Doveton Eagles have strengthened their squad for another premiership tilt

Bolstered by recruits including Piva Wright, Doveton Eagles are making no secret of their ambition to get to Division 1 of the Southern league.

For the Doveton Eagles, it’s surely the Wright move.

With the SFNL Division 2 runner-up losing established spearhead Darren Sheen, they have amply compensated by enticing PivaWright away from Noble Park.

Noble was desperate to keep the burly right-footer, a one-time Richmond AFL rookie, with coach Mick Fogarty declaring Wright was capable of taking Eastern Division 1 “by storm’’.

He kicked 38 goals from 17 matches this year.

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“Obviously he’s a talented big forward and we lost one with Darren Sheen moving on, so we’re rapt not just to replace him, but replace him with a player of the calibre of Piva,’’ Eagles president Shane McGrath said.

“Fantastic for us.’’

The Eagles have had a good time of it in the off-season, with retention and recruiting.

They have farewelled only Sheen from their grand final team and two players from their reserves side, which won the premiership.

Piva Wright in a marking contest for Noble Park against Balwyn.

Even former Melbourne star Russell Robertson, 40, is keen to go again.

The additions include:

Scott Irvine, a pacy wingman from Eastern league club Kilsyth.

Tall forward Jye Siegersma, also from Kilsyth. He kicked 39 goals from 12 matches this year.

Half back Andrew Ray, formerly of Narre Warren and Clayton, where in 2016 he was runner-up in the Division 1 best and fairest.

McGrath said Ray and Irvine filled needs.

“We had a bit of a focus on picking up leg speed and foot skills, particularly coming off half back, and we think we’ve ticked that box,’’ he said.

“We’ve improved our depth too, with quite a few new guys in and around the first 22.

“We think we’re in pretty good shape.’’

Although the Eagles lost the grand final to Highett, they did produce the league best and fairest in Nic Battle and the equal runner-up in Michael Callinan.

Doveton Eagles have always lived in the shadow of Doveton Football Club, but in recent years have emerged as a strong entity in Southern. They have their sights set on Division 1.

“We’re really pleased at how we’ve progressed as a club. We’ve turned ourselves into a place that people want to be around,’’ McGrath said.

“The last three or four years we’ve had a really good retention rate. The guys want to hang around for the long haul.

“Division 1 is our aim. We would have liked to get there last year — we think we’ve got a list that could have gone up and carried ourselves well — but it didn’t happen for us. We think we’re doing a lot of things right. We’re growing as a club with the women’s football, trying to get up Under 19s and our netball has exploded.’’

Melinda Wilson, the club’s 2014 premiership playing coach, has returned as netball co-ordinator.