EDFL: Glenroy fights to retain Hayden Blythe

Glenroy has declared its desire to retain one its star contracted players after he signed with another Essendon District Football League club earlier this year.

Hayden Blythe during his days at Coburg. Picture: Kylie Else

GLENROY is refusing to budge on its desire to retain the contracted Hayden Blythe as a transfer tug-of-war looms large.

Tullamarine announced in October that Blythe had signed on, but he is yet to be cleared to join the Essendon District Football League Division 1 club.

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“He’s a required and contracted player. We expect him to play with Glenroy in 2019,” Roys coach Ross Terranova said.

“We’ve spoken to Hayden a couple of times about it, so he knows our position.”

Blythe was sidelined this year after undergoing a knee reconstruction and is set to play full-time in the EDFL in 2019.

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

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

Glenroy coach Ross Terranova calls the shots. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Tullamarine coach David Connell conceded last month his club had “a bit of work to do with Glenroy” to get Blythe cleared.

With the November transfer window closed, it appears a resolution is not imminent.

Glenroy is also hopeful of keeping the talented Lachie Waite, who managed 16 appearances in his first season with the Premier Division outfit.

A clearance for Waite to join Goulburn Valley club Seymour has been denied.

“He actually moved back to Seymour because of study and work,” Terranova said.

“If Lachie does find some work and that sort of stuff, we believe he will stay in Melbourne and he’ll play with us.”

Lachie Waite in action for Glenroy this year. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Versatile Jonty Neaves, who was best afield in Eaglehawk’s Bendigo league grand final win this year, has put pen to paper with the Roys.

Neaves trained with the club this year and can fill a role in the ruck, as a forward or defender.

Midfielder/half-forward Anthony Greaney has returned, while Coburg VFL-listed midfielder Jack Sandric will be an aligned player.

Michael Di Martino, who has “speed to burn”, has crossed from Greenvale in search of more senior opportunities.

Terranova said Glenroy had been selective with its recruiting.

“We’ve spoken to a few blokes and unfortunately you don’t get them all,” he said.

“We’re working towards what we need and we think we’ve got a very good nucleus, and that’s our youth.

“We’re still trying to pick up the blokes we need to fill positions.

“Looking at our list from this year and the year prior … we probably missed seven or eight blokes this year because they went overseas. That really hurt us.

“We’ve spoken to our players, and hopefully none of them are going overseas.”

Glenroy finished in eighth spot with four wins and a draw after claiming the Division 1 flag in 2017.

Terranova said he was encouraged by the efforts of youngsters Adrian Smrdelj, Alex Galie, James Bennie, Charles Spiteri, Mohamed Abdullatif and Reid Nilsson.

“I think we were very competitive early in the season,” he said.

“In most games we were with sides for probably a half and we probably got hurt by unavailabilities and injuries at the same time.

“But what it allowed us to do is get quite a few A-grade games into the young blokes, which is a massive positive. That’s the upside to what we’re doing.”

The Roys have also restructured their coaching department, adding ex-Collingwood player Derek Shaw and Ashley Flavel as senior assistants, while Gary King will steer the reserves.