Hampton Rovers Football Club will participate in VAFA Premier C under the leadership of new senior coach Paul Carrigan in 2026 and an experienced coaching panel. With a young and talented senior list, the club looks forward to a successful year on the field. The Club has first-class facilities, strong football structure, robust management off the field, proud history and an enjoyable atmosphere. We welcome all new and existing players to be a part of the green & gold in 2026. #gorovers
Coach
The Hampton Rovers Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Carrigan as new Senior Coach for the 2026 VAFA season. Carrigan is a familiar name to members of the club, having been involved at both junior and senior level of many years, most recently as under 19 coach which included the division 1 premiership two years ago. Paul will be supported by new assistant coach Michael Brown as well as Michael Flahive and Christian Carnovale. Stepping up to coach the Reserves in 2026 will be Nick Jewell and Nick Jackson will coach the Under 19’s. The Thirds will again be coached by Wilbur Van Derham and Brent Ward will take on the role of Head Coach of the Senior Women’s team.
Players
The Rovers have a young and extremely talented senior playing list, mixed with plenty of experience and players that display great leadership. In 2025, the club had almost 200 registered players across our five senior teams. The club’s affiliation with the Sandringham Football Club has resulted in a number of Zebras players being listed with the Rovers and Hampton players gaining VFL experience. The club has had multiple players wear the ‘Big V’ in VAFA representatives matches in recent years including captain Christian Carnovale. The club has won a total of 31 VAFA Premierships, including nine Senior flags since joining the league in 1933.
Competition
Hampton Rovers will participate in Premier C section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) in 2026. The VAFA is the largest football competition in Australia, boasting 70 clubs across Melbourne, and is the premier local footy competition with 13,000 players. The VAFA is a well controlled and clean competition featuring highly-skilled and competitive, yet well-spirited matches. The competition prides itself on being ‘leaders’ with many initiatives being adopted for the benefit of players and spectators. The Rovers will field five senior teams in 2026: Senior Men’s & Women’s, Reserves, Thirds and Under 19s.
Facilities
The Rovers play at Boss James Reserve – one of the premier sporting venues in Bayside, boasting great facilities for both players and supporters. The playing arena is of high quality having been resurfaced in 2012 and is 162 x 138 metres, making it one of the largest in the competition. Facilities within the pavilion received a multi-million dollar upgrade ahead of 2025 season and include a large social room & bar, changerooms and players gym. New ground lighting was installed in 2016 improving conditions for training and allowing for night matches, and a new LED scoreboard was installed in 2017.
Support
The club draws strong support from the local community and past players with big crowds at both home and away matches. The Hampton Rovers Football Club is a strong network of over 1,000 members and the club is taking steps to take advantage of this fact with the Rovers Network. The Rovers have strong management with a senior committee, junior committee and board of management overseeing the two sections of the club. The Roverians were introduced in 2012 to offer support especially to players of the club.
Social
While success on the field is a priority at the Rovers, we’re pleased to have a great social environment with a number of big functions held throughout the year. The club hosts numerous functions both at our great facilities at Boss James Reserve as well as at external venues. Luncheon’s are held prior to all Senior home games, regularly attracting large attendances while big crowds stay back for a drink following matches. The club puts on meals at no cost for players at Thursday selection night with the fully-licensed bar open until late.
Play for the Rovers in 2026!
- Please contact someone on the coaching panel (see below) or email the club.
- Attend Pre-Season Training, click here for all the details.
- Register Online. Click here for details.
Contacts
| Senior Coach | Paul Carrigan | M: 0478 053 427 |
| Reserves Coach | Nick Jewell | |
| Under 19 Coach | Nick Jackson | |
| Thirds Coach | Wilbur Van Derham | |
| Senior Women’s Coach | Brent Ward | M: 0409 583 493 |