Coburg signs Richmond VFL premiership midfielder Jacob Ballard for 2020
Big-bodied Richmond VFL premiership player Jacob Ballard has put pen to paper with Coburg in a significant shot in the arm for the stand-alone club.
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Coburg has secured a massive boost for 2020 with Richmond VFL premiership star Jacob Ballard putting pen to paper with the stand-alone club.
Ballard arrives at Piranha Park after 71 games with the Tigers, where he was vice-captain the past two seasons.
The big-bodied midfielder also spent two years on Fremantle’s AFL list, playing one game in 2015, before returning to Victoria.
Lions coach Andrew Sturgess revealed a close bond with Coburg vice-captain Ryan Exon led Ballard to switch allegiances.
“A fair bit of credit goes to Ryan for opening up that conversation and speaking highly of our club,” Sturgess said.
“In the meeting (with Ballard) we were blown away by what he wanted in a club – it’s not about money. We finished second-last and he had the ultimate success.
“He wanted a club that connected to his values … we explained our vision and where we’re heading, and he loved what we put forward.”
Ballard adds to the Lions’ already strong midfield group of Marcus Lentini, Lochie Dickson, Luke Bunker and Mitch Podhajski.
Sturgess hoped the acquisition of the 25-year-old would ease the pressure on Lentini — the VFL’s joint leading disposal-winner the past two seasons — and make the Lions’ on-ball brigade more unpredictable.
“Jacob’s is a little bit older than the current talent we have … he’s a little different to those guys as well. Jacob’s a big bull of a player – he’s a 190cm, 94kg inside mid,” he said.
“He’s going to give Marcus Lentini — who’s a contested ball and clearance beast in his own right — a bit more freedom to not carry that weight on his shoulders as a 20-year-old.
“Our midfield is building nicely and the more games we can get into them and playing together, we’ll be pretty formidable in years to come.”
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Coburg hopes Ballard isn’t the only former AFL player to sign on for 2020 but could be forced to wait until after AFL drafts on November 27 and 28 before players commit.
Having coached Bundoora in the Northern Football League last season, Sturgess confirmed history-making Bulls best-and-fairest winner Bailey Thompson would be training with the Lions over pre-season.
Thompson became the first under-19s player to Bundoora’s top individual award after a stellar season.
Sturgess said there was plenty of VFL-quality talent in local football.
“For Bailey, it’s a pretty normal transition after the year he had at local level, the next step for him is to play VFL football,” he said.
“Hopefully, he can come down and put his best foot forward and continue to learn and build. I’ve said to Bailey I don’t see VFL being beyond him.
“Local leagues have been good to us — Josh Weightman last year coming out of the Eastern Football League, Sam Lowson same thing, and Lochie Dickson.”
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