EFL: Liam Mackie and Bailey Lambert join Rowville

A former Collingwood rookie is among the latest signings at Rowville, which has added two VFL-listed players for the 2020 EFL Premier Division season.

Liam Mackie in a game for Box Hill Hawks. Picture: James Ross

Rowville has added two young VFL-listed players, including a former Collingwood rookie, for the 2020 EFL Premier Division season.

Liam Mackie, 21, and Bailey Lambert, 20, have crossed to Seebeck Oval, but will continue to play in the state league next year.

Mackie was taken as a rookie by the Magpies in 2016 but was delisted after one season.

He has played 24 VFL games in the past three seasons and made 13 appearances for VAFA club Old Carey this year, receiving six mentions in the best players.

Bailey Lambert is taken in a tackle against Balwyn. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The South Australian played in the club’s losing Premier B grand final in 2018 and has spent the past two years at Box Hill Hawks.

“We still expect to see him a fair bit,” Rowville coach John Brown said.

“He was looking to move and play Premier (Division) Eastern Football League and we were fortunate enough to have a couple of contacts and we were able to sign him.”

Mackie has a link to Rowville through former Box Hill teammates Anthony Brolic and Aaron Bond.

Brown said Mackie would provide some classy ball use.

“He’s pretty versatile but has some outside polish, and that’s exactly what we needed,” he said.

“At the age of 21, if he’s not playing VFL football, we want him to potentially be a 100-game player at Rowville — and the same with Bailey.

“Bailey has a lot of football ahead of him and if things don’t work out well for him at VFL, we want to target young talent that can be at the club for the next 10 years.”

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It was announced earlier this month that Lambert had crossed to Frankston from Richmond, where he made three VFL appearances in the past two years in a side filled with AFL talent.

Lambert played 13 games for Noble Park this year and was a strong performer for the Bulls as a midfielder and forward, kicking 26 goals.

“We’re hopeful he’s committed and playing a fair bit of football there (Frankston) but he has aligned himself with us, more for his football, growth and development,” Brown said.

“I guess there’s an opportunity where we can hopefully be developing him to push him back to VFL if, for whatever reason, he has back at local.”

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