Derick Wanganeen boosts North Adelaide’s Port contingent
FAMILIAR faces from Alberton have helped lure Derick Wanganeen to North Adelaide, boosting the Roosters’ contingent of former Port Adelaide players.
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FAMILIAR faces from Alberton have helped to lure Derick Wanganeen to North Adelaide Football Club.
Wanganeen, 24, signed with the Roosters this month, boosting their contingent of former Port Adelaide players while ending his search for a new club after being delisted by Hawthorn.
North’s Daniel Kulikowski, Jay Shannon, Michael Clinch, Corey Grove, Alex Barns also used to line up for the Magpies, while Marlon Motlop was on the Power’s list.
Senior coach Ken McGregor was previously in charge of the Magpies, while assistant Darren Mead was the reserves mentor and a premiership player at Port, and North chief executive Greg Edwards held the same role at Alberton.
“It’s always daunting coming to a new club, a new environment but it’s lucky to have the Port boys here,” Wanganeen says.
“As soon as I came in, we had a laugh, we had a talk and it makes it a lot easier when you know people already there.
Wanganeen, a half-back cum small forward, was on the Hawks’ list for four seasons and played one game.
He was playing for Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Football League when Kulikowski urged him to join the Roosters.
“I was in Darwin playing footy and, coming to the AFL, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back to a semi-professional lifestyle,” Wanganeen says.
“Daniel Kulikowski was persistent, telling me to come back and texting me saying ‘are you coming to play for North Adelaide?’
“Everyone at the club’s been very welcoming so far and I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Edwards said the crop of ex-Port players had been terrific for the Roosters.
“All the boys that have come from Port have been individually different cases,” Edwards says.
“They’re all really good lads and we couldn’t be happier.”
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