SENIOR FOOTBALL UPDATE
Barwon Heads Seniors wrapped up their pre Christmas 5 week training block on Wednesday 22nd December. Under the guidance of newly appointed Senior Coach Daniel Donati our senior group completed 10 sessions with 63 different players attending. Donati has been thrilled with the efforts of the playing group during this initial period of our 2022 campaign and the enthusiasm and work ethic of the players has been terrific.
Football Director Brendan Curry has contracted 40 players thus far including 2022 Playing Assistant Coaches Mitch Herbison and Nathan Brown. 2019 premiership players to re commit include Brad and Ryan Harvey, Kyle Polley, Mitch Phelps, Braeden Eddy, Brock Close, Jayden McLauchlan, Ned Aulsebrook, Michael Philp and Xavier Everett. Premiership key defender Dylan “Dizzy” Holland also returns after a successful shoulder reconstruction operation. Promising youngsters Charlie Hurst, Oliver Wiltshire, Charlie Walter and Koban Treweek who all played senior football in 2021 are on board again in 2022. Experienced 2021 recruits Lee Spiteri and David Stretton are committed and BFL Team of the Year defender Will Jacobs has re signed. Other 2021 senior players to commit include the ever improving Matty Beckwith, Jake Barlow, Andy Walsgott and James Wills.
Other players who were part of the undefeated reserves squad in 2021 to commit include Riley Berg, Bailey Graham, Dylan and Sean O’Leary, Billy Pelham, Luke Potiriadis, Jake Stainsby, Nic Sutton and Oscar Young.
New confirmed recruits to Barwon Heads for 2022 include Shaun Lyle (North Ballarat FC), Sammy Baker (Mooroolbark FC), Kyle Maher (Croydon FC) and Leighton Driscoll (Lara FC). It is also very exciting to welcome three of our graduating Colts players in Luca Vella, Noah McGregor-Dawson and Declan Clark to our senior squad. It is also worth noting that in early 2022 more existing and some exciting new player signings will be announced.
Confirmed departures for 2022 include Damien “Strawbs” Horbury who gave tremendous service to our club has been appointed as a playing coach at Wycheproof FC whilst Lachlan “SOX” Slorach will return to his original club Navarre FC for the 2022 season. Charlie Nairn will stay in Melbourne to play with his school side Old Melbournians whilst Flynn Young, Charlie Brauer and Sam Witherden are pursuing VFL opportunities and we wish all of these departing players all the best.