The sixth part of the Smithy's VFL off-season update looks at the inclusions and departures at Richmond, Sandringham and Southport Sharks.
Rebounding defender Garrett McDonagh has returned to Tigerland after a solitary year on Essendon’s AFL list. McDonagh, 26, was selected from Richmond by the Bombers in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft, playing 17 VFL games and averaging 16.6 touches but not making his AFL debut. He has played 33 VFL matches, also representing Northern Blues and Coburg.
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The Tigers have strengthened their backline with developing defender Mutaz El Nour crossing from Northern Bullants. The South Sudanese talent from Caroline Springs Football Club played 12 VFL games last year for a total of 18 and had been touted as a NAB AFL Draft fancy. He averaged 16.5 disposals, 5.8 marks and 5.1 rebounds in 2022.
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Captain Lachlan Street will be a Tiger again. Street, 24, took the top job with aplomb last year, playing every game and averaging career bests in disposals (18.6), marks (4.6), rebounds (3.5), tackles (2.8) and clearances (2.2) to share second spot in the best-and-fairest.
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Rookie Jackson Bowne has joined Coburg. The Bundoora small forward made his VFL debut for the Tigers in Round 5, gathering six disposals, but didn’t add to that appearance. He played 19 games and kicked 13 goals for Northern Knights in 2019-21.
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Mykelti Lefau and Misilifi Faimolo will remain at Swinburne Centre. Former Casey Demon Lefau, 24, played six games and kicked five goals last year before injuring his knee, while Faimolo, 23, ran out seven times in his debut season.
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Richmond has a new assistant coach, with Mo Kaakour promoted. The experienced Kaakour led Westmeadows to consecutive fourth-placed finishes in Division 1 of the Essendon league and has been leading the Bachar Houli Academy.
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Brad Melville’s first three years at Richmond have been racked by bad luck – Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 before suffering a serious knee injury – and will be hoping for a better run after committing to a fourth year at Punt Rd, according to The Border Mail Albury-Wodonga. The Wangaratta midfielder-forward, 24, got back for two matches late in the 2022 season. Meanwhile, Angus Hicks, Fraser Elliot and Nick Guiney will also continue at Swinburne Centre.
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Itchy areas are a thing of the past at Richmond, with Johnson & Johnson filling the changerooms again. Austin Johnson, 20, played nine games last year for a total of 10 since crossing from Frankston, while Lachlan Johnson, 21, the son of Brisbane Lions triple premiership great Chris, fronted three times for a total of 13 after being delisted by Essendon.
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2021 Richmond VFL best-and-fairest winner Will Martyn has signed at Port Melbourne. The Brisbane Lions Academy graduate played all 28 VFL games in the past two seasons at Swinburne Centre, last year averaging 18.1 disposals and 4.7 marks.
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Tylar Young’s decision to move from Frankston to Richmond VFL at the start of last year paid off in spades when he was promoted to the Tigers’ AFL list in the NAB Rookie Draft. Young, 24, played 14 games for Richmond last year, averaging 9.6 disposals.
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Shepparton youngster Ashtyn Atkinson is pushing hard for an opportunity on Richmond’s VFL list. Atkinson, 18, a Yorta Yorta youngster from Rumbalara Football Club, played 11 NAB League games for Murray Bushrangers, averaging 12 disposals.
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An important Tiger will play for the Tigers in 2023. But it’s not happy news for Richmond with Bailey Henderson switching to Werribee. Henderson, 23, played 14 matches for Richmond last year, averaging 13.6 disposals and kicking seven goals.
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Delisted Tiger Riley Collier-Dawkins has opted for the SANFL to try and reboot his career, according to Zero Hanger. Collier-Dawkins played 16 VFL games last year for a total of 41. He also played 11 AFL games.
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North Melbourne has boosted its forward line with the signing of young Richmond goalkicker Sam Tucker, according to Code Sports’ Paul Amy. Tucker, 21, booted nine goals in six matches for the Tigers last year, including five in one match against Port Melbourne.
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Youngsters Cam Olden, Joel Nathan, Jess McGrath and Tom Bracher will return to the Swinburne Centre to continue their development. Tom Brindley gained a small taste of VFL footy in 2022 and will also be back for more. Brindley, 24, played just one game last year – his debut – with his seven disposals and four tackles showing enough to earn another contract.
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Best-and-fairest winner Jake Aarts lost his spot on the AFL list at the end of last season and won’t be back to defend his Guinane Medal, signing with Mornington Peninsula-Nepean club Dromana. Aarts, 28, played 14 VFL games last year, averaging career-bests in disposals (21.4), clearances (4.2) and tackles (5.4) and kicking 16 goals. He finishes with 112 VFL matches for Richmond and Bendigo, along with 42 AFL games for the Tigers.
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LACHLAN Street has been reappointed as Tigers captain after an impressive first season in the job last year. Street played all 18 matches to finish equal second in the club’s Guinane Medal. His vice-captains are Angus Hicks, Brad Melville and Garrett McDonagh.
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RICHMOND has added three recruits with the signings of Harrison White, James Trezise and Billy Cooper.
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YOUNGSTER Jack Sexton has crossed state lines to join Southport. Sexton played four matches in his debut season for the Tigers before starring in Yarrawonga’s run to the Ovens and Murray league Grand Final.
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THE Tigers have handed contracts to three more youngsters out of the NAB League, and they include two famous names. Harry Broderick, Matt Clarkson and Luke Teal will join the VFL squad, with Harry being the son of former Tiger Paul Broderick and Matt being the son of master coach Alistair Clarkson.
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RICHMOND youngster Will Bravo is back for a third season at the Swinburne Centre, hoping for a breakout year. Bravo, 20, played two games last year for a total of three, averaging five disposals per game.
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THE Tigers have awarded contracts to two more youngsters, with Mohammed Yassine and Max Clohesy added to the VFL list. Yassinen is a member of the Bachar Houli Academy, while Clohesy played 13 NAB League games for Murray Bushrangers last year.
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RICHMOND has announced six more contracts for talented youngsters, with Beau Tedcastle Archie May and Ashtyn Atkinson, Ben Bilston-McGillen, Ned Crowe and Lewis Hill added to the Tigers’ VFL list.
The second most experienced player in the VFL called time on his decorated career. Sam Dunell played 10 games last year as he combined playing with an assistant coaching role at the Zebras. After 12 games for St Kilda, he finishes with 167 VFL matches, 225 goals, the 2015 premiership at Williamstown, a Sandringham best-and-fairest, VFL Team of the Year guernseys and life membership of the Seagulls.
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He was St Kilda-listed, but Dean Kent spent most of 2022 at Trevor Barker Oval and will be a loss for the Zebras after announcing his AFL retirement. Kent will join Mornington Peninsula-Nepean club Devon Meadows. The 28-year-old kicked 18 goals in 12 games for Sandringham and finishes with 40 VFL matches for the Zebras and Casey Demons, as well as exactly 100 AFL games and 91 goals for Melbourne and St Kilda.
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Sandringham showed a lot of faith in young defender Anthony Seaton last year, appointing him as captain at just 22. He repaid that faith by playing all 18 matches and shut down many opposition forwards to finish third in the Neil Bencraft Medal. He will return to Trevor Barker Beach Oval to continue his development, joined by promising forwards Jake Lohmann and Blake Watson. Lohmann, 22, the brother of Brisbane Lions young gun Kai, played 11 of his 13 VFL games last year, averaging 10.7 disposals and kicking five goals. Watson, 23, played 15 times in his debut year, averaging 15.6 touches and kicking eight goals.
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Great news for the Zebras, with youngsters Darby Hipwell, Oliver Lowe, Tyson Milne and Liam Hayes re-signing. Hipwell, 20, played 15 games in season 2023 and finished fourth in the best-and-fairest. Lowe, 20, had a great debut season, winning the club’s goalkicking with 20 majors from 11 games. Milne, 21, the son of St Kilda great Stephen, played 15 games, averaging 16.9 disposals and 4.1 marks in defence. Hayes, 20, managed three appearances in his first year on the list.
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Cody Henness has departed Trevor Barker Oval after two seasons to join Port Melbourne. Henness, 23, joins his third VFL club after also playing for Footscray, having lined up 10 times for the Zebras last year, averaging 12.6 disposals.
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Assistant coach and former AFL player Trent Dennis-Lane has been appointed as the new boys coach at NAB League club Western Jets. Dennis-Lane, 34, who played AFL for Sydney and St Kilda and VFL for Sandringham, has been working with the Saints/Zebras’ development team
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Jack McHale has departed Trevor Barker Oval one game short of his 50 milestone, heading to Williamstown. McHale, 23, played 14 games last year for a career-best 13.4 disposals.
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Key forward Noah Gown is heading to Sandringham, as confirmed by Williamstown. Former Essendon player Gown, 22, played 15 matches for Williamstown last year (total 34 overall) and kicked 17 goals for a total of 42.
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The Zebras have lost former AFL-listed midfielder Mitch Riordan to the Port Melbourne recruiting spree. Riordan, 22, played three NEAFL games for Gold Coast before joining Sandringham, where he played 21 matches, including 16 last year that yielded 13.9 disposals per game.
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Code Sports reports that Sandringham star and vice-captain Goy Lok could be heading to South Australia. Lok, 25, who previously played for Frankston and Casey and won the last VFL Development League best-and-fairest, has been tipped to join his former Demons coach Jade Rawlings at Norwood.
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Former St Kilda/Sandringham defender Darragh Joyce will be playing for the Brisbane Lions this year after signing as a delisted free agent last week. Irishman Joyce, 25, played 12 VFL games last season for a total of 61, averaging 16.4 disposals, 5.2 marks and 6.5 rebounds. He also played 13 AFL games for St Kilda.
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Young Magpie Isaac Wallace has journeyed down Nepean Rd, swapping white stripes for gold to join Sandringham. Wallace, 24, played three games for Collingwood last year for a total of seven but was unable to get a regular run at it.
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The Zebras have landed a handy small forward out of the NAB League, with St Kilda Next Generation Academy prospect Sam Latrielle heading to Sandringham. Latrielle played 15 games for Dandenong Stingrays, averaging 12.2 disposals and kicking 11 goals. Also among the new young arrivals at Trevor Barker Oval are Luca Macnab, Mason Hawkins, Tomoya Owens and Cam Dickie.
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Rookie midfielder Scott Beilby has crossed the border to play for SANFL club Glenelg. Beilby, 19, played five times in his debut season for the Zebras, averaging 9.4 disposals.
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The Zebras have locked youngsters Riley Virtue and Ben Mansfield away for this year and recruited Old Brighton pair Jordy Segar and Tom Blamires to join them. Segar kicked 26 goals in 21 matches and Blamires, 20, booted 15 majors in 18 outings for the VAFA club. Blamires averaged 14 possessions in nine NAB League matches for Sandringham Dragons in 2021.
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FORMER captain Dan Coffield is back at Trevor Barker Oval as an assistant coach. Coffield played 69 VFL games for Richmond and Sandringham before retiring to join Old Melburnians at the end of 2021 and is expected to remain at the VAFA club as a player between Zebras commitments. Former Port Melbourne and Casey man Lee Rowe has also arrived as a development coach, while St Kilda and Essendon champion Brendon Goddard has also arrived.
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THE Zebras have announced the retention of both experienced and young talent and the arrival of two new players with the signings of Jono Haidon, Fin Bayne, Joe Nowell, Isaac Wallace and Tyrell Lafituanai.
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VICE-captain Goy Lok was tipped to head to South Australia, and now that has eventuated, with the VFL Development League’s last best-and-fairest winning joining former coach (at Casey Demons) Jade Rawlings at SANFL outfit Norwood.
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THE Zebras have re-signed rookie Vince Zagari and awarded contracts to Will Dunne and Phillip Moi Moi.
Southport utility Aiden Fyfe has swapped black and white for red and blue after heading south to join Port Melbourne. Fyfe, 20, played seven VFL games for Gold Coast in 2021 while on the Suns’ AFL list and added 11 for the Sharks last season, averaging 17 disposals four rebounds.
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Former West Coast Eagles and Gold Coast Suns talent Ryan Davis has hung up the boots after an excellent State league career. Originally from Sydney AFL Premier club North Shore, Davis played 93 WAFL matches for Swan Districts, 19 NEAFL games for Gold Coast, and 33 NEAFL and 11 VFL for the Sharks. He also played 35 AFL matches for West Coast and Gold Coast, giving him over 200 games at the top two levels.
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Superstar midfielder Jacob Dawson will aim to back up his brilliant first two seasons in the VFL after locking in his future at Fankhauser Reserve. The first-year captain played all 21 matches last year and has lined up in all 31 of Southport’s VFL games. Last season he averaged 29.2 disposals, 8.8 clearances and 4.8 tackles, winning his second club best-and-fairest, claiming the inaugural rebel VFL Coaches MVP with a stunning 120 votes and finishing equal-second in the J.J. Liston Trophy with teammate Boyd Woodcock.
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One of the most dangerous one-two ruck punches in the competition will terrorise opponents again, with Fraser Thurlow and Brayden Crossley re-signing with the Sharks. No.1 ruck Thurlow, 29, was outstanding again until suffering a season-ending hamstring injury in Round 17. Battering ram Crossley took over Thurlow’s role admirably late in the year and in the finals. Young ruckman Riley Bowman, 22, who joined the club from Box Hill Hawks last year and played five games will also remain in the Black V.
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Former AFL players Jesse Joyce, Zac Foot, Jay Lockhart and Jacob Heron will again be at Fankhauser Reserve. Joyce and Heron played all 21 games last year. Lockhart and Foot joined the Sharks last year from Casey Demons. The Sharks have also retained important defenders Mackenzie Willis, Max Spencer, Matt Gahan and Dan Charlesworth.
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Impressive young Sharks Max Pescud, Tom Reeves and Corey Joyce have re-committed to the club. Suns Academy graduate Pescud booted 29 goals in 21 matches in his first season at Fankhauser Reserve. Labrador product Reeves, 21, kicked four goals in four games, while Surfers Paradise’s Joyce, 21, played one game to have 11 at State league level.
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The Sharks have farewelled former Port Melbourne defender Callum Searle, who will be playing in the Eastern league with Norwood. Searle, 24, played nine matches for Southport last year for a total of 41.
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Southport will be looking for a new avenue to goal after former AFL forward Billy Gowers announced his VFL retirement to return to Melbourne. Gowers, who kicked his 100th VFL goal in the preliminary final win over Gold Coast, booted 31.23 in 20 matches last year and finished with exactly 100 majors in 82 games for the Sharks and Footscray. He has signed for VAFA club Old Xaverians.
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Three of Southport’s long-serving players will go again in search of that groundbreaking VFL flag. Mitch Johnson will again lead the forward line as he builds on his 62 State league matches and 153 goals for the Sharks. Superboot Tom Fields was considering retirement but the Grand Final defeat has sparked him to keep going. The former Carlton player, 29, is the third most experienced State league player in the competition with 45 VFL games for the Blues and Sharks, 38 NEAFL appearances for the Sharks and Labrador and 88 SANFL matches for South Adelaide (total 171). Matt Doran might have only managed two games in an injury-interrupted year, but the defender, 26, will be back to build on his 36 games for Southport. Johnson and Doran are 2018 NEAFL premiership players.
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Southport has landed the signature of former Adelaide rookie-listed player Jackson Edwards, 23, the son of Crows great Tyson. He joins the Sharks after 17 SANFL games last year for West Adelaide, where he averaged 19.8 disposals and 4.6 marks and kicked nine goals. Overall, he has played 48 SANFL games for Glenelg, Adelaide and the Bloods.
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The Sharks have landed key defender Matt Conroy straight out of the Gold Coast Suns AFL system. Conroy, 22, played 20 VFL games for the Suns last year for a total of 25. Former North Melbourne backman Matt McGuinness will also play for Southport in 2023. McGuinness played 17 VFL matches last year for a total of 19, averaging 17.3 disposals, 6.2 marks and 4.2 rebounds, but didn’t make an AFL debut.
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2018 Premiership co-captain and dual best-and-fairest Andrew Boston is back at the Sharks as an assistant coach. Boston retired from VFL footy in 2021 after 117 State league and 16 AFL games, playing last season in the QAFL for Labrador.
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Ryan Banks-Smith had a taste of VFL footy with Aspley in 2021 and has decided he wants more after a stellar QAFL season for the Hornets. Banks-Smith heads to Southport after playing five VFL games for Aspley in 2021. He went to a new level last season, winning the QAFL’s Grogan Medal and being named in the best as the Hornets won the flag.
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Star midfielder Boyd Woodcock is training at the Gold Coast Suns in a bid to earn a second AFL chance. Woodcock, 22, joined Southport last year after being delisted by Port Adelaide and set the VFL alight, playing 20 matches, averaging 28.1 disposals, 4.4 marks, 7.0 clearances, 5.0 inside-50s and 3.5 tackles while kicking 22 goals to finish equal second in the J.J. Liston Trophy.
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The Sharks have landed the signature of Brisbane Lions fringe player Charlton Offermans. The Labrador product and Suns Academy played two games last year for a total of 11 State league appearances. He will be joined by another Suns Academy graduate in Jed Foggo. The Palm Beach-Currumbin product played 11 of his 12 games for the Suns last season.
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Southport has another hole to fill in its backline with 2018 premiership player Rhys Clark retiring. Clark played 20 matches for the Sharks last year (averaging 14.1 disposals and 4.6 rebounds) for a total of 81 at State league level (including 15 for Bendigo Gold).
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The Sharks have also farewelled another club great with 2018 premiership co-captain Seb Tape announcing his VFL retirement. Tape, 30, joined Southport in 2017 after 40 AFL matches for Gold Coast and leaves after having played 29 VFL and 55 NEAFL games at Fankhauser Reserve, plus 41 NEAFL appearances for the Suns and one SANFL match for Glenelg – a total of 126 State league matches. He was a key part of the Sharks’ run to the 2022 Grand Final, playing 19 matches.
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Sharks mid-forward Michael Selsby has headed to Victoria and linked up with Werribee. Selsby, 21, who has also joined Western Region club Yarraville-Seddon as his local team, has played 30 NEAFL/VFL games for Gold Coast and Southport, including 13 last year for nine goals.
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Labrador product Jay Foon managed seven games last year in his debut VFL season and will be looking to grow that number. The Tasmanian averaged 14 disposals per game in 2022.
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Southport has added AFL Cairns key forward Lachie Rhook to its goalkicking firepower. Originally from Warrnambool, Rhook has played in Cairns for the past three years and booted 75 goals last season for Centrals Trinity Beach, including 18 in one game against his former club South Cairns.
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TRAGIC news from the Sharks, with president Matthew Schneider’s death from cancer at the age of just 39. Schneider only took over the top job after the death of Queensland legend Alan ‘Doc’ McKenzie last year, but was diagnosed a month later and lost his battle last month.
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THE Sharks have announced Clayton Glenister as their new president. Glenister has been a director of the Sharks since 2011 and company secretary since March last year. He is the managing partner of Queensland law firm MBA Lawyers.
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EXPERIENCED code-hopper Josh Hall has joined the pilgrimage north, leaving Southport to sign with AFL Cairns club Centrals Trinity Beach. Hall, 32, has played just one game in each of the past two seasons for the Sharks for a total of 82 at State league level. He played AFL for Gold Coast and also spent time on Penrith’s NRL list.
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RETIRED premiership co-captain Seb Tape’s next move has been revealed, with the key defender becoming the third former Shark to head north to join Centrals Trinity Beach.
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ANOTHER handy signing for the Sharks, with former Essendon and North Ballarat player Jake McQueen heading to Fankhauser Reserve, according to reports. McQueen, 24, who played in the Ovens and Murray league for Wangaratta Rovers last year, played 26 games for the Roosters and Bombers from 2017-19 and has lined up nine times for Southern Districts in the NTFL this summer, being named in the best five times.
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SOUTHPORT has lured another one north, with Carlton VFL captain Matt Shannon landing at Fankhauser Reserve.
Part 1: Box Hill Hawks, Brisbane Lions, Carlton
Part 2: Casey Demons, Coburg, Collingwood
Part 3: Essendon, Footscray Bulldogs, Frankston
Part 4: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS
Part 5: North Melbourne, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne
Part 6: Richmond, Sandringham, Southport Sharks
Part 7: Sydney Swans, Werribee, Williamstown