UPDATE ON 2019 SENIOR MEN’S FOOTBALL PLAYING LIST
As the first block of pre Christmas training comes to a conclusion, the Football Department are pleased to announce to members, sponsors and supporters that 39 players have been contracted for the 2019 season.
The introduction of the state wide player points system and salary cap has meant that it is now critical for clubs like Barwon Heads to focus on a number of key football issues :
- Recruiting quality players who will be long term players
- Create a high quality junior program and to develop and promote our juniors to senior ranks
- Have quality coaching throughout the whole club
- Ensure that everyone feels part of the club and we are in it together
It is pleasing to report that players who were recruited to Barwon Heads in 2018, all re committed straight away to be part of our 2019 season and as such their individual points allocation reduces by one– Mitch Phelps, Damien Horbury, Otto Opperman, Mitch Gaunt, Lachlan Slorach and Brock Close. In 2019 ruckman Tyson Macilwain and Ned Aulsebrook become one point players.
Other players who were part of our 2018 Grand Final side to re sign with the club include Kyle Polley, Matthew Dyer, Luke Michell, Zach Walter, Seb Kent, Sam Evans, Mitch Herbison, Braeden Eddy, Dylan Holland and Leigh Sartori.
Other players who played senior football throughout 2018 but were not in the Grand Final side to re sign include Bradley Michell, Cody Diana, Connor McKinnon, Dylan O’Leary, Jaydan McLauchlan, Michael Philp, Nicholas Sutton, Noah Young and Zedekai Copland.
The club is also pleased that emerging players who didn’t play senior football in 2018 have also signed for the 2019 season – Matthew Beckwith, Dom Booth, Darcy Hewitt, William Pelham, Josh Saville, Matthew Wapling and James Wills.
At this stage, the club has signed 5 new quality recruits and all five have relocated to the Bellarine region and have been training with the squad. I take this opportunity to officially welcome Tim McIntyre (Koroit), brothers Brad Harvey (Wandin) and Ryan Harvey (Lilydale), Ben Stephens (Heathmont) and Tim Chapman (Diamond Creek).
A number of former players have been training pre Christmas in Jake Barlow and Wayne Barrett and the club has been in discussions with both Max Melzer and Bryn Weadon – once these players are contracted, the club will announce.
Confirmed departures are the retiring Ed Mitchell and Mark Corrigan and Tim Wight has transferred to Geelong West in the GDFL.
GO GULLS 🐦
Brendan Curry (Football Director)