Sport
11 April, 2026
Kennel has a new dozen
PYRAMID Hill will have up to a dozen new players on the field when it meets Inglewood in round one on Saturday.
PYRAMID Hill will have up to a dozen new players on the field when it meets Inglewood in round one on Saturday.
The Bulldogs have turned over their list after sliding on the ladder last year, with veteran mid/forward Zach Alford one of the few long-term players to return for 2026. However, Alford will miss the first two rounds with concussion suffered in a practice match with Wandella.
Gun recruit Jhye Baddeley-Kelly will make his Pyramid Hill debut alongside the team’s new coach Jarrod Fitzpatrick, with both having moved from North Central’s Boort.
Fitzpatrick said it was hard to gauge how his radically changed side would perform against the Woodies, without having had a practice game with a full complement of players.
“We’ve got no real idea where we’re at,” he said, noting that it would take time for his team to settle into the season. Rival coach Jackson Hood said Pyramid Hill had been near the top of the ladder for many years, but Inglewood would enter the game full of confidence.
“We go in with a sense of belief,” he said, based on wins over Bulldogs last season, including a big victory in the first semi-final.
Midfield recruit Lachie Ford fractured a bone in his foot a month ago, with a return likely in round two or three.
Jack Nevins will also miss the match after cutting his wrist in a work accident.
Otherwise, Inglewood has a full book of players to choose from, with several of its new Melbourne-based recruits set to make their debuts.
Coaching legend and VFL premiership winner Ian Aitken, who is Hood’s assistant coach this season, has opened his contact book to bring in some exciting talent.
Read More: Pyramid Hill, Inglewood, Berrimal, Boort