DARREN MONCRIEFF
Thursday 15 December 2011
PERTH Football Club has hailed it as its biggest recruiting move in recent years: the return to Lathlain Park of Leon Davis.
The 30-year-old (pictured) will return to his original club after being passed over by the 18 AFL clubs at this year's draft; Tuesday's final instalments, the pre-season and rookie selections, Davis' last hope of a recall to the top.
But the AFL's loss is the WAFL's gain and Davis will suit up in the red and black on a two-year contract reported to be worth up to $150,000 per year.
It was Davis' desire to be closer to family in Western Australia (his) or South Australia (his partner's) which saw him reject a revised contract from Collingwood, the club with which he played 225 games and four grand finals.
He had hoped to play for any one of the four AFL clubs in SA and WA.
Davis was shifted into the Collingwood backline this year and was productive in the role of 'swooper', a player who pounces on the loose ball and delivers it to a team-mate in the clear.
So effective was his role and consistent his game Davis earned All-Australian honours for the second time in his career.
But that all counted for nought and Davis has will return to Perth to join the Demons where he played 10 league games before joining Collingwood in 1999.
Davis was the first Indigenous footballer to be awarded an AFL premiership medal despite not having played in the winning team on grand final day -- he was one of a few replacements for the 2010 AFL Grand Final replay, against St Kilda, which Collingwood won.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 15/12/2011 15:18