Sport
16 April, 2026
Lions to kick off Saturday
THE Corangamite Lions start their second season in the Ballarat and District Soccer Association on Saturday with an away game at Ballarat North.
With a strong pre-season behind them and a host of new recruits, there’s much optimism in the Lions camp.
The division one men’s team had good results in their pre-season games, with a 1-4 loss to the Warrnambool Wolves, a 0-0 draw against Deakin University, a 10-2 win over the Colac Otway Rovers and a 3-0 win over Port Fairy.
“We’ve had a pretty good pre-season,” Lions president Jamie Norton said.
“The first game was the only game we got beaten, but there was plenty of new faces so just getting used to each other was probably the key.”
The Lions have added Argentinian quartet Ezequil Ripa, Jose Larrarte, Andrupa Diaz and Kevin Salina, Frenchman Robin Pascal-Petre who played Victoria Premier League under 23s last season for the Geelong soccer club, goal keeper Jenanie Irunga from the Colac Otway Rovers, while Sam Cole returns after a year off.
Departing are Eamon Magee who has retired, Paddy Healy who is travelling around Australia, Tom Gillet has returned home to Germany, and star striker Flavien Riviere (back in France with the Lions expecting him to return mid-season).
“We’ve had a big focus on bringing in some players this year, with the players we’ve added we definitely want to be playing finals.”
Norton is coaching the Lions women’s team who have also made a couple of key signings.
Centre back Sarah Adams and midfielder Lara Graham have joined for the 2026 season and will help the women’s team push for a finals berth.
“Sarah is from England and has played from a very young age in large clubs in London, she will help set up the pitch in front of her and will make it very hard for the opposition’s striker to break through our defence.
“Lara Graham is from Western Australia, she’s all class, quick and tough, she’s played at Western Australia’s highest standard including for the state; her leadership and experience has shown in our pre-season.”