Werribee has locked in young two premiership stars for next year’s Victorian Football League season.
The youngest two players in the Tigers premiership team, Jaelen Pavlidis and Jake Smith, have signed on for a second season.
Both joined the club and established themselves in the team straight away.
Pavlidis featured in 18 games and Smith in 15 games this season.
Both players have strong bloodlines to the club.
Smith became the third member of his family to play for the club, with his grandfather Brian and father Karl both playing for the club.
Pavlidis’ father John also played at the club as well as serving as a runner, welfare manager, and recruiting manager
Even with three games missed due to injury, Pavlidis finished in the top 10 for the club’s best-and-fairest, averaging 13 disposals and five marks in his 18 appearances.
Both players were nominated for the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the best players under-23 in the VFL.
Werribee football manager Ash Collins shared his enthusiasm about locking in Pavlidis.
“He didn’t train as a back during pre-season, but he excelled when we shifted him there in practice matches,” he said.
“We’re excited to see what he can accomplish next year with a full pre-season under his belt as a defender.”
Smith brokes into the senior side ahead of round six and impressed from there and held his own. He joined the club from the Western Jets this season, having made his VFL debut for Williamstown last year.
Smith ended the season averaging 15 disposals, four tackles and four clearances a game in his first full VFL season.
“At just 19 years old, Jake is still a kid and has already performed on the big stage, so we’re really excited to see what he can do with a second full VFL pre-season under his belt,” Collins said.
