EDFL: East Keilor signs ex-VFL player Fabian Brancatisano for 2021
Another day, another big signing for EDFL outfit East Keilor. The Cougars have locked in a player who has represented four VFL clubs and starred on football program The Recruit.
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East Keilor’s push for promotion to the Essendon District Football League’s top flight has received a major boost with ex-VFL player Fabian Brancatisano putting pen to paper with the club.
The versatile Brancatisano booted 54 goals from 25 games for Western Region league club Sunshine in the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.
He managed two matches for Werribee two years ago and has also represented Essendon, Coburg and Port Melbourne in the state league.
Brancatisano was an Essendon Doutta Stars junior and came through the Western Jets at NAB League level.
The 26-year-old featured on football program The Recruit in 2016, the same season he kicked 26 goals from 11 outings for West Coburg in Premier Division.
“He’s a talented, gifted, clean, crisp player with a lot of pace,” East Keilor coach Pat Christofi said of his star recruit.
“He’ll be able to play forward, mid, wing. He’s a very classy player.
“He reminds me of Josh Grabowski, as far as his professionalism goes. He’s extremely humble and very professional.”
The Cougars went down to Craigieburn in the 2019 Division 1 decider and have made no secret about their lofty ambitions.
They were set to enter this season as a red-hot flag favourite before the coronavirus crisis hit.
Christofi said Brancatisano would have a “massive impact” at his new club.
“He’s just looking to play Premier Division and help us get there,” he said.
“He’s a premier comp player to start with – he’s not a Division 1 player.
“He’s probably one of the most skilful guys we’ve got at the footy club.
“The way he moves, uses the ball … he’s got great foot skills and is good with his hands.
“He’s got quite a few good years of footy ahead of him.”
The signing comes just two days after East Keilor secured the services of big man Lockie Rayner, who claimed Hillside’s best-and-fairest in 2019.
The Cougars also landed ex-AFL player Marc Lock, Tim Bongetti, Paul Scanlon, Kevin Klix, Lachlan Calder, Brandon Coletta and Victor Micallef before the season was canned.
Christofi said Brancatisano would be at East Keilor long-term as it looks to join the competition’s elite clubs in Premier Division.
“If you have a look at our team, we’ve only got two or three older blokes, and they’re there for a reason – for their experience and to guide the younger blokes,” he said.
“But the rest of our list is between 20 and 25, so I think he is in the perfect age bracket to help us get there and stay there and try to climb our way to the top.
“We’re looking to head to Premier Division, and that’s what we’ve said all along.
“It’s going to take a year longer because of the hold up, but we’re on our way there.
“We’ve definitely set ourselves up to have a very big 2021.”
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