’s place in the Championship Division’s preliminary final against Richmond this Sunday 10 August. 
Community Division
The Community Division knew they had a big challenge ahead of them going up against the minor premiers, Richmond, in the Qualifying Final.
The winner to be rewarded with a spot in the big dance – but it was the Tigers who proved too strong.
Coach Andrew Paddles threw everything at the wall.
Paddles changed the line-up as much as his rotations would allow within the VWFL classification system, but found no answers to the yellow-and-black attack.
Defenders Alex McKay, Matthew Blunt and captain Troy Hawkins had arguably the biggest challenge of the day, keeping Richmond at bay for as long as they could.
But ultimately, the team was unable to convert on the scoreboard, with Arnold Razon (4) finishing the match as the Pies’ top-scorer.
While the scoreboard didn’t fall in the Pies’ favour, the team gained valuable insights to learn from ahead their upcoming preliminary final against Essendon.
The clash this Sunday 10 August, will be the side’s last chance for the side to qualify for the 2025 VWFL Grand Final.
VWFL - Championship Division
COLLINGWOOD 15.8 (98)
ESSENDON 11.4 (70)
Collingwood (Championship) won by 28 points.
GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD: Patrick McKay (8), Ben Jankovski (4), Sam Maraldo (2), Anthony Perito (1)
ESSENDON: Caleb Logan (7), Scott van Gemert (4)
VWFL - Community Division
RICHMOND 11.5 (71)
COLLINGWOOD 7.7 (49)
Richmond (Community) won by 22 points.
GOALS:
RICHMOND: Bryant Parsons (5), Mark Titford (5), Corin Murphy (1)
COLLINGWOOD: Arnold Razon (4), Troy Hawkins (2), Michael Telban (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.
