EDFL 2021: Ex-AFL player Paul Ahern links with Pascoe Vale
A handy late signing for one EDFL Premier Division club ahead of the start of the season on Saturday.
Essendon
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Former AFL midfielder Paul Ahern has signed with top flight Essendon District Football League outfit Pascoe Vale as he chases another chance at the elite level.
Ahern will use the Panthers as his feeder club after joining re-formed VFL club Northern Bullants.
The 24-year-old was snapped up at pick No.7 by GWS Giants in the 2014 national draft but failed to make an appearance for the club as he underwent two knee reconstructions.
Ahern then spent three seasons with North Melbourne and played 22 senior games before being delisted last year.
Ahern, who is not expected to be available for Round 1, played junior football at Pascoe Vale and came through Calder Cannons.
Panthers football operations manager Justin Cannon said the Premier Division side was thrilled to secure Ahern but added state league football would be the recruit’s priority.
“We want support his AFL journey. His priority is to keep his AFL (dream) alive,” Cannon said.
“But he played a lot of his junior footy at Pascoe Vale before he went over to Keilor and he’s got a lot of mates from here. It’s just exciting for the club.
“We don’t have as many kids in the (AFL) system probably as some of the other clubs, and it’s always great when you get people like Matty Watson and Paul Ahern back in the mix.
“Hopefully we can be part of his journey into the future … this is just the start of that I suppose.
“It’s good for the morale of the team, it gives the team a bit of hope.”
Nick Mellington (Williamstown) and Daniel Guccione (Carlton) are other Pascoe Vale players with VFL contracts.
Damandeep Aujla (Airport West), Lucas Failli (Caroline Springs), Daniel Gennaccaro (Northern Saints), Sam Godden, Nicholas Gooch (both Waratah), Corey Le Favi (Airport West), Nicholas Linton (Nhill & District), Nicholas Parthenopoulos (Greenvale), Gerard Sharrock (UHS-VU) and Michael Sikora (Doveton) have also arrived at the Panthers since the end of the 2019 campaign.
Luke Foster, Daniel Archer, Daniel Johncock, Patrick Veszpremi, Sean Gregory, James Gregory, Nicholas Keating and Jack Whaley have exited.
Pascoe Vale finished fourth two years ago, eliminated by Strathmore in the opening week of finals.
Digby Morrell’s side will face Avondale Heights away from home in Round 1 on Saturday.
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Every signing of the EDFL off-season
The EDFL off-season has only just started but some clubs have already well and truly started making moves for 2025. Keep up to date with every signing in our signing tracker.