VFL Match Report: Round 2 vs Werribee

30/03/2026

An intense afternoon at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval set the stage for a highly contested encounter between the Sandringham Zebras and Werribee Tigers, which saw us secure our first win of the season by 16 points.

It was also a special day for three newcomers pulling on the Zebras guernsey for the first time. Kyle Cooper, Flynn Gregor and Mitch Kirkwood-Scott each made their Zebras debut with encouraging signs, demonstrating composure and commitment in the high-intensity environment.

From the outset, we set the tone with intensity across the ground, particularly inside defensive 50. Adrian Cole and Zac Greeves led the way, consistently applying disciplined one-on-one pressure and helping us control the early exchanges. With a lot of ground ball contests, we thrived, repeatedly getting first hands on the loose ball and locking in our defensive structure.

Through the middle, the ball movement was purposeful and clean. Josh Hutchings provided a key moment early, laying strong tackles to drive the ball inside forward 50, creating an opportunity for Nathan Philactides. The hard work paid off, with Philactides finishing calmly from 40 metres to open our account. His work rate and influence at both ends of the ground set the standard for the team, combining composure, tackling pressure and smart ball use.

Despite the positive signs, the first quarter remained tightly contested. Both sides applied relentless pressure, with turnovers frequent and contested ball abundant. Andreas Stefanakis showed poise around stoppages, extracting the ball and helping Sandringham maintain forward momentum. While the scoreboard didn’t fully reflect our dominance, our defensive structure held firm and our composure under pressure laid a strong foundation for the rest of the match.

The second term saw us build on that foundation with slick ball movement and repeated forward thrusts. Cole produced a standout intercept mark high up the field, reading the play beautifully before launching a counterattack. Jack Ferraro produced a moment of brilliance under immense pressure, kicking a goal from congestion near the 50-metre arc. What looked like a clearing attempt turned into a spectacular major, lifting energy and confidence across the team.

We consistently controlled the inside 50 count and territory, with Werribee’s opportunities largely limited to turnovers. Despite some missed chances in front of goal, our dominance across the ground was clear, with our midfield and defensive units working tirelessly to maintain forward momentum and pressure.

Coming out of the main break, our intent was unmistakable. Hutchings showed courage in a heavy marking contest before slotting the opening goal of the second half, setting the tone for a dominant term. Our pressure intensified, hands were cleaner and the midfield began to dominate clearances, consistently giving us first use of the ball while keeping Werribee on the back foot.

The scoreboard soon reflected our ascendancy. Kirkwood-Scott produced a clever smother that led to a chain culminating in Stefanakis slotting a goal. With two quick majors to start the term, we had all the momentum. A brilliant sequence involving Brodie Atkins, Ben Stephenson, Jet Peckett and Jess Gedi showcased our side at our attacking best. The ball found Ferraro, who delivered to Noah Yze on the lead, and he made no mistake, converting for our third consecutive goal in the quarter; a passage full of flair, composure and team cohesion.

Our numbers told the story: Dominant possession, forward control and a defensive unit that held Werribee scoreless. Hopkins stood tall in one-on-one contests, while Mitch Ryan produced a series of brilliant intercept marks in defensive 50. Ball movement from the backline was composed and precise, switching play to create space and transition the ball with intent.

The perfect finish to the third quarter came in dramatic fashion. Stefanakis found Ethan Williams, who delivered inside 50 to Ferraro. Rising high in a contest, Ferraro took a strong mark before calmly slotting the goal, bringing the margin within a goal at the final change. It was a statement term that carried into the final quarter.

The final term was a showcase of belief, composure and energy. Yze set up Stefanakis, who kicked to level the scores, and soon after, we hit the front for the first time in the match. From that point, we never looked back. Our defensive unit set the tone with relentless tackling, while running and carrying along the wing created space and opened attacking opportunities. Transition from half-back became a weapon, allowing our players to dictate the tempo and catch Werribee off-guard.

Daniel Pinter was a key contributor in the final term, providing bursts of run and snapping a goal from the ruck. Even when one of his efforts fell short, Leon Alao capitalised, marking uncontested before calmly slotting his first goal in Sandringham colours. A special moment five years in the making, and a true testament to persistence, resilience and the reward of hard work.

With the game in the balance, Yze then earned a free kick and converted, sealing the result for the Zebras. It marked our eighth consecutive goal and capped off a stunning second-half display. The turnaround was remarkable: After a hard-fought opening half, we dominated the second half, held Werribee goalless and produced a 35-point turnaround.

Head Coach Daniel Ward has happy with his side's performance, praising the players efforts to come out with the win.

"I'm stoked. I'm honestly really happy for the players, the coaching group and the football staff that put in a lot of work," he said.

"Yes it's one win, but it's a great reward for those that have really put in the effort."

After a shaky first half, the team rallied together to produce a memorable second half performance, after some handy words from the coach at the major break.

"The focus was just being smart with our ball use, not hurting ourselves, because when we weren't using the ball that well, with ball in hand, it was opening us up to get scored against the other end," Ward said.

"The message was to just take our time a little bit more and build the ball up. I thought to do that, (four) goals to zip in the third quarter into the breeze, it just gave the boys great belief going into the last."

The defence kicked it up a gear, standing up in the pressured moments to keep a quality side like Werribee goalless in the second half.

"I thought all the boys played the way we wanted to play. It just goes to show that, when we do that, we can compete with anyone," Ward said.

"Werribee are a really strong outfit this year, so full credit to out boys to get that done."

The Zebras will look to keep the ball rolling next week as we head to our first interstate game for the year at Brighton Homes Arena on Friday, 3 April at 12:05pm (AEDT) against the Brisbane Lions.

"We'll recover as much as we can, this is our second six-day break in a row so we just need to recover well," Ward said.

"We'll fly up on Thursday and prepare try to and go back-to-back. We get a break after this, so we'll really set ourselves up for the Brisbane game and see what happens."

SANDRINGHAM 1.1, 2.7, 6.11, 10.13 (73)
WERRIBEE 4.3, 8.5, 8.5, 8.9 (57)

Goals
Ferraro, Stefanakis, Yze (2), Alao, Hutchings, Philactides, Pinter