BUNYIP has appointed star DOVETON playmaker Callum Pattie as its assistant coach in 2010, bringing the confirmed departures from the Doves senior grand final side to eight so far.
The 26 year-old utility, a member of the 2005 premiership side with the Doves, will join former coach Steve Henwood at the Bulldogs.
Pattie’s name had recently been linked with PAKENHAM, but the Bulldogs slipped under the Lions guard.
Henwood has also secured the services of his nephew, Andrew, who had an injury-plagued season at the Robinson Reserve, but still managed to add a reserves premiership medal to his trophy cabinet last year.
In more good news for Bunyip, former GIPPSLAND POWER ruckman Dane Roy, who played last season with Bendigo League side KANGAROO FLAT, has returned to the district and should lend great support to emerging follower Marc Rotunno who shouldered the bulk of the big-man duties last season.
REIGNING premiers PAKENHAM will also be a different unit next season with key forwards Jake Matthews and Adam Cook confirming that they will be taking an extended break to travel overseas.
On top of that is the news that reinvented defender Tom O’Loughlin has hung up the boots, while rumour has it that classy rover Jack O’Rourke may also be a non starter in 2009.
On the plus side however, the Lions will be boosted by the emergence of several promising younger players, led by exciting teenager Chris Smith who dominated in this year’s finals series.
DEVON MEADOWS has been among the most active recruiters to date and another big name has been added to the 2010 list with news that former big-marking Panther Adam Jago has agreed to return to the Glover Reserve after an extended stint in the Geelong League.
Jago will travel from his base on the Belarine Peninsula to train with Devon Meadows once a week and his presence will take a huge load off former ESSENDON big man Aaron Henneman around the ground.
NEW Ellinbank and District Football League club GARFIELD has reappointed dynamic ruck-rover Brent Eastwell as senior coach for Season 2010. Prior to joining the Stars in 2007, Eastwell coached BULN BULN and his knowledge of EDFL clubs and grounds should hold him good stead for the Stars introduction to the new competition.
Ruckman-cum-forward Tom Marsh has also been reappointed as the Stars assistant coach, while talented forward Terry Mildren has returned from the CASEY SCORPIONS and will act in a newly created position as a development coach.
Eastwell has also managed to secure the services of his former 2001 captain and premiership coach at the Lyrebirds Hayden Major. He will add much-needed experience to a very young side.
Garry Wright has been re-appointed reserves coach and senior players Jim Bow and Matthew Hobbs will share the coaching duties with the club’s under-18s.
NILMA-DARNUM premiership star Allan Chandler is the first of what is expected to be a number of players to leave the Bombers.
He will play for Troy Makepeace’s MOE in 2010. Chandler, a centreman, was recruited from Tasmanian club GLENORCHY last summer and was awarded the best-on-ground medal in this season’s exciting EDFL premiership win over CORA LYNN.
BERWICK and BEACONSFIELD kicked off pre-season training last week with both clubs reporting excellent numbers.
One report suggested that the Eagles, under new coach Aussie Jones, had 64 players on the track and that did not include many of the club’s under-18 brigade.
The Wickers also had a good crew in attendance with Glenn Dale at the helm for the second season, with the support of new reserves coach Tony Henwood, the youngest of the well-known footballing brothers from DOVETON, and Robert Johns from ROWVILLE, who will take the reins of the under-18s in 2010.
THE West Gippsland Latrobe Football League will officially become the Gippsland Football League at this year’s annual general meeting and welcome WONTHAGGI POWER into the fold as its ninth club after the Power’s bitter departure from the Alberton League this year.
WGLFL officials are also hoping to lure East Gippsland League premiers BAIRNSDALE into the competition to lift its membership to 10 clubs, but were apparently quick to appease Wonthaggi’s already serious concerns at the travel involved within their new league.
A Power source said that the club had been promised that, should Bairnsdale enter the major league, the two would meet at a neutral venue somewhere in between the two towns on both occasions they played.
