Hawthorn Football Club is one of five AFL teams to receive a Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL) license. Governed by AFL Victoria, the Victorian Wheelchair Football League exists to provide an organised regular competition for the sport of AFL Wheelchair in Victoria, demonstrating what’s possible for people with a disability and that AFL can be everyone’s game.
Overview of Rules:
- The game is played on a basketball court with 5 players on each team.
- Matches consist of four x 10 minute quarters.
- A handball is equivalent to a kick and a single handed underarm throw is equivalent to a handpass. There is no kicking in AFL Wheelchair.
- There are designated zones (forward, centre, defence) which dictate where assigned players can play. Forwards and midfielders can score with a handball through goal posts and behind posts set up similar to the traditional game
- A player may stay in possession of the ball for a maximum of 3 pushes/changes of direction of the wheelchair, or cover 10 metres before bouncing the ball.
- Tackling is prohibited. The equivalent to a tackle is a touch with one hand. A player has two seconds or one push of the wheelchair to warrant prior opportunity, before holding the ball can be rewarded.
2024 Victorian Wheelchair Football League playing list
Primary
Brady Cochrane
Finn Broadbent
Hayden Auber
Brett Newman
Mitch Bond
Rhys Higgins
Yassin Hill
Supplementary
Aaron Jardim
Andrew Harrison
Andria Kauer
Liam Fitzgerald
Community
David Ralph
Gerard McCarthy
Robbie Deverell
Ban Van Raay
Daniel Fatouros
Andrew Hutchings
2024 Wheelchair AFL fixture
Round 1
Hawthorn v Richmond
Sunday 28 April, 1pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 2pm)
Round 2
Bye
Round 3
Essendon v Hawthorn
Sunday 12 May, 1pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 2pm)
Round 4
Hawthorn v St Kilda
Sunday 19 May, 1pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 2pm)
Round 5
Collingwood v Hawthorn
Friday 24 - Sunday 26 May, venues and times TBC
Round 6
Hawthorn v Richmond
Sunday 2 June, 2pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 1pm)
Round 7
Bye
Round 8
Hawthorn v Essendon
Friday 21 - Sunday 23 June, venues and times tbc
Round 9
Hawthorn v St Kilda
Sunday 30 June, 2pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 1pm)
Round 10
Hawthorn v Collingwood
Sunday 7 July, 1pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre (Community @ 2pm)
Finals Week 1
Teams TBD
Sunday 21 July, 1pm & 2pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre
Finals Week 2
Teams TBD
Sunday 28 July, 2pm at the State Netball Hockey Centre
Grand Final
Teams TBD
Sunday 4 August, 1.30pm at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC)
Wheelchair AFL premiership team
Hawthorn VWFL (2023)
Joanna Argaet (captain)
Hayden Auber
Finn Broadbent
Jontee Brown
Yassin Hill
Jaylen Brown
Brady Cochrane