They’ve made their best start to the season since last playing in a grand final 16 years ago, but Werribee Centrals captain Michael Culliver knows being unbeaten in May means nothing in the grand scheme of a football season.
The Centurions are 7-0, two games clear on top of the GDFNL ladder, with four of those wins against last year’s finalists, including reigning premier North Geelong and runner-up East Geelong.
Speaking on K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast on Tuesday, Culliver echoed the sentiments of Centrals’ coach Rhyce Prismall.
“Even though it’s 7-0, it’s literally just 7-0,” Cilliver said. “We haven’t won a final yet.
“So we’re just trying to get better and keep building and just prepping for the next week to come.”
Culliver, despite the Centurions’ lofty standing, says they are looking no further than this week’s meeting with Inverleigh.
“We don’t really look that far ahead,” he said. As cliché as it sounds, we’re literally just trying to get better week to week.
“Last year, we could have been in a similar position, but we lost, what, five or six games by under a goal.
“It’s a funny game, football, and if you try and get too far ahead of yourself, it can bring you back down to earth a little bit.
“We’ve got a really good platform. Internally, we still, I think, got a lot to work on, which is a good thing.
“We’ve got Paddy (Daley) to come back in the ruck, we’ve got some boys going away to Europe soon, so there’s things that are going to have to shift, and we’re going to have to keep getting better.
“We’re just kind of focused on that.”
While much has been made of the impact of the Centurions recruits and returning players, it’s a shrewd off-field appointment that is also paying dividends.
Shayne Stone followed son Aaron to Galvin Park, bringing with him his extensive coaching resume, including most recently as senior coach of GFNL club Lara.
“He’s incredible for us just to have like a different set of eyes that aren’t internal,” Cilliver said.
“So he’s coming from external (and) hasn’t watched a heap of us, so he can kind of just hit us between the eyes and give us good feedback.”
The Centurions have lost Connor Linehan-Cunningham (overseas) and omitted Damian Williams.
Bryce Linehan-Cunningham returns after missing the win over East, while Matt Watt returns from a two-week suspension.
Inverleigh has made four changes.
Experienced big man Luke Wilson is facing an extended stint on the sidelines after rupturing his urethra in last week’s loss to North Geelong.
Vice-captain Jarrod Love (concussion) and Scott Condy (managed) are also sidelined, while Fin O’Keefe is unavailable.
They’ve been replaced by teenage debutant Ethan Lubcke, midfielder Zach Plant, and the recalled Jarvis Miles.
2023 premiership star Dalton Grundell will play his first senior game of the season following two reserves appearances after overcoming an injury.
East Geelong will take an unchanged team into the Mark Lomas Shield meeting with the Belmont Lions at Winter Reserve.
However, the Lions will be without injured duo Lachie Slorach and Steve Gunther, while Charlie Steele has been l omitted from the team that narrowly defeated Bell Post Hill last week.
Off-season addition Chris Farchione returns, Jesse Stapleton has been recalled from the reserves, and Will Pelham will make his first appearance at senior level.
Geelong West has lost recruit Jarred Jans to injury, while leading goalkicker Nick Butters is unavailable, among three changes for the clash with Bannockburn at Victoria Park.
Kane Sewell has been omitted, with Lucas Wealands, Alex Papas and Riley Croft the inclusions.
The Tigers get back star midfielder Jack Brauman, who hasn’t played since Round 4, and Bell Park recruit Jack Gorman.
Tom Gibson has been promoted after four goals in the reserves last week.
They replace Jack Thompson, Josh Altmann and Luke Young.
Anakie will be without star midfielder Josh Mawson for its meeting with Winchelsea at Eastern Reserve.
He’s been replaced by Mitch Gavin.
The Blues will be missing Cassidy and Fin Parish, who are unavailable, while Ollie Mahncke is battling a knee issue.
Ryan Williams returns after missing last week’s win over Geelong West, while recruits Byron Reid (Grovedale) and Joss Church (Numurkah) will make their senior debuts for the club.
Also missing for the Roos is coach Jayke Mawson, who is attending his brother’s wedding, with Ry Endrei to take the reins.
Corio has named its second debutant in as many weeks, with former Portarlington player Nathan Smith among two inclusions for the meeting with northern suburbs rivals North Geelong at Keith Barclay Oval.
Kade Bergen has been recalled after a week in the reserves.
They replace the suspended Blake Aash and last week’s first-game,r Buckley Weber, who damaged his AC joint.
North welcomes back Osca Riccardi, Cooper Vaughan, Ben O’Brien, Tom Schwennesen and Charlie McDonald, and has promoted reserves captain Jhye Kenna for his first senior game since 2024.
Out of the team that defeated Inverleigh last week are the injured trio Luke Schwennesen, Paddy Cleary and Sof Florio; Kyah Henderson is unavailable; and a points squeeze has cost Noah Penny and B.J O’Toole their spots.
Thomson has lost Devon Smith (unavailable), Max Deller (concussion) and Harry Peacock (ankle) for its matchup with Bell Post Hill at Myers Reserve.
They’ve been replaced by Jay Diffey for his first senior appearance of the season, and debutants Ben Readings and Ollie Cope.
Readings joined the Tigers from Colac, while Cope most recently made two reserves appearances for Geelong Amateur before arriving at Godfrey Street.
The Panthers have made an astonishing nine changes.
Among the inclusions are six-time premiership great Caleb Bacely after six weeks on the sidelines with three fractured toes, while veteran ruck Renn Lovitt is back for his first senior game at the club since the 2023 finals series.
Among the outs are Brock Carter, Dylan Gowdin, Daniel Banister, and assistant coach Andrew Casey.
X: @krockfootball
