EDFL: Roxburgh Park welcome host of new faces
An Essendon District league club is the talk of the competition after a recruiting spree which has landed over 10 new players for next season.
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It might be the off-season but Roxburgh Park aren’t slowing down.
To date, the Magpies have unveiled a whopping 14 recruits for the 2023 season — one of the biggest numbers of any local footy club.
Their profiles range from large to small but it’s all come down to a different approach according to coach Michael Farrelly.
Instead of hunting individual players, Roxburgh Park has encouraged their recruits to bring a mate or two.
“It’s never fun going to a party on your own where you don’t know anyone,” Farrelly said.
“It’s no different to starting a new club. The first few weeks can be a little difficult when you’re trying to settle in but by bringing someone down it might help people feel a little more comfortable.
“We’ve tried a different approach and it’s got a fantastic response so far. We’ve been on the right trajectory for the last few years since I’ve been here and now we’re being rewarded for that.
“It’s nice to know players want to come to our club. But we need to keep adding. The exciting thing is that there will be lots of pressure for spots next year and that is only going to make us a better side.”
Roxburgh Park’s latest signing, Aidan Clarke, was arguably the biggest so far.
Clarke arrives from Northern league Division 1 club outfit Hurstbridge where he has impressed for a large part of his career.
“It’s nothing new to say we’ve lacked height in our spine,” Farrelly said.
“Aidan’s going to give us some great flexibility because he’s shown he’s able to play a lot of different positions. He’ll be swung around the ground at different parts of the year.
“Cooper (McPharlane from Sunbury Kangaroos) is another guy we’ve added and he’s only going to get better with the more footy he plays. He’s come along with Nathan Carroll who is going to give us a real strong target forward of the footy.
“The exciting thing for us is we haven’t really had that calibre of players come to us like this in the past.”
With all of the new arrivals, Farrelly is aware expectations will rise on his side as the start of the 2023 season gets closer.
But he isn’t listening to outside noise.
“We never put too many expectations on ourselves,” he said.
“Last year we targeted between seven and nine wins and got nine. Next year it will be between nine and 11, we want to keep growing.
“As long as we’re doing the right things and playing how we want to I think we’ll keep heading in the right direction.”
The Magpies have also been boosted off the field with Ferras Merhi and Sammy Saad arriving as assistant coaches.
Both aren’t expected to play at this stage.
Roxburgh Park’s recruits: Aidan Clarke, Jamie Bellam, Theodore Miliopoulos, Nathan Carroll, Cooper McPharlane, Blake Woodsford, Brodie Naggs, Robbie Barnard, Seamus Mulcahy, Connor Bills, Alexi Mamalos, Jimmy Hughes, Jacob Nichols, Daniel Perry.
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