Sport
15 March, 2025
‘She’s on’ Warriors getting serious about 2025 season
Pre season is over for the Stawell Warriors senior football team. With only a couple weeks left before the 2025 Wimmera Football and Netball League kicks off, the side is getting down to business.
Pre season is over for the Stawell Warriors senior football team. With only a couple weeks left before the 2025 Wimmera Football and Netball League kicks off, and some tune up matches set in the meantime, the side is getting down to business.
New co-coaches James Sullivan and Perry Meka, who brings recent experience as an AFL opposition coach said the side is in ripping shape and raring to get into the season.
“We had a [training] block prior to Chrissy … then we had that block leading up to last week, And now we've told the boys, she's on,” said Meka.
“We're structuring our training away from preseason, into getting into the business of it now.”
After the off season and Christmas break, Sullivan said fitness will be no issue for his side.
“A few of the boys that are probably the fittest, they've come back in ripping shape, and they've done pretty much every session and not missed a beat,” he said.
There has been some changes amongst the Warriors ranks heading into the new season.
One headlining change is the return of Paul Summers.
Prior to leaving the Warriors after the 2023 season, Summers was playing in the backs, but in a breakout season with cross-town club Swfits he kicked 100 goals while playing as their key forward.
“He's been really good,” said Sullivan.
“He obviously went away and learned his craft as a forward and had a big year.
“He’ll slot in nicely to our forward line.”
Sullivan also believes another recruit, Charlie Gibson will play a strong role in the side’s 2025 campaign.
Gibson has played u/18s SANFL and spent four years playing with St Peters in the Adelaide Football League.
“He’s a great guy, came to his first training and has fitted it like he’s been here for ages,” said Meka.
While the big name recruits will be a boon for the red and black this season, Meka and Sullivan agreed there is a lot of local talent ready to step up.
“There's probably a core group of six of the boys that we're really excited about,” said Sullivan.
The Warriors have spent their season working on their game plan for the season.
“We didn't say, ‘okay, November 1, This is our game plan,’ we went, ‘Okay, let's train, let's see what we got, let's see what we recruit,’ and then we've designed a game plan that we think with what we got,” Meka said.
Having finished third in the 2024 WFNL before being eliminated in the preliminary final, the Warriors will likely be keen to return to the top end of the pack in 2025.
But, with a tough start to the season, Meka and Sullivan are not planning that far ahead just yet.
The Warriors are set to face the 2024 runners up, the Southern Mallee Thunder in Beulah in round one on Saturday, April 12.
And, two weeks later the Warriors head to Alexandre Oval to take on the defending premiers, Ararat in the traditional Good Friday clash.
“We haven't even looked past [round] three, we know we’re up against it” said Meka.
“We know we'll have a big game against Ararat on the big day, we have it every year, just because we did okay last year, it doesn't mean we will again.”
Meka highlighted the challenge of the unknown that comes with playing a team so far from their own home base.
“We don't know what we're going to see two hours away,” Meka said.
“So, rather than worry about it, let's worry about what we're doing … make sure we do everything that we think’s right and play our roles.”