EFNL 2023: Brock Castree, Gary Conyers, Chris Moreland, Jake Sheriff, Dylan Sverns join Coldstream
Premierships, former state league talent, key posts – even an ex-reality TV name – are among Coldstream’s wealth of recruits ahead of triple flag-winning coach Jarrod Bayliss’ maiden season.
Eastern
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Incoming Coldstream playing-coach Jarrod Bayliss has wasted no time bolstering his list in the club’s bid to return to finals next season.
The triple premiership mentor – who took Park Orchards to a flag in 2017 before winning back-to-back grand finals with Powelltown across 2022 and ‘23 – has attracted a wealth of experience to the Cougars, with Brock Castree, Gary Conyers, Chris Moreland, Jake Sheriff and Dylan Sverns signing.
They’re fresh off flag success under Bayliss at Powelltown.
“A few of the boys have followed me and that’s footy sometimes … there’s some really strong experience that’s been added,” Bayliss said, who landed the Coldstream coaching role in October.
“Chris Moreland’s a five-time premiership player and Brock Castree’s a five-time premiership player – both have played at a really high level and both bring a lot of experience.
“It’ll really add some quality and hopefully give the guys some confidence.”
Castree, a SANFL premiership player with North Adelaide, returns to the Eastern league after a previous stint with The Basin, while ex-Heathmont captain Sverns rejoins the league alongside former Jets, Conyers and Sheriff.
Sverns is set to lift Coldstream’s defence as a key post, Conyers is slated for a midfield role while Sheriff could line up forward or back.
“Conyers is a really big, strong midfielder and Castree played a lot more down back for me and is such a caresser of the footy and is a really good leader, he’s got a good footy brain and makes players better around him – he doesn’t miss a target,” Bayliss said.
“He (Conyers) is going to come in and make a huge impact, and him and Brock will be playing assistant coaches.
“Sheriff has got the ability to play either (forward or back), he’s such a good one-on-one defender and reads the ball so well in the air.
“He’ll really give us some strong marking power behind the ball and set us up really well – we’re really excited about that prospect, but his eyes lit up when I (mentioned) swinging him forward.”
Moreland, an ex-VFL Cat, featured on the Foxtel reality television program The Recruit in 2014, making the final three.
The midfielder’s recent stops include AFL Barwon club Geelong West Giants and Western Region’s Wyndhamvale as coach before a run with Geelong & District outfit Bell Post Hill, ahead of joining Powelltown in 2022.
He also lined up for Geelong & District against the Eastern league at representative level in 2018 when the pair played off for the state’s No. 1 ranking.
“Moreland made a pact to me about three years ago that he’d play wherever I play, until we stop playing,” Bayliss said.
“He can play the game.”
The Cougars are also set to be buoyed by the full-time availability of key forward Darcy Fritsch next season after stepping away from VFL level, while most of the list has recommitted.
Coldstream finished sixth out of Division 3’s eight teams this year, with a 6-12 record.
“We’ve retained 95 per cent of the list … the boys are obviously all really excited,” Bayliss said.
“Hopefully we can bring some success to Coldstream.”
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