HFNL: All the signings of the 2023-24 off-season

The off-season is well underway for Hampden league clubs who have unveiled a host of recruits for 2024. Here are all the moves in our signing tracker.

The Hampden league off-season is about two months old but clubs are already making big moves ahead of next season.

Throughout the next several months, we’ll keep you updated on all the big moves across the competition.

Here’s a look at what’s happened so far.

CAMPERDOWN

Matthew Field: The former Camperdown captain returns to the team for next year after a couple of years playing in Noosa in Queensland. Capable of playing on the wing and at halfback.

Paddy Baker: The small forward makes the move to the Magpies after playing for Kolora-Noorat in the Warrnambool District league last season. He kicked 15 goals in 19 games.

Fraser Lucas is off to the Hampden league after playing in Cairns this year for the Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs. Picture: Brendan Radke

Fraser Lucas: The former VFL player is back at Camperdown after playing in Cairns for Centrals Trinity. Lucas joins his brothers Eddie and Charlie at the club.

Billy Arnold: The defender returns to Camperdown after playing in Noosa for the Tigers in the QAFL the past couple of years. Arnold last played for the Magpies in 2021.

Jake Dowell: The utility comes back to the club after playing in Ballarat and Geelong for the past few seasons. Last season he played for Belmont in the Geelong District League and made 17 appearances including being among the best players in 10 of them.

Isaac Stephens: Stephens is back to the Magpies after playing for Nirranda in the Warrnambool District league. Capable of playing in both attack and defence, Stephens was part of the Nirranda team who won the premiership.

Eric Guthrie with his Palmerston Magpies teammates in the 2022-23 NTFL season. Patch Clapp / AFLNT Media

Eric Guthrie: The midfielder makes the move to country Victoria and Camperdown from the Northern Territory after playing for a few clubs up north over the past few years. Guthrie is a midfielder who will provide more depth to the area for the Magpies.

COBDEN

Caleb Smith: Will join his cousins Paddy, Luke and Joe at the club from Tongala in the Murray league. Smith is a key backman who played 60 games for the Blues in his career.

Sam Lucas: Another tall player who joins the Bombers from Colac Imperials in the Colac District league. He played 99 games for the club and was part of their interleague during his time in the league.

Colac Tigers player Angus Uwland tries to hold on to the ball. Picture: Mark Wilson

Angus Uwland: Returns to the Bombers after playing in the Geelong league. For the past three years he’s been playing for the Colac Tigers. Uwland is a midfielder who will add plenty of leadership to the team.

Alfie Armstrong: Armstrong will play for the Bombers when he isn’t playing for the Northern Bullants in the VFL. The VFL player is a centre half back who comes to the club after playing in Ballarat for Lake Wendouree and being overseas for a couple of years.

Josh Cauchi: The former VFL player for Coburg joins the Bombers for next year. Cauchi has been playing for Pascoe Vale recently in the Essendon District league and had a stint overseas as well. Cauchi is a forward who can also run through the middle.

KOROIT

Blair McCutcheon: The midfielder returns to the region after playing in Darwin last year. McCutcheon is back at Koroit for the first time since 2018 and played for Merrivale from 2019 to 2022.

Jack Noonan: Comes back to the club after playing for Dennington in the Warrnambool District league. Noonan will be looking to play his first senior game for the club after making almost 25 appearances for the Bulldogs in two seasons.

Angus Campbell: Another player who returns to Koroit after playing in the Warrnambool District league. Campbell helped Merrivale make the grand final in the Warrnambool District league last season. He can play as both a small defender and a midfielder.

Tyler Stephens: The defender/winger joins from Merrivale in the Warrnambool District league. He played 18 matches for the club last season including the team’s grand final loss against Nirranda.

NORTH WARRNAMBOOL

Harley Cobb is off to the Hampden league next season. Picture: David Smith

Harley Cobb: The midfielder joins from St Albans in the Geelong league. Cobb is expected to provide some valuable midfield depth and is known to be a tough player. He played in Lockington-Bamawm United’s premiership win in the Heathcote District league in 2022.

Sam Worden: Worden returns to the Eagles after playing in the Central Highlands league for Rokewood-Corindhap. He is expected to be fighting for a senior spot next year and is another midfielder.

Tom James: The midfielder comes back to the club after playing for Warracknabeal last season in the Wimmera league. James played in the club’s 2022 grand final appearance.

Will Brennan: Brennan joins after playing for the Horsham Saints in the Wimmera league. Capable of playing in multiple positions, Brennan is a speedy player who knows how to kick a goal or two.

PORT FAIRY

Joel Moloney is off to Port Fairy after playing for Kolora-Noorat Power in the Warrnambool District league. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Joel Moloney: The midfielder joins from Kolora-Noorat in the Warrnambool District league. A former premiership player with Terang Mortlake in the competition the experienced player has also represented Hampden in interleague.

Tyrone Ross: Returns to the Hampden league after playing for Buninyong in the past two years in the Central Highlands league. Ross will play for Port Fairy after playing for Hamilton in the league in 2018 and 2019.

Former Hawthorn player Ricky Henderson will be at Port Fairy next year. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Ricky Henderson: The former AFL player comes to the Seagulls after playing for South Warrnambool the past couple of years, winning this year’s Hampden premiership with the team. Henderson will be an assistant coach with Port Fairy and is also likely to play.

Riley Hall: Moves to Port Fairy from Taylor’s Lake in the Horsham league. Hall has also played for the Horsham Saints in the Wimmera League and joins the Seagulls to play with his mates.

PORTLAND

Brett Uebergang: The former Tiger has come back to the club after playing for Tyrendarra last year in the South West league. He played eight games and was in the best in five of them. Uebergang played almost 100 games for Portland in the 2010s and was in the Hampden team of the league in 2016.

Dylan Barr: Returns to Portland after three years in Melbourne. Barr played for King Valley in the Ovens and King league and now returns to the Hampden league to play for the Tigers again. He is a midfielder who can also play in the forward line at times.

Adrian Hann: Hann will play for the Tigers this year after coaching Heathmere for the past two seasons in the South West league. He also played more than 30 games for the Magpies during his time there. Hann is set to provide plenty of leadership at the Tigers in the Hampden league.

SOUTH WARRNAMBOOL

Jarvis Bermingham: The ruckman has moved to the Roosters from rivals North Warrnambool in the off-season. The 19-year-old made his senior debut last season and played 16 games for the Eagles before making the move across the city. He is expected to play a lead role at the reigning premiers.

TERANG MORTLAKE

Ryan O’Connor: The former Bloods player returns after playing for Kolora-Noorat in the Warrnambool league. He played more than 100 games for the club before he moved to the Power for two season.

Leo O’Connor: The brother of Ryan also joins the Bloods for next year. O’Connor is a defender who has played football in the Northern Territory for the past few seasons.

Former GWS player Nick Shipley will join up with former teammate Lewis Taylor. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

Nick Shipley: The former GWS player will be playing for the Bloods next year. Shipley, who played six games for the Giants from 2018 to 2021, comes to the club from Sydney’s VFL team and is a talented midfielder.

Zeke Reeves: Returns to the club after playing with Panmure in the Warrnambool District league. He played 20 games last season and kicked 18 goals and can play either in the forward line or the midfield.

Jacob Moloney: Another recruit from Panmure in the Warrnambool District league. Moloney has been the captain at Panmure recently and averaged a goal a game last season.

Fred Beasley: The midfielder joins the Bloods from Kolora Noorat in the Warrnambool District league. Last season he finished runner-up in the best and fairest in the competition and is a handy recruit with his running ability and elite skills.

Xavier Moloney: The former premiership player at Terang Mortlake is back after playing for Swan Hill in the Central Murray league for the past few seasons.

Max Lower: A midfielder who has plenty of experience playing in New South Wales and Queensland. He’s played in a QAFL premiership and won a best and fairest in the AFL Sydney Premier Division. He also played in the SANFL for Norwood and for Sydney in the NEAFL.

WARRNAMBOOL

Former Geelong Cat Aaron Black is playing for Warrnambool next season. Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images

Aaron Black: The former North Melbourne and Geelong player is off to Warrnambool and joins another ex-AFL player at the club. A key forward or key defender, Black will added some much needed firepower to the team. Last season he played for Modewarre in the Bellarine league.

North Melbourne’s Ben Cunnington will be back in the Hampden league. Picture: Michael Klein

Ben Cunnington: The former North Melbourne midfielder is coming back to the Hampden league after retiring and will play for Warrnambool. One of the best Kangaroos players in the past 15 years, Cunnington will be a valuable asset in the midfield and could also play a role up forward.

Uni Black’s player Austin Steere in action this year. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Austin Steere: Returns to the club after playing VFL for Carlton and for the Uni Blacks in the VAFA. Steere won the Hampden rising star award in 2019 and was also in the team of the year that season. He is a midfielder who knows how to get up and down the ground.

Taylem Wason: Wason comes to the Blues after playing for Russells Creek in the Warrnambool District league. He not only captained the team but was also in the Warrnambool District team of the season this year.

Tim Rhook: Joins Warrnambool after playing for Boort last season. He kicked seven goals for the Magpies in reserves from as many matches.

Beau Turland: Turland will be pushing to be part of the senior team after moving from South Rovers in the Warrnambool District league. He played 16 matches for the Lions last year, kicking 11 goals, including two hauls of three goals.

Tyler Duynhoven: Another recruit for the Blues from the Warrnambool District league. Duynhoven joins after playing 14 games for Dennington last season, being in the best in six games.

Zac Timms: Timms moves to the Blues after playing for North Warrnambool last year. In his first year in the Hampden league, Timms played 12 senior games and kicked seven goals.

Fletcher Timms: A rising star in the competition. Timms captained the North Warrnambool under-18.5 team last year and also played 17 games for the Eagles in seniors. A handy recruit to the team.

Jordan Walters: Returns back to Warrnambool after playing for Newtown & Chilwell in the Geelong league. He played 60 games in the competition. Walters can play either at half forward or in the midfielder and is set to bolster the team this season.