The Hampden Football Netball League has unveiled a 41-man training squad ahead of its Under 23 interleague showdown with the Ballarat Football Netball League later this month.
The two competitions will again contest the Clinton Baulch/John Northey Cup, meeting for the fourth consecutive year at Reid Oval on May 23.
The Bottle Greens will be coached by Nathan Vardy, with the North Warrnambool premiership mentor supported by a strong panel including Adam Dowie, Ben Cunnington, Chris McLaren and Dan Nicholson.
All ten clubs across the league have earned representation in the initial squad, highlighting the depth of emerging talent across the competition. Preparations will ramp up over the coming weeks, with the group set to train at D.C. Farran Oval and Reid Oval in the lead-up to the clash.
Training Squad
Camperdown: Myles Sinnott, Jonty Lafferty
Cobden: Gus Walsh, Luke Smith, Kurtis Baker, Archie Taylor
Hamilton Kangaroos: Will Povey, Hamish Cook, Ethan Knight, Brodie Phillips
Koroit: Mac Petersen, Thomas Baulch, Connor Byrne, Jett Grayland, Des O’Keefe, Jag McInerney
North Warrnambool: Harry Keast, Charlie McKinnon, Lachie Wines, Zac Everall
Port Fairy: Lucas Edmonds, Hamish Hobbs
Portland: Charlie Piergrosse, Jack Walsh, Kade Lovell, Jamieson Ballantyne, Chad Finck
South Warrnambool: Sam Rhodes, Archie Stevens, Sam Marris, Hudson Owen, Myles McCluggage
Terang Mortlake: Xavier Vickers, Tyler Vickers, Ryley Hutchins, Sam Kenna
Warrnambool: Liam Bidmade, Amon Radley, Reggie Mast, Rhys Buck, Riley Holloway
A new junior female football academy will be launched this season, providing a clear pathway for players to develop their skills and reach their full potential, with the aim of progressing into both league and state talent programs.
The Harvey Norman / Premix Concrete Talent Identification Program will feature approximately 30 female footballers aged 15 to 17, selected from across the Western Victoria Female Football League. The initiative is designed to identify and nurture emerging talent, offering players access to high-quality coaching and development opportunities.
The aim of the program is to improve the opportunities for players, giving them every chance to realise their potential and compete in elite talent pathway programs such as the V/Line Cup, Coates Talent League, VFL Women’s, and AFL Women’s.
The squad will be led by current Koroit Football Netball Club senior coach Joe McLaren, who brings an extensive football résumé. McLaren enjoyed an AFL playing career with St Kilda Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, is a Life Member of the Hampden FNL, and has recently held a squad coaching role with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.
He will be supported by assistant coach Pat Sherlock, along with a range of guest coaches contributing throughout the program.
The academy will focus on refining technical skills, enhancing decision-making, and developing game strategies through ball-centred activities and modified match play scenarios. This approach is designed to create an engaging, high-performance learning environment for all participants.
Importantly, the program aims to support the continued growth of female football in the region, providing meaningful opportunities for young athletes to advance along the talent pathway. It also seeks to inspire the next generation to follow in the footsteps of local success stories such as Emma Kearney, Jess Rentsch, and Maggie Johnstone, all of whom have progressed to AFLW lists.
Squad List
South Warrnambool
Arlie Kelson
Charli Jago
Ellie Hughson
Holly Whealan
Lila Evans
Tahlia Vessy
Lexi Lee (Port Fairy)
Niamh Ginley
Hamilton
Ruby Clever
Kirby Vise
Taya Sherlock
Cavendish
Anika Pohl
Mikala Pohl
Leayla Pohl
Matilda Mason
Niketa Wass
Ava Murrihy
Warrnambool
Star Jackson
Lucy Howland
Dekotah Ellis
Scarlett Pearce
Terang
Nikaiah Murfett
Maddie Wallace
Tayla Bell
Koroit
Eliza McDonnell
Ella McLaren
Eve Covey
Mia Robertson
Zoe Dobson
Lilly Shand
Elsie Finnigan
Anny Baker
Portland
Lidia Thomas
Charlee Coates
The Hampden Football Netball League is pleased to confirm its coaching appointments for the upcoming 2026 South West District Football League Junior Interleague Carnival, to be held in Portland on Sunday, May 17.
The League will again field four teams in the one-day carnival, with Hampden West and Hampden East sides competing in both the Under 14 and Under 17 age groups.
Hampden West teams will feature players from Hamilton, Portland, Port Fairy, Koroit and South Warrnambool, while Hampden East will draw its squads from Camperdown, Cobden, Terang Mortlake, Warrnambool and North Warrnambool.
The League is delighted to announce the following coaching appointments for 2026:
Justin Impey (Portland) will return for a third consecutive season as coach of the Under 17 Hampden West team, continuing his strong work with the region’s emerging talent.
North Warrnambool’s Aaron Ross has been appointed coach of the Under 17 Hampden East side, bringing valuable experience and football insight to the role.
Respected Hamilton junior coach Tim Robertson will lead the Under 14 Hampden West team, recognised for his proven commitment to player development.
Stephen Sinnott (Camperdown) will take charge of the Under 14 Hampden East side, adding further experience and leadership to the program.
League President Shane Threlfall said the appointments provide a significant boost to the League’s junior pathway.
“We’re thrilled to have four passionate and dedicated coaches leading our interleague teams this year,” Threlfall said.
“Each brings great experience and enthusiasm, and we’re confident they will play an important role in developing our next generation of Hampden players.”
The HFNL is looking forward to another strong showing at the South West District FL Carnival, with interleague football continuing to play an important role in the development of young footballers across the region.
Life Member: Aaron Sinnott
Club: Camperdown
Games: 263
Position: Centre
Number: 8
Harvey Norman Warrnambool has come on board as the latest recruit to the Hampden Football Netball League, joining as a sponsor for the 2026 season.
Led by Electrical Department proprietor Ian Meyer, Harvey Norman Warrnambool will support both the Hampden FNL and the Western Victoria Female Football League throughout the season.
The partnership will see Harvey Norman Warrnambool named as the Volunteer of the Year sponsor in the Hampden FNL, while also becoming the Senior Women’s Competition grade sponsor.
Harvey Norman is Australia’s leading retailer of computers, electronics, furniture, and appliances. At the Warrnambool store, customers can explore great deals on the latest technology, including laptops, mobile phones, TVs, home theatre systems, and cameras from all major brands. The store also offers an extensive range of furniture for living, dining, bedroom, and outdoor spaces, along with mattresses, manchester, and homewares.
Customers can visit in-store, shop online, or use click-and-collect, with expert advice and service available across all departments.
Hampden FNL League Administrator Trent Hill said the league was excited to welcome the partnership.
“We welcome the support of a great organisation and are thrilled to have them backing both our male and female competitions,” Hill said.
The Hampden Football Netball League is thrilled to welcome Warrnambool Travel as a valued sponsor for the 2026 season.
Led by manager Josh Campbell, the Warrnambool Travel team are expert travel advisors and itinerary planners, working cohesively to ensure every adventure is seamless, inspiring and truly exceptional.
In 2026, Warrnambool Travel will proudly sponsor the Senior Football and Open Netball MVP Awards, recognising outstanding performances across our competitions.
HFNL Administrator Trent Hill said, “We’re rapt to partner with a long-time local business. Their support plays an important role in helping our competition continue to grow and provide great opportunities for our players, clubs and community.”
We thank Warrnambool Travel for their support and look forward to a fantastic season ahead
📍 Warrnambool Travel is located at 159 Kepler Street, Warrnambool.
The Hampden Football Netball League is thrilled to announce its football and netball coaching appointments for the upcoming interleague weekend against the Ballarat Football Netball League, to be played in Warrnambool.
The Hampden FNL and Ballarat FNL representative sides will meet at Reid Oval on May 23, marking the fourth consecutive interleague meeting between the two competitions. The Under 23 football clash will once again be played for the Clinton Baulch / John Northey Cup, continuing a proud tradition that honours two highly respected figures.
It is the league’s great pleasure to appoint North Warrnambool premiership coach and AFL premiership player Nathan Vardy as the Hampden FNL Under 23 football coach for the 2026 interleague fixture.
Vardy, who spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as an assistant coach in the HFNL interleague program, will step into the senior role, replacing legendary HFNL coach Adam Dowie, who will remain involved as part of the coaching panel.
League President Shane Threlfall said Vardy’s passion for youth development, combined with his elite-level experience at the Geelong Cats and West Coast Eagles, would be invaluable.
“Nathan is extremely passionate about developing our promising younger players, and his experience at the highest level of the game will be a tremendous asset to our program,” Threlfall said.
Former Western Bulldogs NGA coach Ben Walsh has been appointed Under 17 boys coach for this year’s interleague campaign.
An established senior coach, Walsh has recently worked within the Bulldogs’ Next Generation Academy and recruitment programs. Over the past two seasons, he has also served as a co-coach of the Hampden FNL Talent Academy.
“Ben is a terrific coach with an outstanding football brain,” Threlfall said. “He will be a great leader and teacher for our Under 17 players.”
HFNL Life Member and former St Kilda and North Melbourne player Joe McLaren will take charge of the Under 18 girls team in 2026.
McLaren served as an assistant coach in 2025, currently coaches the Koroit female football teams, and over the pre-season has been involved with the GWV Rebels program, assisting the development of local players.
“Joe brings an enormous amount of experience and is extremely passionate about female football,” Threlfall said. “He will be a fantastic mentor for our squad.”
A new inclusion to this year’s interleague weekend will be an Under 23 netball match, showcasing two of Victoria’s strongest netball regions in the Hampden and Ballarat leagues.
Three-time South Warrnambool premiership coach Will Jamison has been appointed to guide the team in its inaugural season. Jamison boasts an impressive coaching résumé and is currently working with Netball Victoria as the Western Talent Academy coach.
HFNL Head of Netball Dot Jenkins said Jamison’s appointment was a major win for representative netball in the region.
“Will is incredibly passionate about representative netball and showcasing our emerging talent. We’re excited to see this program launch under his guidance,” Jenkins said.
The Hampden Football Netball League is pleased to reconnect a former partnership, with Clarke’s Pies rejoining the league as a sponsor for the 2026 season.
The Mortlake-based business, which began in 1949, will be the league’s Official Pie Supplier and will also come on board as a co-sponsor of senior football statistics throughout the season.
Clarke’s Pies is owned and operated by fourth-generation pie maker Nicole McLennan. Nicole and her partner Patrick took over the business from Nicole’s mother, Annette McLennan, in 2019. Nicole remains very hands-on on the bakery floor, working alongside her brother Andrew and a small crew of locals — many of whom have grown up eating Clarke’s famous pies.
Clarke’s Pies products are available throughout western Victoria and south-east South Australia. Keep an eye out for the iconic Pie Man logo when you’re on the road.
HFNL League Administrator Trent Hill said Clarke’s Pies were a league sponsor many years ago, and it is terrific to see the partnership reconnect.
“We’re delighted to welcome Clarke’s Pies back on board,” Hill said. “We sincerely appreciate Nicole and her team’s ongoing support of the league and look forward to a great partnership in 2026.”
The Hampden Football Netball League is excited to welcome Total Tools Warrnambool as a League Sponsor for the 2026 season.
Proudly standing by their motto EVERY TOOL / EVERY TRADE, Total Tools has been passionately servicing Australians for more than 30 years. Stocking the widest range of the world’s leading professional tool brands, customers can be confident they’ll find exactly what they need to get the job done right.
At Total Tools, they KNOW TOOLS. Their experienced and knowledgeable staff are always ready to provide professional advice and outstanding service, with expertise that is unrivalled within the industry. As Australia’s largest independent professional tools retailer, Total Tools continues to deliver the best deals, competitive pricing, and access to the latest product innovations the market has to offer.
In 2026, Total Tools Warrnambool will also be one of the League’s major Interleague partners, while supporting a number of key initiatives throughout the season, including the Total Tools Football Team of the Week.
League Administrator Trent Hill said the League is thrilled to welcome a well-known Australian organisation to the competition.
“We are delighted to partner with Total Tools and look forward to building a strong relationship that supports football and netball across the Hampden FNL throughout the 2026 season.”
The Hampden Football Netball League is thrilled to partner with SL Distributors for the 2026 season.
SL Distributors will become the League’s official drink and confectionary supplier for the HFNL Finals Series, supporting what promises to be another exciting year of football and netball.
HFNL Administrator Trent Hill said the League was delighted to align with a well-respected local business.
“We are rapt to connect with a great local business that services the entire Hampden FNL region. Partnerships like this are vital to the ongoing strength of our competition and community,” Hill said.
“SL Distributors will also sponsor our Junior Footballer and Netballer of the Week throughout the season, which is a fantastic way to recognise and support our emerging talent.”
SL Distributors supply a wide range of products including beverages, confectionery, snacks, coffee, packaging and paper products, cleaning supplies, and firewood. With five dedicated sales representatives on the road, SL Distributors pride themselves on building strong relationships by personally visiting businesses and keeping them informed on promotional activity, new product releases, and the latest buying trends.
Renowned for outstanding customer service and being first to market, SL Distributors offer a 48-hour turnaround from order placement to delivery, ensuring businesses receive what they need, when they need it.
The HFNL looks forward to working closely with SL Distributors throughout the 2026 season and thanks them for their valued support of community sport.
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