EDFL: East Keilor makes five big signings for 2020
Just 12 days after losing the EDFL Division 1 grand final, East Keilor has been quick to bolster its squad for 2020, with a multiple league best-and-fairest winner and gun goalkicker among its recruits.
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East Keilor has made a statement of intent to its EDFL Division 1 rivals, securing five key signings just weeks after the end of the 2019 campaign.
The Cougars, who were one of the competition’s most active clubs last off-season, are again set to enter next year as one of the flag fancies after losing the grand final to Craigieburn.
Frankston Pines champion Paul Scanlon has put pen to paper with East Keilor, alongside his premiership teammate and former Pines captain Tim Bongetti.
Gun midfielder Scanlon has won multiple league best and fairest awards, including EV Shade Medal — the highest individual honour in the Mornington Peninsula league — in 2017 and ’18.
“He’s probably the fittest bloke I’ve seen getting around,” East Keilor coach Pat Christofi said of Scanlon, who is a first cousin of Joe Palazzolo.
“I haven’t seen a footballer in better shape. He probably trains harder than anyone I know.
“The guy is an absolute contested beast and ball magnet. He’ll get his 30 or 40 (possessions) every single game without fail.”
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Forward Bongetti has booted 58 goals from 32 games in the past two seasons.
The Cougars have also landed the signature of Hillside’s Brandon Coletta, who is rated as one of the leading forwards in Division 1.
Coletta has been hampered by injury in recent years, kicking 20 goals from eight games in 2019. He managed 51 majors from 15 appearances in 2017.
Half-forward/midfielder Kevin Klix — who Christofi described as “a matchwinner” — has crossed from WRFL powerhouse Deer Park, while Mickey Nicholls arrives from VAFA outfit Old Geelong.
“I entered the competition this year blind and didn’t really know my own side,” Christofi said.
“Now I’ve patched it up with what we required to take us to the next level and planning on topping it up with eight or nine premier comp players to help me reduce the (player) points for 2020, which will allow us to launch correctly for 2021.
“By the end of 2020, plus the new guys that come in, I’ll have a full squad of premier comp players.
“It’s a process that’s going to plan and we’re looking very bright for the future.”
East Keilor finished the home-and-away rounds two games clear on top of the ladder with a 14-2 record.
The Cougars defeated Tullamarine to qualify for the decider, but lost to Craigieburn twice during the finals series.
Christofi said his key players had all re-signed for next season as the club chases promotion to Premier Division.
“We’re going to be a hell of a lot stronger next year than we were this year. That was always the plan,” he said.
“We’re trying to build a footy club for sustained success and not go to the premier competition and come back the following year.
“We want to actually go to the premier division, when we get there, and compete with the top sides.
“It’s been calculated planning and planning for the future of East Keilor more than anything else.”
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