The AFL will welcome two new Goulburn Valley players this season with Shepparton Swans’ Josh Rachele joining the up-and-coming Adelaide and Mooroopna’s Tom Brown being picked up by one of the league’s powerhouses, Richmond.
Rachele will line up in the red, gold, and blue with Shepparton’s Jordon Butts as the Crows try to build on last year’s 15th-placed finish.
Shepparton’s Angela Foley has been recovering from her ACL injury, which she suffered in the 2021 AFLW grand final, and has taken on a game-day role feeding messages between the coaches’ box and coach Matthew Clarke on the bench.
Brown will be the only Richmond player representing the Goulburn Valley as the Tigers look to redeem themselves after a disappointing 2021 season.
Fresh off his maiden premiership Mooroopna’s Clayton Oliver will be leading the midfield brigade at Melbourne, hoping to go back-to-back after a stunning season last year.
Alex Keath (Kialla), Josh Schache (Seymour) and Laitham Vandermeer (Mooroopna) will be trying to go one better in 2022, after Western Bulldogs’ heartbreaking loss to Melbourne in the 2021 grand final.
Bonnie Toogood (Mansfield) and Aurora Smith (Shepparton United) have pulled on the jumper this year, in what has been an up-and-down season for the Bulldogs’ women.
Smith’s debut was unfortunately short-lived after going down with a serious knee injury in the first quarter of the match.
Last year’s Brownlow medallist, Ollie Wines (Echuca), will be leading the fight at Port Adelaide, along with Tom Clurey (Katamatite) and Todd Marshall (Deniliquin).
Over in the west, David Mundy (Seymour) will be playing his 17th season for Fremantle and will be joined by Shepparton’s Will Brodie, who has moved from Gold Coast.
Lachie Schultz (Moama) and Josh Treacy (Cohuna) will also be donning the purple for the 2022 season.
Tom Cole (Seymour) will be playing for cross-town rival West Coast, where he will be striving to capitalise on his stellar 2021 season.
Fresh off a new long-term contract extension Lachie Ash (Invergordon) will be hoping to cement his spot at GWS this year, while Deniliquin’s Will Shaw will be hoping to make his elusive debut.
Daniel Howe (Rennie), Harry Morrison (Benalla) and Jarman Impey (Shepparton Swans) will be a part of Hawthorn’s rebuild as Sam Mitchell takes the coaching reins from four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.
Mooroopna’s Jy Simpkin (North Melbourne) and Kyabram’s Nick Holman (Gold Coast) will be searching for more success this year after a difficult 2021 season in terms of results for their respective outfits.
Carlton will be led by Michael Voss this year with Brodie Kemp (Echuca) and Caleb Marchbank (Benalla) hoping to get more game time.
Grace Egan (Shepparton) had a strong start to the year for Carlton before sustaining two broken ribs and a punctured lung, forcing her into a stint on the sidelines, but has returned in great fashion.
Collingwood will also be under new leadership, with veteran players Jamie Elliott (Euroa) and Steele Sidebottom (Tallygaroopna) being crucial in the club’s hope for a swift return to the top of the ladder.
Geelong will have fan favourite Tom Hawkins (Finley) and Esava Ratugolea (Cobram) return to Kardinia Park as it seeks to make amends for its preliminary final loss to Melbourne last year.
Becky Webster (Benalla), Annabel Johnson (Echuca) and Julia Crockett-Grills (Kyabram) have all lined up for Geelong this season.
AFL
Jordon Butts – Adelaide (Shepparton)
Josh Rachele – Adelaide (Shepparton Swans)
Brodie Kemp – Carlton (Echuca)
Caleb Marchbank – Carlton (Benalla)
Jamie Elliott – Collingwood (Euroa)
Steele Sidebottom – Collingwood (Tallygaroopna)
David Mundy – Fremantle (Seymour)
Will Brodie – Fremantle (Shepparton)
Lachie Schultz – Fremantle (Moama)
Josh Treacy – Fremantle (Cohuna)
Tom Hawkins – Geelong (Finley)
Esava Ratugolea – Geelong (Cobram)
Nick Holman – Gold Coast (Kyabram)
Lachie Ash – GWS (Invergordon)
Will Shaw – GWS (Deniliquin)
Daniel Howe – Hawthorn (Rennie)
Harry Morrison – Hawthorn (Benalla)
Jarman Impey – Hawthorn (Shepparton and Shepparton Swans)
Clayton Oliver – Melbourne (Mooroopna)
Jy Simpkin – North Melbourne (Mooroopna)
Tom Brown – Richmond (Mooroopna)
Ollie Wines – Port Adelaide (Echuca)
Tom Clurey – Port Adelaide (Katamatite)
Todd Marshall – Port Adelaide (Deniliquin)
Tom Cole – West Coast (Seymour)
Alex Keath – Western Bulldogs (Kialla)
Josh Schache – Western Bulldogs (Seymour)
Laitham Vandermeer – Western Bulldogs (Mooroopna)
AFLW
Angela Foley – Adelaide (Shepparton)
Grace Egan – Carlton (Shepparton)
Annabel Johnson – Geelong (Echuca)
Becky Webster – Geelong (Benalla)
Julia Crockett-Grills – Geelong (Kyabram)
Aurora Smith – Western Bulldogs (Shepparton United)
Bonnie Toogood – Western Bulldogs (Mansfield)