The Melton Bloods are pleased to have two Coburg VFL listed players aligned with us this year.
Mark Orr, a former Bloods Junior, enters his fourth season at Coburg where he is establishing himself as a key member of their senior team and a part of their leadership group.
Joining the Bloods as his local interchange club for the first time is Nick Dodge. Dodge moved to Melbourne at the start of 2017 from his home state of Tasmania and became a regular in the Coburg Senior team during 2017.
With the demise of the VFL Development league at the end of the 2017 season, any players not selected to play Senior VFL football this year will make their way back to local clubs, but the Bloods Football Manager Brad Jamison isn’t expecting to see too much of Orr and Dodge. “Any games we have the boys for is a bonus for us. Their focus is VFL football and hopefully they spend the season with Coburg. On what they did in 2017, the likelihood is they will be playing plenty of VFL through 2018”.
Orr has played 7 senior games with the Bloods over the past four seasons - the majority of them as a 19 year old while he was at the Western Jets. While appearances with the Bloods have been limited during the past couple of years, Orr enjoys the opportunity to return home from time to time, and is often seen watching his mates at MacPherson Park when Coburg play games on a Sunday.
For Dodge, a creative half forward who can pinch hit on ball, the move to align himself with the Bloods came through the friendship developed with Orr in his first season at Coburg.
Football Manager Brad Jamison notes that Dodge has an extensive football CV for someone nearing 21 years of age. “Nick’s been playing Senior footy in the TSL (Tasmanian State League) with Lauderdale since he was 16. He came through the Mariners team at U18 level, played for the Allies on the MCG on Grand Final Day, and was a member of the TSL State team who played the WAFL in 2016. He moved over to Melbourne to keep improving his footy in the VFL and like most players who choose that pathway he still hopes to get an opportunity at a higher level. If we can play a small part in supporting what he’s doing with Coburg then we’ll be doing our job”.
Coburg’s VFL season begins on Sunday April 8th with a home game against the Casey Demons, while their first practice match takes place against Collingwood on Friday night March 16th at the Holden Centre.
Last Modified on 02/02/2018 23:35