Nic Schwarz, Tom Schwarz and James Schwarz reunite in local footy at Flinders Park Football Club
Flinders Park’s midfield will be the envy of many Adelaide Footy League clubs after a major recruiting move – which its coach believes could be the missing ingredient.
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Nic Schwarz reckons there will be a fairly fierce battle for the ball at Flinders Park next season – and not just with the opposition.
The South Adelaide onballer along with brother Tom – a premiership player with North Adelaide – will reunite with youngest sibling James to form a menacing midfield at the Reds in 2022.
All Flinders Park juniors, Nic and Tom have called time on their respective SANFL careers to join James at the division three Adelaide Footy League club.
Nic, who played 90 league games at the Panthers, said it would be the first time the three brothers would line up at senior level.
“We’re probably going to be fighting each other for the same footy, which should be pretty interesting but I’m sure we’ll work it out,” Schwarz, 30, said.
“Tom and James have played a fair bit of footy together but I’ve sort of being playing on my own for a number of years now, so I’m really looking to all three of us being out there.
“I was always going to go back to Flinders Park at some point but just worked out nicely that the three of us can link up as well.”
The trio all began their junior careers at the Reds before progressing through the ranks at Woodville-West Torrens where father Peter captained the amalgamated club to its first ever flag in 1993.
Nic admitted he “struggled to get a kick” at the Eagles and returned to begin senior footy back at Flinders Park, playing in the club’s 2011 division three premiership.
From there he was enticed to the Panthers by coach Ron Fuller and spent the next 10 years at Noarlunga as a prolific midfielder, despite some injury struggles.
Tom, 28, and James, 26, both stuck it out at the Eagles before eventually switching to North Adelaide for more opportunity.
The former was particularly successful, playing a key grand final role as the Roosters stormed to the 2018 flag.
Now the three have come full circle to pull on the red, gold and blue together again, Nic said premiership success would be extra sweet.
“I loved my time at the club, it’s been like a second home to me and will always be a really special place for me and my family,” he said.
“We made the last two prelims at South and got really close. So I’ve still got that hunger to win a premiership.
“I was really young when I won one at Flinders Park back in 2011.
“To play with the brothers and hopefully challenge for one would be pretty special.”
Coach Luke Ivens hoped having all three brothers could be the missing ingredient for the Reds, who went down to North Haven by two points in a preliminary final last month.
The club has played finals in each of the last five campaigns but failed to win a flag or promotion on every occasion.
“They’ll bring a wealth of experience and knowledge but also that leadership which will be very valuable for us,” said Ivens, who will enter his third year as coach next season.
“That’s something we’ve probably lacked in the past couple of years, just that on-field leadership and calm heads under pressure.”
The Reds will have stiff competition next season with division three opponents Golden Grove and Morphettville Park also making off-season recruitment splashes.
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