EFL 2019: South Croydon to have less of a reliance on VFL aligned players

South Croydon will have less of a reliance on its VFL aligned contingent in 2019, with the Bulldogs declaring their list has only improved after signing five state league players.

South Croydon will have less of a reliance on its VFL aligned contingent in 2019, with coach Luke McCormick declaring the Bulldogs’ list has only improved on the team that made last year’s grand final.

South Croydon will only have four players aligned to state league clubs this year, down from eight last season after moving to sign a host of Box Hill Hawks players full time.

Frank Anderson (Northern Blues), Jason Pongracic (Williamstown), Brayden Kilpatrick (Box Hill Hawks) and recruit Xavier Fry (Port Melbourne) will be the only Bulldogs players on VFL lists this season.

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Kilpatrick has been tipped to spend the majority of the season at Box Hill, while Anderson and Pongracic may float between the Eastern league and VFL.

Previously aligned players Chris Jones, Nick Evans and Jordan Walker have committed to South Croydon full-time, while former North Melbourne defender Max Warren has also signed.

Jones was a member of Box Hill’s premiership last year, while Warren won the Hawks’ 2017 best and fairest.

Utility Fry has joined the Bulldogs from their joint under-19s program with the Whitehorse Pioneers.

He also played 11 games for the Oakleigh Chargers last year and has been rookie-listed by Port Melbourne, where he could be in line for senior games.

“He’s a really nice mover, uses the ball really well … (he) hasn’t played a lot of senior footy but we hope he might play a bit of a role for us,” McCormick said of Fry.

South Croydon has made the past two deciders, winning the 2017 premiership, and its recruits will only bolster its chances of again being a flag contender.

Michael King (retired) and Glenn Strachan (Monbulk) have moved on, while Nick Molnar and Ben McDonald are having the season off.

“I think with what we’ve added, if you had to say it, I think the list is probably stronger,” McCormick said.

“Everyone is tracking along fairly nicely — we’re basically injury-free at this point ... the guys that have come on board full time have fitted in really well.”

South Croydon opens its season against Balwyn at Cheong Park on April 6.

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