EDFL 2018: Hayden Blythe yet to be cleared to Tullamarine for 2019

EDFL Division 1 grand finalist Tullamarine faces a fight to secure one of its prized signings of the off-season.

Hayden Blythe is a former VFL-listed player with Coburg. Picture: Kylie Else

GRAND finalist Tullamarine faces a fight to secure one of its prized signings of the off-season with Hayden Blythe yet to be officially cleared to join the Division 1 club.

The young gun was sidelined this year after undergoing a knee reconstruction, but is set to play full-time in the Essendon District Football League in 2019.

Blythe was a VFL-listed player with Coburg this season and aligned with Glenroy.

He made the Vic Metro squad in 2016 while he was at TAC Cup club Calder Cannons and also attended the AFL state combine.

“We’ve still got a bit of work to do with Glenroy to get him cleared. He’s actually contracted,” Tullamarine coach David Connell said.

“He’s been playing a lot down back, across half-back as that intercept-type mark, but he is looking for something a bit different as well, so if we get him cleared we’ll probably look at playing him through a wing or half-forward.

“He’s a pretty good athlete and pretty classy, so if we can get some goals out of him and on the wing push him back behind the footy a little bit as that plus one occasionally, I think that’s the sort of direction we’ll want to go with him.”

Tullamarine coach David Connell. Picture: Jamie Morey

Former Hillside captain Joel Bonnici has also crossed to the Demons, while dual best and fairest winner Cameron Hare returns to the club as a playing assistant coach after a stint with Oak Park.

Ethan Hope has also arrived from Airport West, while David Scott, Lachlan Smith, Sean Doyle and Anthony Liberatore are also back at the club.

Connell said the leadership of Bonnici in defence and Hare in midfield would benefit his group after the retirements of experienced pair Craig Steele and Russell Laurie.

“He (Hare) is a terrific leader. He’s played at the footy club for nine years before and has some terrific relationships with the rest of my coaching staff,” Connell said.

“His game will probably suit us as well. He’s really good at finding space.”

Connell tipped Shannon Dowsett, who played only nine senior games this year, to fill the void left by gun defender Laurie.

Liberatore, who has returned to Victoria after an outstanding season in the Tasmanian State League, will join Anthony Prestia, Steve Vocale, Dean Bartrop and Kane Mulvaney to form a potent engine room.

Connell said the Demons had not finalised their squad just yet.

“We didn’t anticipate really doing too much, but we’ve probably brought in more than we thought we would,” he said.

Tullamarine went down to Airport West by 13 points in the decider.