Jaye Bowden signs with EDFL club Maribyrnong Park, joined by Blade Sulzberger

Maribyrnong Park coach Brodie Holland has continued to look to his home state for new recruits, landing a North Launceston rising star.

Jaye Bowden in his first game back for Glenorchy this year. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Maribyrnong Park coach Brodie Holland has continued to look to his home state for new recruits.

The Lions have confirmed the addition of VFL listed midfielder Blade Sulzberger for the 2025 season.

Sulzberger becomes the second signing from Tasmania this season with the 2024 North Launceston premiership hero joining Jaye Bowden at the club.

Sulzberger is listed by the Northern Bullants, where Holland was previously the senior coach.

“Blade is a strong bodied inside midfielder who extracts plenty of football (and) has the ability to push forward (and) hit the scoreboard,” Maribyrnong Park said of their newest signing on social media.

“ Blade is blessed with lovely foot skills (and) is very much a team-first player. Coming through the Tassie Devil program in 2021 (and) a premiership player last season in the TAS State League with North Launceston.”

Speaking to this masthead after signing a VFL deal, Sulzberger said he hadn’t given up on his AFL dream.

“The coach (Rohan Welsh) told me he wants me to play midfield, but they’ve got a lot of strong players there,” he said.

“Hopefully I can slot into that midfield role but if not half forward and a little bit of halfback.

“To get drafted is my number one goal, it’s been my goal since I was 15 or 16, but hopefully in VFL I get a good year under my belt and then you never know.”

EDFL club lands Tassie footy star

It has taken more than a decade but Maribyrnong Park coach Brodie Holland has his man.

The Essendon District Football League club have confirmed the signing of Tasmanian footy legend Jaye Bowden.

The 35-year-old has a sensational resume in his home state including three Tasmanian State League best-and-fairests, three leading goalkicking awards and several team of the year selections.

“He’s a star down there, just a thoroughbred,” Holland said.

“I was trying for forever and a day to get him to Melbourne. We’re both connected to the Glenorchy footy club back home. Back in about 2012, I was trying to get him to Marby but for different reasons it didn’t work out.

“He stayed in Tassie and had a pretty stellar career. He might be in the later stages of his career, but I think he’s going to be a very good player for us.”

Last season, Bowden returned to Glenorchy in the state competition and dealt with a knee issue, playing much of his footy for the year without a pre-season.

“He keeps himself in great condition,” Holland said.

“Previously he had been at St Virgils in the local amateur competition and was a premiership player there. He’s been a coach so he’s going to add a lot more experience to our group.”

Jaye Bowden has made the move to Melbourne. Picture: Solstice Digital

Holland admits there will be a challenge ahead for his side after their promotion to Premier Division with some major changes to the premiership winning team.

James Kayrooz (Banyule), Darcy Griffin (Barwon Heads), Bronte Campbell (Horsham), Matt Gaul (Noosa) and Lucas Edmonds (Port Fairy) are among those to have played senior footy last year to have departed.

But there are fresh faces including 6’8 ruckman Lochlainn Simpson, VFL listed defender Logan Geddes via Donald and Sam Green, with the latter two at the Northern Bullants.

“It’s going to take some time for us to gel,” Holland said.

“Obviously we’re not sure how much we’ll see the VFL guys, we want to see them playing at the highest level they can.

“We’re still working away on a couple of other potential recruits, we’ll see what happens there.”