Preseason training is about to begin, and already the signings and departures are keeping the Peter Jackson VFL offseason entertaining.
We take a quick look at some of the major new around the clubs:
All senior coaches are now in place for the 2015 VFL season with Sandringham announcing Paul Hudson as its senior coach, after Simon McPhee stepped down from the role to focus on his Academy position with the St Kilda. A development coach with the Saints, Hudson is no stranger to the Zebras having been involved game day as a line coach, and also having led the club to its Round 1 win over Frankston this season. Hudson joins Justin Plapp (Casey Scorpions) and Patrick Hill (Frankston) as the ony three coaching changes for 2015.
Coburg has been the most proactive team of the offseason to date, with close to a dozen new arrivals announced. Jedd Clothier (Northern Saints/Essendon), Robbie Fox (Aberfeldie), Matt Huckstep (Greenvale) and James Kroussoratis (Eltham) headline a long list of signings. Also pleasing for the club has been the retention of back to back best and fairest winner Daniel Venditti and VFL Team of the Year selection Ozgur Uysal.
Former Werribee captain Dom Gleeson has been able to attract former teammates Jarrad Mather and Sam Wormald to Torquay for season 2015. Leading goal kicker at the club for the last two seasons Ben Warren is also on the move, set to join former Tiger midfielder Ben Ross at Pascoe Vale in the Essendon DFL.
Box Hill Hawks lost an assistant coach in Patrick Hill to the Frankston senior role, but have been quick to find replacements with former Casey Scorpions development coach Steve O’Brien and Frankston legend Paul Kennedy joining the club in coaching roles.
2013 Sandringham Dragons best and fairest winner Max Hayes will join a number of his former teammates at Sandringham Zebras in 2015, after spending this year at Williamstown.
Hayes will also join Sandringham captain and back to back best and fairest winner Adam Cockie who will be back at the Zebras in 2015 for his fourth season, along with Peter Shakalis, Myke Cook, Matt Kreymborg, Kenny Ong and Ned Fallon who are some of 19 re-signings by the club so far.
Williamstown has been quick to re-sign its talent for next year, with over 30 players already having signed on the dotted line. Included in that list are Adam Marcon, Kane Lambert, Scott Clouston, Brad Mangan, Dylan Conway and Jake Owen just to name a few.
Captain Ben Jolley has also stated his intentions to play on next year, and is set to become just the sixth Seagulls player to play 200 games in the VFA/VFL, finishing the year on 194 matches.
Simon Pasinati will take over the reigns as Development League coach for the Northern Blues. Replacing Adrian McBean, who has been appointed senior coach at Lara, Pasinati will enjoy a smooth transition to the top job after being an assistant coach to the development side in 2014.
After just the one season at Port Melbourne, former Carlton player Marcus Davies is returning to Tasmania to play with the Tigers in the Tasmanian State League.
Dual J.J.Liston Trophy winner Shane Valenti has informed Port Melbourne he will not be back in 2015, heading to Noble Park in the EFL, joining the likes of Frankston Ziggie Alwan and former Frankston player Kyle Martin.
Murphy Ambrose, who played seven games for Essendon this year as well as time at Old Xaverians in the VAFA, is heading to EFL premiers Norwood.
Former Bendigo player Jake Aarts will join teammate Tyrone Downie at Richmond next season.
A number of former Gold players are finding homes as well outside of the VFL, with Alik Magin signing with Kyneton and Steve Stroobants with Rochester
- CLICK HERE for the previous article on off season news
Last Modified on 30/10/2014 14:09