EFL: Champion defender Joel Perry returns to Vermont
Joel Perry announced before the end of the season he would not continue coaching Upper Ferntree Gully. The champion defender has now announced where he will be playing in 2020.
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Joel Perry will return to Vermont in a bid to finish his career as a premiership player.
The former North Melbourne defender left Vermont following the 2017 grand final defeat against South Croydon, returning to junior club Upper Ferntree Gully.
Perry, 34, has coached the Division 1 club for the past two seasons but informed the Kings last week he would return to Terrara Rd, where he will look to help the Eagles to a hat-trick of Eastern league premierships.
He told Upper Gully before the end of the season he would be relinquishing the coaching duties.
Perry also had interest from Wandin in the AFL Outer East club competition but decided he wanted to return to the Eastern league’s top flight.
He also played in Vermont’s losing 2016 grand final to Balwyn.
But the champion defender is expecting to have to fight for his place in the best 22.
“I still haven’t won a senior flag and lost two (grand finals) before I left and then they’ve gone and won two, which has been great for them, the club and the players I lost a couple with,” Perry said.
“Not that I’m trying to hang off the back of their coattails trying to get one at the end. I certainly think I can contribute.
“If my body is sound, I can certainly have an impact.”
Perry played eight games for North Melbourne in 2006 and had a stint at East Ringwood before joining Vermont.
He was a top-tier Team of the Year member in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 and received the same honour in his two seasons at Upper Gully.
Perry said he believed there was a greater chance for success at Vermont than the Kings, which made a preliminary final in 2018 and missed finals by 2.93 per cent this year.
“Upper have got a very good young list and they’re certainly going to be OK,” he said.
“There’s not going to be any issues getting relegated or anything like that but they’re probably not in the premiership frame, I would have thought for next year.
“That’s certainly not having a dig at them or anything like that. I think they’ve been pretty honest with that as well.”
Perry said he would not be guaranteed a senior game at Vermont in 2020.
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“I understand who I am playing for and the quality of the team they have,” he said.
“They’re back-to-back premiers in probably the best comp in Melbourne. My ego is not big enough to say I should be in the ones.
“I’m going to know myself if I’m not playing well myself and don’t deserve a spot. If I am (performing), I expect to be playing and if I’m not, well I could find myself in the reserves.
“I’ve come to terms that they may happen. I’ve just got to work my bum off to make sure I’m ready to go.”
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