Derek Eggmolesse-Smith to play for Merbein next year

A Sunraysia league club has pulled off one of the biggest moves of the off-season so far with the arrival with an ex-AFL player. Here’s how it happened.

A lure to return home and the convincing of a good friend has helped Merbein land what could be one of the biggest recruits of the Sunraysia league off-season.

Former Richmond AFL player Derek Eggmolesse-Smith has signed for the Magpies as he prepares to return home.

He played nine games for the Tigers in the AFL and was part of their 2019 VFL premiership win.

In 2023, he played locally with Point COok in the Western Region Football League after time with Collingwood’s VFL side a year earlier.

Eggmolesse-Smith, who is from Wentworth, is a former rising star and best and fairest in the competition, winning both awards in 2016 before he moved to Melbourne to pursue his AFL dreams.

Derek Eggmolesse-Smith has joined Merbein. Picture: Michael Klein

Merbein president Toney Hurley revealed the club had been quietly plotting the move for months to get their man.

“He’s best mates with James Kennedy (Merbein player) and he’s been working on him to get home and play for us,” he said.

“They are really good mates and want to play together.

“If Wentworth had have got wind of it they would have been putting the screws on to get him, as anyone would do.

“But his friendship with James outweighs anything.”

Eggmolesse-Smith joins in almost the prime of his career at the age of 25.

Similar to Jarrod Brander, who joined Wentworth at 24 last year for this season, the best football might be ahead of him.

“No doubt he has (good football ahead),” Hurley said.

“James works really hard, so he’ll be pushing Derek and they will be pushing each other.

“They won’t be happy until they sit one or two on our list, they’ll work hard.”

Hurley also revealed Eggmolesse-Smith is keen to give back to the Magpies who have recruited him.

“He’s already spoke to us for a few hours the other day and he’s hell bent on helping the kids as well,” he said.

“He’ll do an hour with the kids each training night, prior to when he trains.

“It will be fantastic for the juniors as well.”

Merbein last year were one of the hard luck stories of the competition.

The team finished eighth, three games behind the finals but had four games decided in losses by less than 13 points.

Key injuries also hurt the Magpies.

The Magpies will have captain Ash Rowe returning next year after an achilles injury ruled him out this season.

The team will also welcome back Jarrod Buckley who played in the recent reserves grand final win over Irymple after also coming back from a serious injury.

He is expected to play more seniors next year.

“We’ve picked up three A-graders (with those back and) including Derek and we are talking to another couple now,” Hurley said.

“If we can add three to four A-graders to what we’ve had this year we’ll be very competitive.”

Hurley added the goal was to make finals, which the club has not done since 2016.