EDFL: Robbie Castello crosses from Maribyrnong Park to Westmeadows

Former Werribee VFL skipper Robbie Castello will play for Westmeadows next year in one of the biggest transfers of the Essendon District Football League off-season.

Robbie Castello gets a kick away during his days with Maribyrnong Park. Picture: Jamie Morey

Robbie Castello is hopeful work commitments with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade will not significantly impact his availability in 2019 after he switched to Westmeadows in one of the biggest transfers of the Essendon District Football League off-season.

The former Werribee VFL skipper has coached Premier Division outfit Maribyrnong Park for the past four years and links up with the Tigers as a player for next season.

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Castello completed his recruiting course in June and has been stationed in Portland, prompting his decision to step down from the top job at the Lions.

But the 32-year-old is hoping to secure work closer to home in coming months, which would pave the way for him to play a key role at Division 1 outfit Westmeadows.

Robbie Castello called the shots for four years at Maribyrnong Park. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“I’m hoping obviously for a transfer to get back closer to home,” Castello said.

“It’s just a waiting game. If I get transferred back, if it’s not before the new year then shortly after … you can pretty much be available every week and swap a few shifts over.

“I don’t think it will affect it too much. This year with my recruit course happening, I wasn’t able to swap shifts or anything like that, so it made it hard for me to play this year. I’ll be definitely a lot more available for next season.”

Mo Kaakour, who was one of Castello’s assistants at Maribyrnong Park this season, has been appointed the Tigers’ director of coaching.

The club finished the campaign in eighth position after claiming just three victories.

“They’ve got a pretty strong junior base. They probably had a disappointing year in regards to wins and losses last season, but I know they had a pretty good strong playing list with some good, young kids coming through,” Castello said.

“When Mo got the role that he got, I thought for myself — where I’m at with my footy at the moment and with work — that I probably couldn’t commit to play Premier league footy.

“I thought maybe my experience could help the young group out.”

Westmeadows shapes as a big improver, having secured the return of gun forward Mitch Church from Hillside, while West Coburg premiership players Omar Saad, Omar Abdallah and Marwan Abdul-Wahed have also signed on.

Ahmed Abdul-Wahed (Northern Saints) and Dylan Wright (Quambatook) are other acquisitions.

On the negative side, the Tigers have lost best and fairest winner Justin Taylor, Dean Clare, Brad Sutcliffe and Nick Avery.

“They’ve got a lot of homegrowns and young kids coming through,” Castello said.

“They’ve got good 19s coming through with strong numbers, which means they’ve got a strong club going.”

For all the benefits he will bring to Westmeadows’ young group, Castello also looms as a dangerous player inside the attacking 50m arc.

He was hampered by a disjointed season in 2018, playing just nine games for Maribyrnong Park and kicking five goals.

Castello said his “body is feeling pretty good” as he looks to make a big impact in the competition’s second tier.