Ballarat FL 2019: Sunbury signs VFL key-position player Daylan Kempster to bolster forward options
SUNBURY hopes it has found the answer to its forward problems after signing VFL key-position player Daylan Kempster.
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SUNBURY hopes it has found the answer to its forward problems after signing VFL key-position player Daylan Kempster.
Kempster, who has featured for Frankston and Williamstown in the VFL, is the son of Lions premiership player Scott Kempster.
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While he has featured predominantly as a tall defender in the state league, Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson said the 194cm Kempster would partner another new addition, Leigh Brennan, in attack.
“I think he played maybe four senior games this year and some last year as well,” Hodgson said.
“He started playing senior VFL footy pretty young at Frankston. He’s been a key back and key forward in his VFL opportunities and we’ll use him as a key forward predominantly.”
Hodgson said Kempster would return to Clarke Oval as a one-point player, having played junior football with the Lions.
“His old man, Scott Kempster, played in Sunbury’s first year in the Ballarat footy league when they won the flag in 97,” he said.
“I reckon he might have kicked 100 goals that year.”
Kempster featured 15 times in EDFL Premier Division this year for Maribyrnong Park, kicking 21 majors.
Sunbury has also confirmed the return of star defender Adam Short from Western Region club St Albans and has recruited Dylan Featon from Riddell District outfit Rupertswood.
“He’s a nice kick, we think we could use him off half back a bit,” Hodgson said of Featon. “Someone who can set us up. The good thing is he’s versatile and the same with Daylan.
“We haven’t recruited big numbers, but we have been fairly specific.”
Kempster, Short and Featon will add further depth to Sunbury’s senior squad after the arrivals of key-position options Leigh and Ben Brennan in October.
Midfielder Mitch Conn has also returned full-time from Coburg.
“It’s such an even comp, the Ballarat footy league,” Hodgson said.
“You can’t just get four players and assume you are going to jump four spots, it’s so tight. “But I certainly think we have given ourselves a much better chance, with a much better balanced list.”
The Lions missed BFL finals for the first time since joining the competition in 1997 this year, finishing eighth with an 8-8 record.
Hodgson has since returned to Clarke Oval from Bacchus Marsh, replacing Ben Jordan as coach.
“There’s a good feeling around the place, numbers have been really good on the track and everyone is pretty excited about having a crack at getting back into finals footy,” he said.
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