Geelong Amateur has landed a recruiting blow that is unlikely to be topped in the Bellarine pre-season, adding former Werribee star and recently delisted Melbourne player Jack Henderson.
Henderson, who turned 27 on October 1, spent two years with the Demons after earning an opportunity as an SSP signing ahead of the 2025 season.
He says several factors drove his decision to join this year’s beaten preliminary finalists.
“A few good friends, close friends, have down there in Tommy Gribble and they’ve just announced Nick Coughlan as co-coach,” Henderson said.
“Coughlan and Gribble I played with pretty much for my whole time at Werribee, so that was certainly a major drawcard.
“And other close friends through my working networks and also just the attraction of how good Bellarine league footy’s become.”
Henderson earned a training invite from Melbourne after winning the Norm Goss Medal as best-on-ground in Werribee’s drought-breaking grand final win in 2024 before debuting in Round 1 of last year and making five AFL appearances.
Despite earning a one-year contract extension, Henderson didn’t add to his tally in 2026.
However, he had an outstanding season with Melbourne’s VFL alignment partner Casey, winning their best-and-fairest.
“Halfway through this year, I was pushing for selection quite hard and found myself an emergency multiple times,” Henderson said
“I understand that they might have wanted to go with youth a bit more, and things were probably leaning towards potentially finishing up at the end of the year, which is disappointing.
“But, just looking at the bigger picture, I’m just grateful to have gone down and played and got that experience at the higher level.
“It’s opened my eyes to the whole business of AFL football and the way they go about it.”
A Deniliquin product, like Ammos’ co-coach Sam Lloyd, Henderson boarded at Geelong College and featured in the Geelong Falcons’ 2017 Talent League premiership.
At Werribee, he made more than 100 appearances. He also played with SANFL club Sturt in 2020.
Henderson says Werribee enquired about a return to the VFL.
“They were pretty understanding of where I’m at and where I’ve been, and where my motivation might be to play at that level,” he said.
“At the moment, the motivation isn’t there to keep playing at that level.
“I feel like I’ve given a lot to the VFL and I’m happy to move on even though I’d probably still be on the younger side.”
Henderson was in the crowd at Grinter Reserve when Ammos’ quest for a first premiership since 2016 was ended at the preliminary final stage by eventual premier Queenscliff.
He hopes he can help the Pegs go one better than their 2025 Grand Final loss next year.
“They’ve done quite well the last couple of years, and I feel like I can bring an extra five or 10 per cent along with other players and a new coach in Nick,” Henderson said.
“I feel like we can go a long way again next year.”
X: @krockfootball
