Daniel Kerr to play for Tyabb in Nepean league season opener

FORMER West Coast Eagle Daniel Kerr will return to footy in Melbourne’s southeast on Saturday, playing the first of 15 games this season across three states.

TYABB coach Mark Paganoni just wants Daniel Kerr to relax and enjoy himself when he makes a cameo appearance for the Yabbies in the Nepean league season opener at Bunguyan Reserve on Saturday.

It will be the first of 15 games the former West Coast Eagle will play for country teams in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania, in a Brendan Fevola-style roadshow.

The following week the 33-year-old will turn out for Pearcedale in its season opener on April 8 against Devon Meadows.

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Kerr has played for a handful of country WA teams since his AFL retirement in 2013 including Goldfields Football League clubs Boulder and Kambalda and a brief stint at Great Southern outfit Denmark-Walpole.

This is the first time he has played for a Victorian team.

In a big day for the club, Tyabb, which will host reigning premiers Hastings, will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of its “rebirth”.

Daniel Kerr will run out for Tyabb on Saturday.

The Yabbies returned to action in 1977, after a 26-year break.

To mark the anniversary, Tyabb will wear a special maroon heritage jumper, with the names of all 28 life members printed on it.

Kerr will be welcomed into the Yabbies family, Paganoni said.

“I’m hoping he plays a big part in the day,” Paganoni said.

“We want to make sure he enjoys it to start with. It’s his first of 15 games in a row across the country.

“We just want to try and relax him and make sure he enjoys it. And if he can pass on some knowledge to our players, great.”

Kerr is expected to train with the Yabbies on Thursday, meet his new teammates and get a feel for the ground.

Paganoni said he would probably play him in the forward line, hoping he puts some “scoreboard pressure on”.

“I’m not too fazed about him playing any particular structural role in the midfield,” he said.

“We do lack the ability to kick goals, so that’s where we will use him — more forward than anything. They’ll try and ruffle him, I’d suggest.”

Tyabb finished with the wooden spoon last season, while Hastings took the flag.

Yet, both sides are last-start winners.

The Yabbies snapped a 49-game losing streak when they beat Pearcedale in the last round of the 2016 season.

“We’re on a winning streak,” Paganoni joked.

Tyabb coach Mark Paganoni (left), original coach Ron Pickersgill, original president Geoff Stockton and current president Doug Taylor with Tyabb Football Club's heritage round jumper. Picture: Jason Sammon

“I’m sure we are making progressive steps.”

In the off-season, Tyabb recruited Frankston Dolphins midfielder and team leader Jordan Pollard, as well as Jordan Alves (Frankston YCW), Michael Altenkirch (Mornington) and Daniel Culnane (Hastings).

Tyabb footy club played its first game in 1899, but disbanded after the 1951 season and didn’t play again until 1977, when it fielded a team in the Nepean league reserves competition.

The Yabbies wore a maroon jumper in that season and were coached by Ron Pickersgill, with Geoff Stockton as president.

The 1977 side included Ross Blamey, Nevyn Jones, Roy Hills, Robert Gibbs, Steve Norton, Geoff Gibbs, Kevin Paganoni, Lee Murray, Dave Thompson, Tony Bruekner, Peter Kruger, Paul Sargentson, Charlie Maslen, Chris Bodde, Chris Horton, Ron Pickersgill (coach), Stephen Morone, Darryl Carrick, Don Clarke and Robin Atkin.