EFNL 2025: Triple AFL premiership star Liam Shiels making a splash at new club South Croydon

It hasn’t taken former AFL Hawk and Kangaroo Liam Shiels long to make an impact at his new club this pre-season. But he’s not the only standout at the Eastern Premier outfit ...

Liam Shiels hung up the boots at AFL level at the end of last season before signing at South Croydon. Pic: Michael Klein

He’s arguably local footy’s best recruit this off-season – and it hasn’t taken him long to make a splash.

Triple AFL premiership star Liam Shiels has hit the ground running in his return to the Eastern league after calling time on a decorated 15-year AFL career at the end of last season.

South Croydon senior coach Brendan Allen has seen the 288-game Hawk and Roo make a flawless leap from the big-time to the ‘burbs this pre-season after landing at Cheong Park in October.

“He’s picked it up seamlessly,” Allen said.

“It’s interesting, though – he still says it’s hard work, the skills aren’t AFL level but some of the drills and training, he’s quipped a few times that it’s a pretty good standard.”

The 33-year-old – who featured among a team of ex-AFL players in a Kabbadi all-star exhibition match in Melbourne last month – had raised the bar on the training track according to the coach.

“All the boys have lifted a cog in their handball drill or whatever it might be … he’s definitely lifting the standards on the track as well,” Allen said.

“When they come up against him – they don’t want to get tackled by him and make sure they’re clean around him and all that sort of stuff.

“But he’s fitted in as one of the players seamlessly as well, getting along with everyone, and enjoying his footy, which is what community footy is all about at the end of the day.”

Liam Shiels speaks at South Croydon luncheon in 2024. Picture: South Croydon FC

But he hasn’t been the only standout.

Recruit Jett Latchford headlines a band of names earmarked to fill the void left by outgoing star ruckman Max King, with the Box Hill VFL-listed young gun making an impression.

“The biggest character tick you can give Jett is he’s training Tuesdays and Thursdays at Box Hill, but still comes down every training session to South Croydon – Monday, Wednesday … in my time in Eastern footy league, no-one has done that from a VFL point of view,” Allen said.

“It just shows what sort of character he is.

“We’re pretty tall as a team anyway, so we’ve got five or six options that could potentially run through there (ruck) … it gives us different looks every time.”

Jett Latchford in the ruck for Ringwood. Picture: Field of View Photography

Meanwhile, Woori Yallock import Baylin Spencer is set to be full-time with the Bulldogs after splitting with Box Hill.

The former Eastern Ranges vice-captain is joined by fellow midfielder Sam Wicks, who crossed from Upwey Tecoma following a top-10 finish in the Outer East league best and fairest last season.

There’s no limit on what the pair can achieve according to Allen.

“Mark my words, he’ll (Spencer) be the best under-21 in the comp – he is a jet,” Allen said.

“Sammy Wicks is flying too – the step-up in grade he’s really embraced. He’ll be a bit of a player as well.”

And at 37, there’s no end in sight for decorated elder statesman Dan King.

“He’s 38 this year, still going strong, still training very, very hard and still one of the best on track … in traffic, he’s that evasive, he’s like the Energizer Bunny,” Allen said.

South Croydon’s campaign finished with a semi-final loss to Rowville last year after a 12-6 record for fifth spot in the home-and-away season.

But the Bulldogs are eyeing bigger and better things this year.

“The boys have stepped it up a notch from where I took over last year,” Allen said.