Delisted AFL Eagle Jai Culley chooses Langwarrin as his home club
He was “just one of the lads” but one thing stood out when a delisted West Coast Eagle trained with a Mornington Peninsula league club recently.
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He was “just one of the lads” but one thing stood out when delisted West Coast Eagle Jai Culley trained with Langwarrin recently.
His fitness was “elite”, according to Langy co-coach Josh Beard.
“He’s super fit and in great nick,’’ Beard said.
“I think when it comes to fitness he’s in that elite bracket. It was good for the boys to see him. It’s funny, though, he’s just one of the lads.’’
Culley will play with the Casey Demons in the VFL in 2025 in a bid to win back a spot on an AFL list.
He’s made Langwarrin — his junior club and where he made his senior debut as a 17-year-old — his home club.
Culley could play with the MPFNL Kangaroos when Casey has a bye next season.
“Hopefully they get a few byes and we’ll get to see him a handful of times,” Beard said.
“He’s just straight out of the AFL so he’s probably got an opportunity if he has a great season to get looked at again and get another opportunity.
“We’re probably a little bit low down on the list of priorities but he’s got a couple of really good mates at the footy club and his parents are there walking laps pretty much daily and Langwarrin’s home for him.’’
Beard was Langy coach when Culley made his senior debut as a schoolboy four years ago.
“He was playing seniors with us as a 17 year old when the (Dandenong) Stingrays had a bye,’’ Beard said.
“I think he played four games in a row and kicked five or six goals in his games. I think he kicked three at Hastings.
“Obviously his journey’s changed a little bit since that game.”
Culley played 12 games in his two and a half years in the AFL after being picked up by the Eagles with Pick 1 in the 2022 Mid-Season Draft.
Unfortunately, the 21-year-old ruptured his ACL in Round 8 of last year, just a fortnight after earning himself a Rising Star nomination.
Beard hoped Culley would one day play full-time with Langwarrin.
“We feel he’s got a great connection with the Langwarrin club and the people in it,’’ he said.
“That’s all you do when you sign those guys at the higher level, you hope that they can call it home when they’re done.’’
Langwarrin has recruited well in the off-season, with Karingal ruckman Agape Patolo coming on board along with Bryce Rutherford (Mooroopna) and Jordan Bertrand (Cranbourne). Frankston VFL players Matt Johnson and Josh Smith have also made Langy their home club.
“We feel like we’ve added some good players and our priority is still going to be the kids who have been playing the last three or four years,’’ Beard said.
“We’ve got a lot of 18 to 22 year olds in the group and we’ve just added a little bit of experience around them so hopefully we can step up and win a few more games.’’
LANGWARRIN
IN: Agape Patolo (Karingal), Bryce Rutherford (Mooroopna), Jordan Bertrand (Cranbourne), Matt Johnson (Frankston), Nic Xerri (Hastings), Mitchell Mathie (Seaford), Josh Smith (Seaford/Frankston VFL), Jai Culley (West Coast Eagles — on Casey Demons’ list)
OUT: Billy Rolfe (Koo Wee Rup), Ryan Smyth (Prahran)
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