New Yarraville Seddon women’s coach Andre Pocilujko is keen to help the Eagles take the next step in the Western Football League competition.
The Eagles made massive inroads in 2025 and made a surprise grand final before falling short in the final quarter against Caroline Springs.
Pocilujko has been a long time member of the Eagles as a player and has been a women’s assistant coach.
This year he was an assistant coach with Williamstown’s Victorian Football League women’s coaching panel.
“It’s exciting,” Pocilujko said. ”The last few years I’ve hit pretty exponential growth coming into coaching and off to the VFLW for a year.
“It was mind changing how they approach things in a professional way. They really thought things through and it was really inspiring.”
Pocilujko said they were keen on building on what the program did this year in making a grand final.
The Eagles had never played finals before the recently completed season.
“It was such a good, successful end to the year, you want to build on it with all the juniors coming through as well,” Pocilujko said.
“It was more proud than disappointed. No one believed in us and we’re just going to give it a crack and no expectations, just stoked to play again next week
“They are pretty keen to get into pre-season and develop their skills and go one better.”
The Eagles also had a second women’s side for the first time this year, which was a success.
Pocilujko said it gave players who were on the fringe of the senior side a chance to get a game each week and develop their skills.
He said heading into 2026 they would still try and go in with the underdog status but hoped the league would see them a little bit differently than heading into 2025.
Pocilujko said they were already talking to contacts and people around the club looking to add more players, supporters and volunteers.
One of the big aims for Pocilujko and the Eagles is to continue to mesh their junior girls coming through into the senior program.
The club will have two under-14 girls sides next season, maintaining player numbers the past couple of years, when traditionally a lot of girls walk away from sport.
“It’s going to be really exciting.” he said. “The junior program at the club is awesome, so successful and with multiple flags.
“They build with each other and are so close to each other. If we can bridge the gap into senior football it would be amazing for us going forward.”
