BFL 2018: Grant Valles set for return to defence for Sunbury

KEY-POSITION star Grant Valles is set to lead Sunbury’s defence next year after the signing of brothers Leigh and Ben Brennan.

Grant Valles is set to resume a defensive role for Sunbury under coach Travis Hodgson. Picture: Richard Serong

KEY-POSITION star Grant Valles is set to lead Sunbury’s defence next year after the signing of brothers Leigh and Ben Brennan.

Ben will join Valles in the Lions’ back six, while the club has targeted a power forward to partner Leigh in its Ballarat Football League attack.

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The Brennans have crossed to Clarke Oval from Western Region club St Albans, plugging two holes new coach Travis Hodgson was quick to identify after taking over from Ben Jordan.

“Leigh has got a pretty good CV and has spent a lot of time playing as a full forward and centre half forward,” Hodgson said.

“He’ll really help straighten us up across the half-forward line, the way he presents at the footy.

“Ben has played a fair bit of footy key back but he can play forward as well.”

Hodgson, a premiership coach at BFL rival Bacchus Marsh, said he rated former VFL backman Valles as “an A Grade defender”.

“We expect to play Ben back and if we get another key forward to play in tandem with Leigh, we can play Grant across halfback where he plays his best footy,” he said.

The Lions ranked seventh for points scored in 2018 and Hodgson said he hoped to secure another key forward in coming weeks.

“If Sunbury were able to move the ball they wanted it wasn’t an issue,” he said.

“But when the pressure goes on and you have got to kick the ball down the line, they just struggled with key targets.”

Sunbury junior Mitch Conn has committed to the club full-time after playing nine VFL matches for Coburg this year.

The dashing wingman/halfback has represented the BFL in the AFL Victoria Community Championships and was named in the Lions’ best players in four of his eight games this year.

Hodgson said he had been buoyed by Sunbury’s retention rate, with about 80 per cent of the 41 players who featured at senior level this season already locked away.

“I reckon we will keep close to 40 of them, maybe all 41,” he said.

“Retention has been a focus, because finishing eighth you can’t afford to lose four and bring four in.”

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