EDFL: Keilor premiership player Zak Wunhym signs at Hillside
A Keilor premiership player with VFL experience has signed on at Hillside for the 2021 EDFL Division 1 season, while coach Charlie Denaro addresses how his senior squad is shaping up after some key departures.
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Keilor premiership player Zak Wunhym has put pen to paper with Hillside in a major boost for the Essendon District Football League Division 1 outfit.
The classy midfielder featured in the Blues’ 2019 premiership-winning side in the EDFL’s top flight as they completed an undefeated season under Mick McGuane.
Wunhym came through the Calder Cannons and also had a stint with VFL club Coburg.
“Zak is going to bring that premier experience,” Hillside coach Charlie Denaro said.
“I’ve spoken to him previously and made contact with him again, and with everything going on with COVID he agreed with me that this was the perfect opportunity for him to make the move.
“The professionalism that Keilor reach with their training, game-day performance and just that completely different mindset … he will bring that down to us at Division 1 level. He’ll give us a bit of a shot in the arm and help lead our midfield group, which we’re really trying to build.”
Wunhym made just 10 appearances for Keilor last year as he battled injury.
But the 22-year-old enjoyed a super 2018, earning 12 mentions in the best from 21 games and contributing 13 goals.
Denaro said Wunhym was a clean ball user by hand and foot and would bring “a bit of mongrel” to the Sharks.
“He doesn’t mind a goal and we’ve already spoken about that,” he said.
“Obviously we’ll use him in the midfield, but hopefully he will push forward every now and then and kick a few for us as well.”
Wunhym’s signature was much needed, with Hillside losing three players to Division 1 rival East Keilor in the past 11 months.
Victor Micallef and Brandon Coletta left last September, while Lockie Rayner’s exit was confirmed last month.
Denaro said Rayner’s departure was “a mutual decision”, with the 2019 best-and-fairest winner appointed co-captain before the season was canned.
“We were totally understanding. To be honest, we were actually surprised he stayed with us for what would have been the 2020 season. We thought he was gone the year before as well,” Denaro said.
“We’ve sort of been planning for a while for Hillside to be without Lockie.
“He had a standout year last year … but he’ll do well at East Keilor, he has mates there and will be fine.”
Jackson Volpato will lead the Sharks solo next year, while key recruits Josh Trembearth and Hisham Kerbatieh are among those to have re-committed.
“We’re not going to lose many, Lockie being an exception,” Denaro said.
“We’ve managed to retain pretty much all of our midfield.
“There may be a couple of other fringe players who decide to look elsewhere for more opportunity.
“We’re now starting to just reap the rewards of a really good bunch of kids we’ve had in our system for the last four or five years. They’d now all be first or second-year senior players.
“It’s a shame about this year, but their attitude at the moment is absolutely awesome. They’re ready to go.”
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