By Tara Murray
The Western Football Netball League has named its interleague coaches for its clashes with the Southern Football Netball League in May.
The league will play in senior interleague for the first time since 2019, with women’s football and netball interleague games to be played for the first time.
The WFNL is seeking to host the match-up on May 17 with football and netball venues still to be confirmed.
Parkside premiership co-coach Chris Muratore will coach the senior men’s football side. He is also currently the backline coach for Richmond’s Victorian Football League team and a development coach with the club’s AFLW program.
Caroline Springs’ women’s coach Alex O’Shea will lead the league’s first women’s interleague side.
One of the Lakers original players, O’Shea won four club best and fairest awards before moving into coaching and taking the Lakers to the past two grand finals.
Glen Orden coach Rebecca Hicks will coach the netball interleague side.
Hicks oversaw the Hawks netball program this season, with every side making the grand final, with five teams taking home premierships.
Kirk Heberle will coach the under-19 men’s football side. He is a former premiership player with Point Cook and is no stranger to the league’s interleague programs having coached under-13, under-14 and under-15 interleague sides.
WFNL chief executive David Jennings said they were excited to bring back senior interleague.
“Being a part of a representative program is a tremendous honour for players and coaches and is one of the most rewarding experiences in sport,” he said.
“The program will be integral to strengthening our brand in metropolitan football and netball and will no doubt create a sense of pride within the WFNL when we take on Southern next year.
“We are delighted to have received the commitment from our highly respected and capable coaches which is a testament to how important senior Interleague is to the league and the pathways in our region.”
