Collingwood athletes Joel Cochran, Tyan Prindable and Oscar Steene say the strength of wheelchair footy comes down to one thing - community.
As the adaptive sport’s newest fans, Cochran, Prindable and Steene recently spent their day off getting inspired by the Wheelchair Magpies in action.
“There’s a real sense of community between the two teams,” Steene said.
“It does feel like ‘One Club’; both teams stay to watch each other play their games from the bench which creates a really good atmosphere.”
The Collingwood Football Club is a proud participant in the Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL), with teams comprised across two divisions; the Championship Division and the Community Division.
WHEELCHAIR FOOTBALL: Discover how to get involved.
The adaptive format continues to provide a fast, physical brand of footy for athletes living with disabilities.
The sport can get fiery at times.
Players across five teams (Richmond, Essendon, Hawthorn, Collingwood and St Kilda) compete with high speed and big hits, bumps and crashes.
2025 draftee Prindable said the speed and competitiveness of the game is what first drew him in to spectate.
“Watching it live and just seeing how competitive they are… they just keep fighting no matter what.”
Despite this, often the first thing a new spectator notices is just how much support everyone has for each other in the competition.
If a player falls out of their chair, everyone - even opponents - are there to immediately help pick each other up.
Key defender Cochran echoed the sentiment.
“My biggest takeaway is just how much pride and joy the Wheelchair players have for the Club. It’s such a physical game and regardless of the score, it’s inspiring to see them all have fun with it.” Cochran said.
The adaptive format continues to provide a fast, physical brand of footy for athletes living with disabilities.
Both divisions will begin their 2026 VWFL Finals campaigns this Sunday 2 August 2026 against Hawthorn at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.
How to watch
All matches are streamed live via the Victorian Wheelchair Football League Facebook page.
Stay connected
Follow Collingwood’s AFL channels on X, Facebook and Instagram for scores, highlights and updates. The Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation website also features regular stories and information on Collingwood Wheelchair Football.
