The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably disrupted teacher education. In Australian, the placement days required to meet the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards were reduced for the 2020 final-year graduate teachers. Simultaneously, the COVID-19 disruptions posed significant challenges for first-year teachers. This study investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped three first-year teachers' needs for support in transitioning into teaching in Australian schools. Data for the study were generated through semi-structured Zoom interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed a tension between the unpredictability of the classroom realities and insufficient practical skills. The situated learning experiences were disrupted to varying degrees, affecting the development of close relationships and reducing the possibility of frequent interactions and productive conversations with other community members. First-year teachers need support handling workloads, managing students' behaviour and differentiating instructional strategies for students with special needs. The findings of this study emphasis the urgent need to embed a comprehensive school support structure to facilitate first-year teachers in their transition to the teaching workforce.