Bundoora hopes Hamish Shepheard and Kyle Green can replicate Gary Moorcroft’s production
Bundoora’s latest recruit has some big boots to fill, the Bulls hope former Fremantle-listed key forward Hamish Shepheard can help replicate Gary Moorcroft’s production in front of goals.
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Bundoora hopes a pair of recruits can help replace legendary spearhead Gary Moorcroft.
The Bulls have secured former AFL-listed key forward Hamish Shepheard from VAFA club Old Ivanhoe for 2020.
Kyle Green’s arrival from NFL Division 1 rival North Heidelberg will also boost the traditional powerhouse’s forward stocks.
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Moorcroft called time on his decorated career at the end of the season after more than 600 goals for the Bulls and three league goalkicking awards.
Bundoora’s 20-year finals dominance ended this season but Shepheard was keen to help the club rise back up the ladder.
“Once I found out Chopper (new coach Michael Ryan) had signed on as coach, I thought I’d go there and play under him,” Shepheard said.
“Hopefully we can recruit a few more and we’ll go all right. I just want to win as many games as we can and play finals. I want to help the club get back on the winners’ list.”
Shepheard was taken by Fremantle with pick No.34 in the 2009 rookie draft and has since had stints at state league clubs Subiaco (WAFL), Southport (NEAFL) and Sandringham (VFL).
The 195cm ruck-forward played just seven Premier C games for Old Ivanhoe this season but made a stunning debut, kicking nine goals in the Round 3 win over PEGS.
Green featured in 12 senior games for North Heidelberg, kicking 15 goals, including a bag of four against the Bulls in Round 18.
The Bulls have also added Jesse King (Eltham) and Aron Burns (Kinglake).
Moorcroft kicked 51 goals this season, the fourth most in the top flight, while the next best was Nathan Thomas with just 16.
A more potent attack will be a big off-season focus for new coach Michael Ryan, the Bulls sliding to seventh on points for in 2019 after registering 400 less points than the previous year.
The club has kept the bulk of its playing list together with the likes of captain Brent Marshall, three-time Rosbrook medallist Matt Dennis, Brenton Keating, David Mitchell and Luke Collins all committing to the club for 2020.
Young gun Bailey Thompson made history when he became the first under-19s player to win a senior best-and-fairest for Bundoora, pipping Collins and Daniel Venditti for the honour.
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