Sport
8 April, 2026
Season opener for Tigers
SIMPSON Football Netball Club are back in action this Saturday for round one of the Colac and District Football Netball League, playing Otway Districts at Gellibrand.
The two clubs will clash again for the Heytesbury Shield.
Grady Rooke returns to Simpson after a long stint at Hampden League club Cobden, taking over as senior football coach from Damien Pemberton, who will stay on as a player at the club.
While star goal kicker Nick Harding has left to join Nirranda, the Tigers are bolstered by the return of big key forward Jarrod Garth, who last played at Simpson in 2024.
Simpson has also added speedy wingman Jaymz Farrell, who has had Geelong Football League experience with St Albans and Geelong West, midfielder Sam Rial returns after a season at East Geelong, while another midfielder in Luke Irving joins the club after 112 senior games and two senior flags with Nirranda.
Jamie Barry is once again in charge of the reserves team, joined this year with Ash Royal as co-coach.
Unfortunately, Simpson couldn’t get an under 18 team up in 2026, with the team in recess.
Bodhi and Andrew Crole will be at the helm for the under 15 football team, with Leigh Mohoney taking over as coach of the under 12s.
Eliza Duynhoven and Sophie Taylor have been elevated to be named as co-coaches for 2026, taking over from Emily Duynhoven who has stood down after two years in the role.
Jessie Harding takes over as B grade netball coach, with Hayley Weel and Casey Tesselaar again taking on the C grade role.
Mother and daughter duo Lisa and Carol Arndell will serve as D grade co-coaches.
Jade Sambell will again coach both the under 17s and under 15s, with Kellie Meade and Leesa Seabrook to coach the under 13s.
This week’s games are set to be hotly contested, with both Simpson and Otway looking to climb the senior football ladder after finishing eighth and ninth respectively in 2025, and seventh and ninth respectively in the A grade netball.
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