The Pigeons have been busier this season on the recruiting front bringing in a number of tall key position players including ruckman Jack Elliot from Roxburgh Park and former Tatura captain Brad Ryan who is back from the Northern Territory.
Twelve months is a long time in football and netball, and no club knows that better than Yarrawonga as the club prepares for its important season opener this Easter Sunday against Wodonga Raiders at Lonsdale Reserve, Mulwala.
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From red-hot premiership favourites in the Ovens and Murray 2024 Grand Final, playing in their third straight decider (all decided by less than a goal), the Pigeons endured a brutal 2025 season that saw them slide to eighth.
The reason was simple: an injury toll as severe as the club has seen.
Coach Leigh Williams managed just eight games, while Leigh Masters and Bailey Frauenfelder missed the entire season.
Like a new recruit: 2022 Morris Medallist Leigh Masters hasn't played for the Pigeons since round 15, 2024, after suffering a torn ACL.
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Les_Garbutt
Morris Medallist Willie Wheeler was sidelined for the second half of the year, Ryan Bruce again spent most of the season out, and Dan Howe and Lach Howe combined for fewer than a dozen games.
Bailey Frauenfelder will also feel like a new recruit to Pigeons fans after a shoulder injury in late 2024 that required a reconstruction sidelined him for the entire 2025 season.
Harry Wheeler broke his hand, Michael Gibbons was again restricted, and Jess Koopman was ruled out before the year even began.
It was a season where continuity was impossible, but one that may prove invaluable. In the absence of established stars, opportunity emerged.
Cam Wilson stepped up to lead the midfield and claim the Best and Fairest, while Nick Irvine proved his versatility across multiple roles.
Across every line, players who had previously been starved of senior exposure were suddenly thrust into the contest and grew. That exposure now shapes as one of the club’s greatest assets heading into 2026.
A number of younger players like Zac Forge will benefit from senior experience last year and have had solid pre-seasons.
After playing in three successive grand finals from 2022-24, the Pigeons finished eighth with a 6-12 record last year after battling a crippling injury toll.
Yarrawonga coach Leigh Williams said they were forced to promote plenty of the club's young talent which he believes could have a silver lining this season.
Pigeon’s 2025 Best and Fairest Cam Wilson will be keen to pick up where he left last season and play pivotal role through the middle.
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L.GARBUTT
"Young guys like Zac Fraser, Josh Payne and Max Findlay even Zac Forge and Ryder Stevens. They all got senior experience last year and have been training the house down over the pre-season.
"They are leading the way in regards to our training standards because they are hungry to be part of something special again."
With minimal losses and a strong group of key position inclusions - Brad Ryan (PINT), Jack Elliott (Roxburgh Park), Will Reinhold (Carlton), Tom Goodwin a former VFL State team ruckman (Tiwi Bombers), Baxter Donovan, Charley McKenna and Jimmy Hanrahan (CDHBU), the list has both depth and renewed energy.
The key question remains: will the big names fire again?
If they do, Yarrawonga is firmly back in the premiership conversation. If not, the next generation will need to rise quickly.
There is no shortage of talent ready to do just that. Young players including Zac Forge, Zac Fraser, Josh Payne, Max Finlay, Jimmy Hanrahan, Ryder Stevens, Tom Gorman, Ben Coghill, Hunter Frauenfelder and Sam Bigger are all pushing to establish themselves as genuine Ovens & Murray finals players.
Add to that Ben Kennedy and Ned Pendergast, both continuing their development at Williamstown, with Kennedy booting four goals on debut, the future is clearly in motion.
To support this transition, coach Leigh Williams has elevated the club’s professionalism, engaging former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes in a high-performance role.
Every player has undertaken an individualised fitness program, a move that has been strongly embraced, particularly by the younger cohort.
With strong foundations across the grades the depth of the club remains a strength.
The Second XVIII, under Matt O’Dwyer and Bronson Scofield, benefits from two strong years of Under 18 development, with a steady flow of talent and minimal turnover.
Their challenge in 2026 will be balancing development with performance and continuing to prepare players for senior football.
The Third XVIII enters the season under new coaches Bailey Frauenfelder and Cam Wilson, inheriting a well-prepared and evenly balanced squad built by Leigh Masters and Matt O’Dwyer.
With more than 30 players on the list, competition for spots will be fierce.
Netball: Elite, driven and ready to respond
Yarrawonga’s A Grade netball program remains the competition benchmark.
Despite a Grand Final loss, the squad has seen minimal change and is driven to respond.
Remarkably, the club’s lowest finish this decade remains a preliminary final and even that came via an overtime loss.
After a strong pre-season, Laura Davis looms as a major factor for the Pigeons in 2026.
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Les_Garbutt
Under Lauren Mulquiney, the “Ferraris” continue to set the standard.
Hannah Symes anchors the defence, supported by emerging talent Massie Pell, along with Anna Bourke and Kylie Leslie, who provide flexibility and strength across the back third.
Through the midcourt, Laura Irvine has again put in the work to dominate, while Laura Davis, fresh from a strong pre-season, looms as a major factor in 2026.
Up forward, Maddy Allan and Bridget Cassar will form a dangerous and dynamic combination.
Hannah Symes will again anchor the Pigeons’ A Grade defence.
As always, the club remains committed to exposing younger players to elite-level netball, ensuring the next wave is ready.
Laura Irvine be a dominate force once again in the midcourt.
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Les_Garbutt
In a decision the YFNC has refused to comment on, Ovens & Murray officials have scheduled A Grade netball at 2:20pm in 2026. It is a move that can only be described as baffling for a premier competition, shifting the showcase game away from a prime position. One might say it is true to form.
However, if there is a silver lining, it is this: it gives Yarrawonga supporters a genuine opportunity to engage with the full day.
Fans can now arrive earlier, catch the rising talent in the lower grades and, importantly, see Abbey Jones’ return in the 1:00pm game, a moment many have been eagerly awaiting.
The B Grade side, led by Bridget Cassar, is building strongly after finishing third at club’s recent Gather Round and narrowly missing a Grand Final berth against their A Grade counterparts.
With a balanced and versatile list, they are reason enough alone to get to the courts early.
C Grade, now under Ellie Urquhart, continues to develop well, while the junior program remains in excellent hands.
Hannah Symes and Maddy Allan guide a talented Under 17 group, while Emma Sinclair returns with the Under 15s, determined to take the next step after narrowly missing finals.
Easter Sunday – a day for the whole town
Easter Sunday sees the launch of Yarrawonga’s 2026 campaign, at Mulwala’s Lonsdale Reserve against the Wodonga Raiders.
This is a great opportunity to see the new-look Pigeons across all grades and support the next generation of local talent.
Club President Ross Mulquiney said a highlight for supporters on the day will be a replay of the 2025 A Grade Grand Final, a clash between two outstanding teams that showcased the very best of Ovens & Murray netball.
“It is a reminder of the standard and a glimpse of what Yarrawonga is chasing again,” Mr Mulquiney said.
“The club has done the work and the players are ready. Now it is over to the people of Yarrawonga to support them.
“We encourage them to turn up, stay awhile, have a bite and a drink while watching it all unfold.
“Because seasons does not just start on the field but also with a community behind them.”
