First it was the full Nelson; now it’s the Bergman bunch.
Eastern Football Netball League Premier side Berwick is set to welcome two renowned families back to the club as it looks to take a big step forward in 2026.
Three weeks after announcing Luke Matt and Tom Nelson would call Edwin Flack Reserve home in 2026, the former two of whom have VFL experience, the club announced the four Bergman brothers would also reunite to help drive
Former North Melbourne AFL-listed Miller Bergman headlines the quartet but is likely to play only limited games as he aligns with a VFL club coming off an ACL rupture.
Raiden Bergman, a graduate of Dandenong Stingrays in 2023 who is coming off a shoulder reconstruction, will play a key part as Berwick looks to strengthen its mid-forward mix.
Raiden’s brothers Jahvon and Tige also return to footy after having 2025 off, the former having spent 2023-24 at Nar Nar Goon.
“We might only see little bits of (Miller) but it’s great that he’s back with his brothers where it all started,” Berwick coach Andrew Williams said.
“Getting the Bergmans and Nelsons all back together is something we’re really excited about so hopefully they can play some good footy for us.
“Raiden’s an enormous talent for us and has already played senior footy so we’re excited about his development.
“When we chatted to Jahvon, he was excited about the prospect of playing with his brothers and Tige wants to get the best out of himself and enjoy his footy.
The club also welcomes in Beaconsfield midfielder Ryan Williamson, who played six senior games in 2025 and 2024 Stingrays graduate Lachie Roe, who trained with Port Melbourne’s VFL side this year.
“Ryan’s got a great pair of hands and will add a bit of x-factor and depth to our forward line,” Williams said.
“Lachie’s a 203cm ruck and with Jesse Cirulis as our number one ruck, he gives us great flexibility and is trying to fast track his development so he has a great opportunity to put his best foot forward.”
With most of the core from last year having re-signed, Berwick is well positioned ahead of the 2026 pre-season.
The club won just five games to finish second bottom this year, but a percentage of 80 is a truer reflection of where the club sits.
Overall, Berwick’s defence held up excellently in 2025, but struggled at times in the midfield and forward line against the top sides, which the recruits so far announced collectively address.
“Our ability to transition the ball and score and hurt opposition probably let us down against the top sides,” Williams conceded.
“We’ll put a heap of work in and bringing in those guys makes it more competitive for spots in front of the footy and gives us more flexibility in the midfield.
“We’ll work over summer on our ball movement to give ourselves more chances of scoring.”
