YvWater 2026 Season Review | Whitehorse

By Josh Ward.

Whitehorse’s senior men’s side was able to stabilise in Division 3 while its netball side had yet another successful season.

Senior Men’s

Ladder Position: 7th (4-12, 60.62%)

Best and Fairest: Jayson Fabris

Leading Goalkicker: Daniel Horvat (43 goals in 16 games)

Summary

The Pioneers made a return to Division Three footy this past season following it's third premiership in the EFNL last year.

After an opening round win against eventual wooden spooners Oakleigh District, the Pioneers had some tight and big losses over the next eight rounds.

They then returned to the winners list in big fashion against the District before dropping their next two games ahead of the bye.

Winning their next two games after the bye, the Pioneers then lost their last three games to finish in between Coldstream and Ferntree Gully.

Best Win - Round 15: Whitehorse 13.12 (90) def. Silvan 11.11 (77) @ Springfield Park

Easily their biggest scalp of the season against a Silvan side who, despite their form withering at that particular time, were still finals bound.

After an inaccurate opening term for both sides, the Pioneers then found their kicking boots in the second term to take an eight-point lead at the major break.

Five goals to three in favour of Silvan in the third saw the travellers lead by five points at three quarter time before a four goal to one final term guided the Pioneers to what would be their last win of the season.

Skipper Jayson Fabris had an exceptional game with 34 disposals, 27 contested possessions and 17 clearances. Daniel Horvat led the way in attack with five goals from 14 disposals and four marks inside 50.

Key Players

Fabris was exceptional for the Pioneers once again.

Named in the best in nine of the 14 games he played as well as averaging 28.1 disposals and 9.9 clearances per game, Fabris was named in the Division 3 Team of the Year and took home the Pioneers Best and Fairest.

Horvat joined him in the TOTY following another exceptional year in attack where he kicked 43 goals and averaged 2.6 marks inside 50 per game.

Young guns Patrick Carroll and Joel Savy also had consistent seasons. Carroll averaged just over 25 disposals and seven clearances per game while Savy was named in the best on nine occasions.

What’s Next?

A new dawn is upon the Whitehorse Pioneers after Andrew Haining stepped down as coach of the side.

Coming in to replace Haining at the helm is Matthew Nicholson who most recently was a senior assistant at now-Division 1 club Noble Park.

They’ve been one of the more active sides so far this offseason, with key names such as Fabris, Savy, Tom Dunn, Horvat, Tom Young and Sam Carroll already re-signing.

The Pioneers have also picked up young Narre Warren trio Riley Curran, Dejan Janjic and Logan Salim, who have all played senior footy the past few years in the Southern league’s top division.

Chris Allison also crosses over having spent the past few years with Doncaster East, returning to a division he won a premiership in a few seasons ago with Surrey Park.

With some young talent coming into the side, as well as key names re-signing, the Pioneers certainly have the potential to improve next season as they return to Division 3 footy.

Senior Women’s

Ladder Position: 8th (0-12, 12.08%)

Best and Fairest: Emma Hart

Leading Goalkicker: Amy Cariss-Brett (Five goals in seven games)

Summary

The Pioneers made a return to the Premier Division of the senior women’s competition for a fourth consecutive season.

2026 had its challenges as a new squad took to the park for the Pioneers after some senior names departed over the off-season.

Whilst there were some promising performances, particularly against the Eastern Devils, Whitehorse finished at the foot of the Premier table at the end of the season.

Key Players

Emma Hart and Alice Saville made a strong return to the side. Both were named in the best on eight occasions each, with Hart taking home the Pioneers Best and Fairest.

Finishing runner up in the B&F was ex-AFLW star Amanda Ling who played seven games and was named in the best on seven occasions.

Box Hill Hawks-listed star Amy Cariss-Brett also had an impact in her return to the Pioneers. Leading the Pioneers goal kicking and being named in the best in six of her seven games, Cariss-Brett was the only Pioneer named in the Premier Team of the Year.

What’s Next?

A return to Division One awaits for the Pioneers, a division they last competed in back in the 2021 covid-impacted season under the Whitehorse Suns banner.

It could be a much needed return after a tough period in the Premier Division the past two seasons where they only won two games, both against The Basin back in 2025.

They’ve already begun announcing re-signings, including that of coach Paul Beven, B&F winner Hart and Iona Cameron.

Alisha Fitzgerald has also crossed over to the Pioneers, boasting Premier Division experience with South Croydon and most recently Vermont.

If they’re able to keep their key names and add a few more pieces then the Pioneers will be more than competitive in Division One next year.

Netball (Division 8)

It was yet another successful season for the Whitehorse Pioneers netball side, which made a return to Division 8 this past year.

They started off strongly, winning their opening seven games by a minimum of six goals before they hit a minor roadblock against Chirnside Park in Round Eight.

Following that one goal loss the Pioneers couldn’t be stopped, winning their final six regular games and their two finals against Vermont Black, including the Grand Final by 15 goals, to add more silverware to the Springfield Park trophy cabinet.

Madeline Balson put together a consistent and exceptional campaign for the Pioneers. Named skipper and in Goal Defence in the Division 8 Team of the Year, Balson added to her resume on Chandler Medal night by winning the Division 8 Best and Fairest.

Anna Snape was  also exceptional in attack. Finishing with 270 goals in 14 games, Snape was named at Goal Attack in the TOTY while Hannah Smart, who was BOG in the Pioneers decider, was named at Goal Defence in the Team.