Top Southport Sharks VFL news

The Southport Sharks has virtually locked in its list for the 2022 Victorian Football League season and boasts an array of new stars. Meet the recruits here.

THE Southport Sharks has virtually locked in its list for the 2022 Victorian Football League season and boasts an array of new stars. Meet the recruits here.

Callum Searle

A defender who played in the NAB League for the Oakleigh Chargers before going on to join Port Melbourne.

Searle has played 22 VFL games, played in the Northern Territory Football League for Waratah and is the partner of Gold CoastSuns AFLW player Claudia Whitfort.

Jacob Townsend

A premiership player for Richmond, who played 62 AFL games throughout stints at four AFL clubs.

He finished his AFL career at the Gold Coast Suns at the end of 2021. Townsend can play multiple positions but will likelyprovide a big body in the forward line for the Sharks.

Boyd Woodcock

Recruited from Port Adelaide, Woodcock kicked five goals in nine games across the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

The small forward made his AFL debut in Round 10 of the 2020 season against the Western Bulldogs and was a member of NorthAdelaide’s 2018 SANFL premiership side.

Riley Bowman

A forward/ruckman who spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons playing for Essendon in the VFL before signing for Box Hill in 2021.

Southport has had the likes of Brayden Crossley and Fraser Thurlow available to play ruck in recent seasons but Bowman willadd another dimension to the Sharks list.

Max Spencer

Palm Beach Currumbin junior Max Spencer has returned to Queensland and will take a spot in coach Stephen Daniel’s backline.

Has spent the past three years playing for VFL club Werribee in Melbourne. The 24-year-old played eight AFL games for theGold Coast Suns, making his debut against Richmond in Round 19 of the 2017 season and was brave in defence when the club wascrippled by injury.

Spencer returned to his junior club Palm Beach for stints in recent seasons during Covid interruptions and has a bond withDaniel, who used to coach the tall talent while in his role as reserves coach of the Gold Coast Suns.

He is expected to replace former Shark Brodie Murdoch.

Jacob Heron

The everywhere man. Heron grew up in Cairns, relocated to the Gold Coast where he played 13 AFL games between 2018 and 2019,making his AFL debut in China.

Heron played down back for the Suns, who delisted him at the end of 2020, but will be in the midfield for the Southport Sharksin 2022.

Aiden Fyfe

A Southport junior who has reconnected with the club after spending 2021 with the Gold Coast Suns.

Fyfe didn’t get to make his AFL debut but played seven VFL games for the Suns as a rookie. Fyfe will link up with fellow recruitMax Spencer down back.

Zac Foot

A midfield-forward who played two AFL games for the Sydney Swans after being drafted in 2018.

Foot was delisted by the Swans as the end of the 2020 season and signed for the Casey Demons VFL team in 2021 before opting to move north to join Southport.

Max Pescud

One of the best talents to come through Gold Coast’s ranks in years.

Max Pescud is a former Surfers Paradise junior who just missed out on being drafted to the AFL in recent seasons.

Pescud recorded the fastest 2km time trial, completing it in 6 minutes and 36 seconds, during testing at the end of 2020 and was an under-16 All-Australian representative.

Pescud is regarded as a tough-as-nails talent who has some x-factor, can mark the ball well and plays with enormous aggression.

Jay Lockart

A former Melbourne Demons player who featured in 22 AFL games between 2019 and 2021.

Originally from Tasmania, Lockart played for Casey before being drafted by Melbourne.

Unfortunately the 26-year-old, who played as a small defender for Melbourne, suffered a testicular injury in a preseason game and was unable to break into the Demons team once he was fit.