Wildcats hold firm in windswept opener

Woodside coach Hudson Holmes shares his thought on his teams first outing and his first game as a coach.

Hudson Holmes takes a one handed mark. Heyfield had dominated the first half of the first goal - this mark, followed by a goal got the Wildcats back on track.

WOODSIDE has opened its 2026 season in gritty fashion, overcoming Heyfield by 14 points in a hard-fought round one clash played in blustery conditions.

With strong winds sweeping across the ground all afternoon, the contest became as much about discipline and defence as it was about skill. Under new coach Hudson Holmes, the Wildcats showed resilience and composure to grind out the win despite what he described as a typical “round one” performance.

“There were a few first-round blues with some expectations on us,” Holmes said.

While the many familiar faces remain in the team, there are some new faces as well and Holmes admitted they got some things right and some things wrong.

The first half of the first quarter exposed some of the wrong but Holmes adjusted well.

The conditions played a defining role in the match, with neither side able to fully seize momentum. Instead, the game was dictated by which team could best handle playing against the wind.

“There wasn’t a real momentum shift,” Holmes explained. “It was more about who could defend best against the wind, and that was always going to give a side the upper hand.”

Woodside’s ability to absorb pressure and limit Heyfield’s scoring opportunities into the breeze proved crucial. The Wildcats applied strong pressure around the contest, forcing their opponents into difficult forward entries and capitalising when the conditions turned in their favour.

Despite finishing strongly, Holmes admitted the side’s fitness was tested, with several players battling cramps on a heavy surface.

“Our fitness was okay, but there was a lot of cramping and the ground was pretty heavy,” he said.

Importantly, Woodside stuck to its structure throughout the match, resisting the urge to make sweeping changes.

“We didn’t make any major adjustments—our match-ups were working, and we just stuck at it,” Holmes said.

Holmes was particularly pleased with his side’s effort and ability to withstand long quarters, with frequent stoppages adding to the physical toll.

Wildcats and Heyfield battle it out in an entertaining contests during Round 1 of the 2026 NGFNL season

“The quarters went pretty long due to stoppages, but we stuck fat, especially when defending against the wind, which was great,” he said.

While no single player dominated, Holmes praised the collective contribution, highlighting the impact of younger players who showed promising signs in key moments.

In a game where persistence and pressure proved decisive, Woodside’s ability to maintain intensity across four quarters ultimately delivered a deserved opening-round victory.