After a tough initiation as Geelong VFLW coach, Taylah Hassett is confident her second season in charge will see a significant improvement on-field.
The Cats mustered three wins late in 2025 to narrowly avoid the wooden spoon after starting the 14-game season with eight consecutive losses.
However, Hassett believes Geelong has the mix to move back up the ladder when the new season opens against Box Hill at Deakin University on Saturday, May 16.
“I think the core group of players that we have been able to retain from 2025 is really exciting,” Hassett said.
“We continue to have a really young list, but I look at that as a real positive for our program as well.
“There are a group of girls that are coming out of Talent League programs now or coming to us from local football, where they’ve been able to build and have some experience playing football, and they’re girls who have now been playing footy from a really young age.
“Whilst from a footy experience kind of level, they’re quite young. I think the talent that they have is quite exciting because they’ve had a footy in their hands for a lot longer now.
“So I think that core group that we’ve been able to retain, but also the girls that we’ve been able to recruit have been a real mix – from ex-AFLW talent, girls from other VFLW clubs and also some really exciting prospects from Talent League programs coming to us as well.”
New faces include Geelong Falcons/Geelong Amateur product Annie Lee, who played 22 games across stints at AFLW clubs Collingwood and Carlton, former Darebin player Victoria Blackwood, and ex-Casey Demon Brooke Borchard.
“Coming out of the Talent League programs, we’ve had Zali Gallagher, Bindi and Tyler Crabtree come back from Southport after a couple of seasons up there,
“Jenna Hurring, who’s also on Western Jets’ list as a 19-year-old, has played the last few practices with us.
“There’s some young talent that we’re really excited to see at VFLW level early on.”
With the later-than-usual start to the season to allow for crossover with AFLW pre-season and the opening couple of rounds, Hassett has spoken with new Cats AFLW coach Nick Stinear about the potential for AFLW-listed talent to appear at VFLW level.
“It’s certainly something that’s on the radar,” she said.
“I think the alignment of the programs and moving towards crossing over more is something that most clubs will definitely look to do, and it’s something that we’ve certainly spoken about.
“What that looks like in the moment obviously comes down to a number of things, but it’s definitely something that we’ll discuss and hopefully something we’ll see throughout the year.”
Mel Staunton will again captain the team with Borchard as her deputy.
Lee, Jo Sunderland, Mekah Morrissy, and Steph O’Kane make up a six-strong leadership group.
X: @krockfootball
2026 GEELONG VFLW LIST
| NAME | CAREER VFLW GAMES | COMMUNUTY CLUB | |
| Xenia | Allen | 0 | St Mary’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Victoria | Blackwood | 63 | St Mary’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Brooke | Borchard | 27 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Cavalle | Boxer | 0 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Charlotte | Canavan | 1 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Elise | Cook | 15 | Bacchus Marsh (BFL) |
| Maddison | Cotton | 0 | Keilor (EDFL) |
| Tyla | Crabtree | 1 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Bindi | Crabtree | 0 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Isabella | Davies | 6 | Ballarat Swans (BFL) |
| Zali | Gallagher | 1 | O’Kane |
| Kelsea | Gray | 6 | St Mary’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Nikita | Harris | 0 | Lara (AFL Barwon) |
| Charlotte | Hurn | 0 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Jenna | Hurring | 0 | Aberfeldie (EDFL) |
| Zahli | Kelly | 0 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Chloe | Landwehr | 0 | South Barwon (AFL Barwon) |
| Annie | Lee | 8 | Geelong Amateur (AFL Barwon) |
| Brydi | Lewis | 0 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Sophie | Mahar | 26 | Torquay (AFL Barwon) |
| Lucy | Marescuk | 5 | South Barwon (AFL Barwon) |
| Lucy | Massie | 0 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Mekah | Morrissy | 15 | St Mary’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Simone | Nalder | 59 | St Joseph’s (AFL Barwon) |
| Kate | O’Brien | 0 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Stephanie | O’Kane | 10 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Axel | Oswald | 0 | Eastern Devils (EFL) |
| Leila | Owens | 0 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Hayley | Peck | 15 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Zoe | Penno | 4 | St Josephs (AFL Barwon) |
| Emily | Pitts | 0 | Hamilton (WVFFL) |
| Faith | Qoon | 12 | Bell Park (AFL Barwon) |
| Ari | Schlink | 0 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Madeline | Sexton | 15 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Melanie | Staunton | 18 | Queanbeyan (AFL Canberra) |
| Crystal | Summers | 0 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Johanna | Sunderland | 11 | Barwon Heads (AFL Barwon) |
| Molly | Walton | 40 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Olivia | Wolter | 0 | Grovedale (AFL Barwon) |
| Olivia | Woods | 6 | Keilor (EDFL) |
