GREATER Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels have a young, developing side with some promise that showed talent as the season went on last year. Now with an extra year under their belts, the Rebels are keen to go to another level in 2026.

LAST SEASON

Played: 14
Wins: 6
Losses: 8

GWV Rebels had their moments during the 2025 season including notching up three consecutive wins in the second half of the year. A 60-0 thrashing of Tasmania only further cemented the sentiment that they could impress, but just lacked the full season consistency with a young list.

FIXTURE

Round 2: vs. Murray Bushrangers | April 12 @ Queen Elizabeth Oval
Round 3: vs. Geelong Falcons | April 18 @ TBA
Round 4: vs. Gippsland Power | April 25 @ Shepley Oval
Round 5: vs. Northern Knights | May 3 @ Mars Stadium
Round 7: vs. Tasmania Devils | May 16 @ Mars Stadium
Round 10: vs. Western Jets | June 7 @ Mars Stadium
Round 12: vs. Murray Bushrangers | June 20 @ Highgate Recreation Reserve
Round 13: vs. Dandenong Stingrays | June 27 @ Shepley Oval
Round 15: vs. Gippsland Power | July 12 @ La Trobe University
Round 17: vs. Sandringham Dragons | July 26 @ Mars Stadium
Round 18: vs. Bendigo Pioneers | August 2 @ Mars Stadium
Round 19: vs. Geelong Falcons | August 9 @ Leopold Memorial Park
Round 20: vs. Calder Cannons | August 15 @ Highgate Recreation Reserve
Round 21: vs. Western Jets | August 22 @ Mars Stadium

GWV Rebels play half a dozen matches at Mars Stadium this season, while also playing predominantly in country areas. They remain in Victoria for the entirety, with a contest in Leopold against the Geelong Falcons near the end of the season.

TOP-AGE PLAYERS TO WATCH

The top player to watch this year for the Rebels is Vic Country bottom-age representative Milly Shortal who had a breakout 2025 season. The booming left-footer showed she can play a variety of positions and looked good around the stoppages or if dropping to half-back. Expect her to be a key threat for the Rebels and has enormous potential to go to another level in 2026.

Alongside Shortal through the middle is Lila Evans who is another South Warrnambool prospect following in the footsteps of the drafted Maggie Johnstone. Evans will provide a fierce attack around the ball and will look to grow on her performances from last season.

FUTURE NAMES TO REMEMBER

Damaging bottom-age talent Jayda Wright is a named to keep track of after playing three games for the Rebels coming off an Under 16s campaign with Vic Country. She is smart around the goals and finds space well, only 12 days off being a double bottom-ager this season. Ivy Roberts (four games) and Lara Purchase (three) are other 2009-born players looking to build on their debut seasons with the Rebels.

However the big coup was recruiting bottom-age Northern Territory talent Peggy Rock. Having already won an MVP at Under 16s level and made All-Australian, Rock looms as a player who has enormous potential to thrive in a Talent League Girls program. She’s a see-ball, get-ball player and will add plenty of ferocity to the lineup.

SUMMARY

GWV Rebels have a few talents to keep an eye on this year and next, and tend to have a player or two pop up for consideration as the year goes on. They compete well as a side and should put in some strong efforts across the board in 2026 under Sally Riley.