Wattle Park Amateur Football Club
Joined VAFA: 1992
Coaches: Glen Hopkins (M), Mel Dell’Olio (W)
Nickname: Animals
Ground: Bennettswood Sports Ground, Holland Avenue, Burwood.
Women’s/Under 19/Thirds: As above.
Colours: Navy and blue vert. stripes/ – white number; shorts -navy; socks – navy.
Secretary: Joe Anker E: [email protected] M: 0447 966 880
President: Cameron Gardener E: [email protected] M: 0429 598 887
Emmaus St Leo’s earned premiership success in their first season in the VAFA (1992), then playing under the name of St Leo’s Wattle Park. Another premiership followed in 1995 in the E (East) Section. Since these first two flags the club has changed names a couple of times. From St Leo’s Wattle Park, the club changed to St Leo’s Emmaus Wattle Park. They won their third senior flag under this name in 2002 at Division 1. This team then went agonisingly close to earning promotion to B Section, losing the 2003 preliminary final. The following year they fell in a heap as they finished 10th and were relegated back to Division 1. Since then the club again changed names, this time to Emmaus St Leo’s Old Collegians. The Animals as they are known, were runners up in Division 2 in 2008 and Division 3 in 2015 (after going undefeated to that point) and they currently play in Division 2. Paul Baranello also claimed his third competition best & fairest award in 2015 and etched his name as the greatest Animal of them all. They entered a team in the VAFA Women’s competition in 2018, finishing seventh in Division 3.
Premierships
| Seniors | Reserves | U19s |
| 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Division 1: 2002 | ||
| E (East) / Division 2: 1995 | ||
| F Section / Division 3: 1992 | Division 3: 2019 |
Competition Best and Fairest Winners – Senior
Premier C / C Section – LS Zachariah Medal – 1
Division 2 / E Section – J Fullerton Medal – 1
Division 3 / F Section – P Hutchinson Medal – 2
| Year | Name | Section | Votes |
| 2015 | Paul Baranello | Division 3 | 31 |
| 2014 | Paul Baranello | Division 3 | 32 |
| 2008 | Paul Baranello | Division 2 | |
| 1999 | Stephen R Buckle | C Section | 24 |
Connect with the VAFA
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