William Buck Premier Women’s Season Preview

The start of the 2025 William Buck Premier Women’s season is right around the corner, with fixtures kicking off on Saturday 5th April.

The competition welcomes three sides elevated from Premier B, including minor premiers – Williamstown CYMS, Premiers – Old Geelong, and Grand Finalists – Fitzroy. In a blockbuster Round 1 match up, the CY’s come up against familiar rivals in Premier B champions, Old Geelong.

The season promises to have plenty of exciting matches, new rivalry and packed right from when the first whistle sounds.

CAULFIELD GRAMMARIANS

Caulfield had a terrific campaign last year that saw them finish fourth, one game short of the Grand Final. Caulfield look to come into season 2025 more motivated and determined to go one step further.

Coach Dani Distefano spoke about the areas that the club have been working on during pre-season and what type of game the team are approaching.

“We have invested our time in building on our already strong foundation. We have upped the strength and conditioning and spent some time focusing on quality execution of our game plan. The players have also invested in their individual development, such as working on their kicking technique etc.

We like to maintain possession in our forward half, by setting up well behind the ball and applying immense pressure on our opponents – creating opportunities for our forwards to capitalise.”

Distefano also spoke about the expectations for the season. “We’re looking to continue to build on our already very strong foundation. We learn to better execute our game play, and really harness momentum moving into the pointy end of the season.”

FITZROY

Fitzroy had a successful campaign in Premier B, finishing runners up in the grand final in a thrilling encounter.

Coach Nathan Jumeau is building the confidence of a young playing group and looking at how they can improve week to week in certain aspects that are important in seniors. A key focus for Fitzroy is ‘team football’ and working together as a cohesive unit from the backline all the way to the forwards with a number of new additions to the team. Fitzroy will look for fast footy and quick transitions.

Fitzroy have lost only one player from the Grand Final last year. The additions to the team are Morgan McNally, Maddie Smith and Grace Painting.

Fitzroy’s expectations for the upcoming season are to retain their standing in William Buck Premier, finish middle of the ladder and keep growing from within the club as much as possible.

KEW

After a competitive 2024 season, Kew finished their season in third. With 12 wins and 6 losses, the Bears were unable to get the four points against the two Grand Finalists in St Kevin’s and Old Scotch.

A familiar name in William Buck Premier that is Dakota Villiva, will be a notable absentee from the Kew Bears’ line up this season. She has jumped in and out of playing-injury-playing and in 2024 sustained her second ACL rupture. Despite the injury, the Big V rep player won her second league-B&F award; and will undoubtedly leave a void in Kew’s midfield.

MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY

Melbourne University Women’s Football Club will be looking to rebound this season after a disappointing 2024 campaign which resulted in just the three wins. New head coach Michael Goldsmith brings renewed energy to the club as they look to improve on their ninth-placed finished last year. Although it’ll be a tough start to their campaign, facing the might of St Kevin’s away from home in round one.

OLD GEELONG

Old Geelong will look to challenge in William Buck Premier Women’s following a successful campaign in Premier B, finishing second at the end of the home and away season and claiming the Premiership in a clutch Grand Final victory over Fitzroy. Coach Jack Crameri dubbed 2024 as “the best season on record for the Old Geelong Women’s program”.

The OG’s are primed to take their game to the next level and shake things up in William Buck Premier and will focus on utilising their speed.

As with each pre-season there are players that come and go, and for Old Geelong, premiership player Kath Dunn has moved into the coaching ranks, while Celia Cody will miss the season through injury. However, they welcome some fresh faces and some star players returning from injury; namely, Camilla Taylor in the ruck, Tessa Longden and Tash Wilson.

OLD SCOTCH

Old Scotch will look to go back-to-back in season 2025 after dominating in their 2024 campaign and securing their second-ever Women’s Premiership.

Although many of their premiership players and familiar faces will return for the upcoming season, this will be under the guise of a new-look leadership group lead by incoming skipper, Katie Hunter-Scott.

2024 co-captain Mia Caffry is one of three to sign onto a VFL list whilst her counterpart in Maxine Wells has relocated down the coast to pursue career opportunities.

The Scotch Stars are a cohesive unit that dominate out of the midfield. Their clean ball use and transitions across their lines are what they are best known for and will be a tough opponent to come up against yet again.

OLD YARRA COBRAS

Old Yarra Cobras struggled to find their feet last season in their first stint at the top level. After a successful 2023 campaign in Premier B where both Seniors and Reserves made the Grand Finals, the Cobras quickly realised the competitive standard of William Buck Premier Women’s is a level above.

It would be remiss to forget that the Old Yarra Cobras only formed as an amalgamated club two years ago and were sent to the top comp in just their second season.

They will no doubt use the eighth placed finish in 2024 as a learning as they look to sink their teeth into the competition and climb the ranks as they come up against the best of VAFA Women’s.

ST KEVIN’S

St Kevin’s are renowned for their dominance in the William Buck Premier Women’s competition, having made finals in every season since the inception of the VAFA Women’s competition in 2017.

They nearly had the clean sweep last season with 17 wins, finishing second on the ladder behind Old Scotch only on percentage. Coming up short on Grand Final day they will be hungry to reach Premiership glory once again.

Flooded with superstar talent on the field, coupled with the expertise and flare of Coach Tom Purcell at the helm, the SKOB Saints are ones to watch.

WEST BRUNSWICK

West Brunswick narrowly missed out on finals in 2024, finishing in 5th place.

Joining the ranks is new coach Ryan Wandel who spoke on the main focuses for tackling this season. “When the game is on our terms, we’ll be dominating the corridor and getting opposition over the back. We want to invest in our run and gun game as much as we can, and back our leg speed and put opposition teams on the backfoot.”

West Brunswick have recruited and retained well, picking up Sarah Jolly, a strong midfielder with a damaging burst of speed, Vic Holt, an energetic and reliable defender, and Elaina Domagala, a crafty and skilful small forward, among others.

WILLIAMSTOWN

Williamstown CYMS are on an upward trajectory with their past two season’s highlighting the team’s growth and success. They have not lost a home and away football match since 2022 – a stat that is no small feat.

Despite the CY’s coming up short in their finals campaign last season, their climb up the ranks is not to be forgotten when facing this opposition.

Claiming a Division 2 Women’s Premiership in 2023, they went on to finish minor premiers in Premier B Women’s in 2024 and this season look to make their debut in William Buck Premier Women’s.