2024 William Buck Premier Men’s Team of the Year

2024 delivered a gripping VAFA William Buck Premier Men’s competition that remained wide open entering September, with very little between minor premiers Old Brighton, St Kevin’s and Old Scotch at the top of the table, while the relegation race went all the way to the wire as well.

In the end, it was Old Scotch winning their first top-flight flag since 1978 and just their second in 90 years after they were too good for the Tonners on Grand Final Day at a pulsating Elsternwick Park.

The depth of top-tier talent is as strong as ever, making the Team of the Year selection process challenging.

Each VAFA Team of the Year is based on feedback and analysis from coaches, VAFA Media and umpires.

After plenty of robust discussions, here is the 2024 William Buck Premier Men’s Team of the Year:

Old Scotch’s biggest strength may have been its evenness across the field. This premiership was won by committee rather than individual standouts, evidenced by the premiers having two representatives (as SKOB had last year on their way to the Grand Final).

The Cardinals had wonderful contributors across the park all season long. They are represented in the Team of the Year by brilliant pair Charlie Cormack, who was outstanding with his intercept play down back all season (averaging 23 disposals & 6 Rebound 50s), and livewire tall forward James Tarrant, whose combination of size, athleticism and skill regularly proved a headache for opposition defences and earned him back-to-back Team of the Year selections after being selected in defence in 2023.

Mark Gnatt also earned selection as the Coach of the Year, following his superb coaching performance that saw his team build steadily throughout the season and work out how to beat the Tonners & SKOB in September to pull off a masterful premiership, despite not being in the Top 2 all year. It was the perfect example of ‘timing your run’ and ‘peaking at the right time.’ Well worthy of Coach of the Year honours.

Old Brighton secured the minor premiership by a whopping 3.5 games – their 16-2 regular season equalling Collegians 2012 & St Kevin’s 2017 as the best by any minor premiers over the last dozen years.

They were clearly the standout team for the bulk of the season and have 4 Team of the Year representatives, led by Captain Harry Hill, who delivered another season of sustained excellence and is a worthy leader of this line-up. His toughness & ball-winning ability (average 24 disposals, 13 contested, 9 ground balls, 8 tackles & 6 clearances) is matched by his leadership and he adds the captaincy of this team to his captaincy of the Big V earlier in the year.

Harry is joined by damaging duo Alfie Jarnestrom on the wing and Nick Pavlou at half-forward, who both enjoyed outstanding seasons as creative playmakers. Pavlou averaged 25 disposals a game to go with his 30 goals as the quintessential midfielder/forward, while Jarnestrom’s run & drive saw him rack up 22 touches a game.

Intercept marking machine Campbell Tweedie is the fourth Tonner in the Team of the Year. He finished with twice as many intercept marks (60) than any other Tonner this season and will combine with the likes of Cormack, Gleeson and Beilby to build a mobile impenetrable wall should the opposition launch it high and long into their forward half.

University Blues also had 4 representatives which, ironically, highlights one of their biggest challenges this season – leaving too much to too few.

2023 Woodrow Medallist Marty Gleeson made it three consecutive Team of the Year appearances after another productive season across half-back, averaging 28 disposals (surpassing his 2023 average of 25 per game). He’s joined down back by key defender Nick Conway, with the pair of them combining for 7 intercept marks per game.

The Blues’ key forward pairing of James Stewart & Sam Grimley were more than a handful for defenders all year and both get the nod in the Team of the Year.

Stewart’s first VAFA season was interrupted by an untimely hamstring injury, but he still finished the campaign averaging 15 disposals and 7 marks, booting 45 goals in just 12 games, including an unforgettable burst of 6 in 13 minutes to defeat Collegians off his own boot in Round 8.

Grimley booted 41 goals in his 14 games after flying out of the blocks with 7 against Old Brighton in Round 1 then 5 against St Bernard’s in Round 2. Finishing equal fifth in the Woodrow Medal, what a luxury for Mark Gnatt to have Sam rotating in off the bench to support James Stewart, James Tarrant & Patrick Kerr. Good luck to the key defenders assigned the task of managing this quartet!

Speaking of Patrick Kerr, he is one of three St Kevin’s players cast in key roles. Kerr was consistently damaging all season long, booting 53 goals to win the League goalkicking award. He kicked goals in every home & away match, with 5 against OMs and 4 hauls of 4 his most productive afternoons as he finished second in the Woodrow Medal.

Billy Coates and Luke Winter both feature in our starting centre-square line-up after brilliant seasons delivering in the engine room for SKOB week after week.

Coates turned 31 on the eve of the finals and had a stellar campaign that saw him not only finish Top 3 in hit-outs (averaging 49 per game) but have major impact around the ground, averaging 21 disposals and 9 clearances. A Big V rep in 2024, he doubles up as Number #1 Ruck in the Team of the Year.

Winter completes a hat-trick of Team of the Year selections with another superb campaign as a ball-winning beast, finishing Top 5 in contested possessions, clearances, ground ball gets and hard ball gets. Averaging 26 disposals and 10 clearances, Winter will stride to the opening bounce and demand attention from the opposition.

Luke will be joined in the centre square by the 2024 Woodrow Medallist, Sam Fisher, who is one of 3 representatives from Old Xaverians, who narrowly missed the finals after dropping 3 of their last 4 matches.

Fisher missed the first 3 games due to a hamstring injury, but immediately found his groove to average 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions, 10 clearances and 6 tackles, and ranking in the Top 5 for an incredible 17 different stat categories, despite only playing 14 of a possible 18 games.

He thrived alongside fellow midfield guns Alec Spralja and Marcus Stavrou, both of whom join him in the Team of the Year.

Spralja dominated the ruck for Xavs this season, averaging 18 disposals (12 contested possessions), 47 hit-outs and 9 clearances per game. His ability to not only give his mids first use but also win the contested footy and generate the clearance himself was pivotal in his team’s success. He & Coates will be a nightmare ruck tandem for any opposition to deal with!

Stavrou was the perfect inside partner for Fisher. Averaging 28 disposals per game, he racked up 14 contested possessions, 8 clearances and 6 tackles as the duo dominated in and around the contest week after week. This is Marcus’ fourth Team of the Year selection – further testament to his remarkable consistency and effectiveness.

The team that pipped Xavs for fourth spot, the reigning champs Collegians, had two Team of the Year representatives – prolific ball-winner Nathan Boucher on a wing and intercept king Scott Beilby across half-back.

Both enjoyed excellent seasons in the Purple & Gold, with Boucher’s hard running allowing him to get out into space and inflict maximum damage. He averaged 27 disposals and caught the umpires’ eye, finishing fifth in the Woodrow Medal.

Beilby was impassable at times this season, with his ability to read the ball in the air and position himself accordingly leading to intercept mark after intercept mark. He averaged 18 disposals, with half of those coming from intercept possessions.

Beilby will be joined in defence by a couple of solo representatives that stood tall while their team was often under sustained pressure – University Blacks’ Campbell Moorfield, who was a rock down back for Blacks this season, and standout Fitzroy defender Nathan Ligris, who racked up huge disposal numbers week after week.

The consistent Moorfield made it back-to-back Team of the Year selections, once again averaging 26 disposals and 7 marks as he did in 2023. He ramped up his Rebound 50 numbers in 2024, providing regular launch from defence.

Ligris was a shining light for the Roys, collecting eye-catching disposal numbers week in, week out. He ended up averaging an incredible 32 disposals and 9 Rebound 50s per game, with 9 intercept possessions reinforcing his ability to repeatedly turn opposition threats around. And with his overall Disposal Efficiency at 78%, he would be a dream inclusion for coach Mark Gnatt as they look to turn defence into attack.

St Bernard’s & Old Melburnians also had one representative apiece, with clever forward Sam Laube carrying the torch for OMs after an excellent season that saw him boot 30 goals, including 6 hauls of 3. Opportunities up forward were hard to come by at times this season, yet Sam continued to find ways to impact games.

The final member of this star-studded attack is Snowdog Charlie Vague, who played consistently good football all season long, as evidenced by polling Coaches’ Votes in 12 of his 17 matches. His ability to win the contested ball on the inside, then finish on the outside put him into the upper echelon in 2024 and he ended the season averaging 24 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 7 tackles, 7 clearances and slotted 16 goals to boot.

It is a team jam-packed with brilliance and depth on every line, more than worthy to represent the VAFA’s top-tier.

Congratulations to all who received the Team of the Year honour in 2024 and we look forward to seeing so many of you in action again in 2025!

2024 William Buck Premier Team of the Year: by the Premier Data numbers

Scott Beilby; Collegians 
Never previously selected
16 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 74% disposal efficiency, 8.9 intercept possessions, 6.8 marks, 13.1 kicks, 101 ranking points and 2.3 contested marks

Nathan Boucher; Collegians
Never previously selected
17 matches this season, 8 goals
Averages 26.9 disposals, 5.9 marks, 103.9 ranking points, 5 score involvements, 11.6 handballs, 15.3 kicks, and 7.9 contested possessions

William Coates; St Kevin’s

Never previously selected
20 matches this season, 2 goals
Averages 20.8 disposals, 14.6 contested possessions, 8.6 clearances, 4.6 1%ers, 141 ranking points and 4.1 intercept possessions

Nicholas Conway; University Blues

Never previously selected
18 matches this season, 3 goals
Averages 76% disposal efficiency, 1.6 contested marks, 7.2 intercept possessions, 3.8 1%ers, 5 marks and 10.4 disposals

Charlie Cormack; Old Scotch

Never previously selected
20 matches this season
Averages 23 disposals, 78% disposal efficiency, 6.4 intercept possessions, 6 rebound 50s, 1.8 contested marks and 16.9 kicks

Sam Fisher; Old Xaverians

Never previously selected
14 matches this season, 11 goals
Averages 31.9 disposals, 16.8 contested possessions, 9.7 clearances, 136.1 ranking points, 6.6 score involvements and 9.8 ground ball gets

Martin Gleeson; University Blues

2022, 2023 team of the year
17 matches this season, 3 goals
Averages 133.5 ranking points, 27.7 disposals, 10.1 intercept possessions, 5.8 1%ers, 21.1 kicks and 6.7 marks

Sam Grimley; University Blues

2022 team of the year
14 matches this season, 41 goals
Averages 6.3 score involvements, 2.2 contested marks, 4.1 goal involvements, 2.9 goals, 7.5 kicks and 4.6 marks

Harry Hill; Old Brighton

2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 team of the year
18 matches this season, 7 goals
Averages 23.6 disposals, 13.3 contested possessions, 6.4 clearances, 4.6 inside 50s, 8.9 ground ball gets and 7.5 tackles

Alfie Jarnestrom; Old Brighton

Never previously selected
17 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 21.8 disposals, 10.2 contested possessions, 13.8 kicks, 7.5 ground ball gets, 6 intercept possessions and 99 ranking points

Patrick Kerr; St Kevin’s

Never previously selected
20 matches this season, 53 goals
Averages 5.6 score involvements, 3.5 marks, 8.5 kicks, 3.4 goal involvements, 1.8 clearances and 2.6 goals

Sam Laube; Old Melburnians

Never previously selected
18 matches this season, 30 goals
Averages 7.4 contested possessions, 4.7 score involvements, 2.3 1%ers, 2.4 clearances, 3.2 goal involvements and 3 tackles

Nathan Ligris; Fitzroy

Never previously selected
15 matches this season
Averages 32.2 disposals, 78% disposal efficiency, 8.7 intercept possessions, 125 ranking points, 9.4 rebound 50s and 24.5 kicks

Campbell Moorfield; University Blacks

2023 team of the year
18 matches this season, 2 goals
Averages 25.7 disposals, 7.3 intercept possessions, 76% disposal efficiency, 9.7 rebound 50s, 22.1 kicks and 112.8 ranking points

Nick Pavlou; Old Brighton

2019 team of the year
17 matches this season, 30 goals
Averages 25.4 disposals, 11.1 contested possessions, 6.8 clearances, 7 score involvements, 7.1 ground ball gets and 5.5 inside 50s

Alex Spralja; Old Xaverians

Never previously selected
18 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 120.3 ranking points, 17.9 disposals, 12.4 contested possessions, 7.3 clearances, 46.8 hit outs, 4.2 score involvements and 9.3 hit outs to advantage

Marcus Stavrou; Old Xaverians

2021, 2022, 2023 team of the year
17 matches this season, 3 goals
Averages 28.4 disposals, 13.6 contested possessions, 7.5 clearances, 8.5 ground ball gets, 4.1 inside 50s and 5.7 tackles

James Stewart; University Blues

Never previously selected
12 matches this season, 45 goals
Averages 3.4 contested marks, 14.7 disposals, 6.7 marks, 7.6 score involvements, 9.6 contested possessions and 3.8 goals

James Tarrant; Old Scotch

2023 team of the year
19 matches this season, 25 goals
Averages 107.2 ranking points, 16.9 disposals, 10.6 contested possessions, 2.8 contested marks, 5.3 score involvements and 2.6 inside 50s

Campbell Tweedie; Old Brighton

Never previously selected
19 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 17.1 disposals, 7.7 intercept possessions, 3.2 intercept marks, 5.2 rebound 50s, 6.4 marks and 12.1 kicks

Charlie Vague; St Bernards

2021 team of the year
17 matches this season, 16 goals
Averages 24.1 disposals, 13.8 contested possessions, 6.5 clearances, 8 ground ball gets, 5.6 score involvements and 6.6 tackles

Luke Winter; St Kevin’s

2022, 2023 team of the year
18 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 26.4 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 9.6 clearances, 10.9 ground ball gets, 5.9 intercept possessions and 16.6 handballs