EFNL: The biggest and best Eastern league recruits of 2026
There’s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, from ex-AFL stars to state league talents and more. We’ve named the best.
There’s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, from ex-AFL stars to state league talents and more. We’ve named the best ...
Adam Amin (Oakleigh District)
Arguably one of the biggest player moves between Eastern clubs this off-season, the sharpshooting forward arrives at the Oaks after booting almost 200 goals across the past two premiership-winning campaigns with Scoresby in divisions 4 and 3 – including a century in 2024.
Jake Arundell (Boronia)
With pace and skill – and a glittering football CV – the ex-Rowville gun has joined the Division 1 Hawks full-time, following three seasons on Box Hill’s VFL list. It’s understood the 22-year-old’s signature was highly sought-after among Eastern clubs. Exciting VFL forward and midfielder Corey Preston is also among the Hawks’ haul.
Logan Austin (Norwood)
The former Port Adelaide and St Kilda man is fresh from a season in the SANFL with West Adelaide. The Canberra product and key position defender played 20 AFL matches from 2015-2020 before moving on to Bairnsdale where he won a best and fairest in 2022. Ex-AFL teammate Jesse Palmer joins the 30-year-old, alongside reigning Upwey Tecoma best and fairest and Outer East Team of the Year tall, Jack McKay.
Hugh Beasley (Mooroolbark)
The ex-AFL defender played six matches for the Brisbane Lions after his selection at pick 22 in the 2015 national draft before moving on to a successful state league career, winning a VFL flag with Richmond in 2019 and a Team of the Year nod at full-back in the same year. He later captained Box Hill. And at 191cm, he’s set to cause a few headaches.
Jamie Bennell (Heathmont)
Crosses from neighbouring top-flight club East Ringwood where the ex-AFL speedster continued to have an impact. And with the handy forward and midfielder dropping down to the third tier of competition, opposition teams could be in for a few nightmares.
Trent Bianco (Bayswater)
The 24-year-old played 23 AFL matches for Collingwood from 2020-2023 after his selection at pick 45 in the 2019 national draft.
Delisted at the end of ’23, the playmaker spent a season with Footscray in the VFL before suiting up for the Box Hill Hawks in ’25 where he ran third for the best and fairest, averaging more than 21 disposals a match. Set to go around for the Hawks again, but will be more than handy back at local level in 2026 when state league commitments allow.
Jack Boyd (Balwyn)
The 198cm Port Melbourne key forward is set to continue in the VFL – but has linked with the reigning top-flight premier after crossing from VAFA club Old Xaverians where he was aligned in 2025.
Mitch Brouwer (Donvale)
Returns to the Eastern Division 3 club following a hot stint in the Tasmanian State League with Kingborough which took in the highs of representative footy. The dynamic onballer was among the best in Donvale’s 2023 premiership before returning to Tassie – but a recent Melbourne move meant only one local club was going to do.
Tyler Brown (Bayswater)
The ex-AFL Magpie and current Box Hill Hawk has aligned with the Division 1 club – and will lace up at local level when VFL commitments allow.
Brown, 25, is the son of Collingwood great Gavin, and was selected by the Magpies under the father-son rule in the 2017 national draft.
The midfielder played 28 AFL matches – 27 of those at Collingwood – before finishing at Adelaide in 2023.
Tyson Calder (Ringwood)
Touted as one of the biggest signings the club has ever seen, the hard-running midfielder lands at Jubilee Park from top-tier powerhouse Vermont after an under-19 best and fairest and almost 70 senior matches. As an added bonus, he’s also more than capable on a wing or half-back flank, in a big lift to the Division 2 club.
Riley Collier-Dawkins (Montrose)
The ex-AFL Tiger will don the red and blue in 2026 after stepping away from VFL club Williamstown.
The 192cm midfielder spent five seasons in the AFL after his selection at pick 20 in the 2018 national draft, playing 11 games for Richmond from 2019-2022 – winning a VFL flag with the club in ’19.
Will Gown (Doncaster East)
Known for his intercept defending and dash off half-back, the Lions’ gun signing spent two seasons with Sandringham in the state league across 2022 and ’23 – and won a Premier B flag with Old Haileybury in ‘22 and another with MPFNL Division 1 power Rosebud this season. The big bonus for Doncaster East is he’s set to free up Team of the Year centre half-back, Taylin Duman.
Nick Hallo (The Basin)
The Division 3 club’s biggest signing this off-season, the damaging midfielder has returned to Batterham Reserve following two premierships at Mitcham. He’s also one of the Bears’ most decorated players, winning three best and fairests at the club.
Mitch Johnson (Mitcham)
The ex-Southport Sharks VFL forward brings more than 500 goals to Walker Park among a 200-game career taking in the highs of a NEAFL premiership in 2018 and five leading goalkicking gongs at the Sharks. In 2021, he became the first Southport player to hit double figures in a VFL match when he bagged 10 goals against Apsley. Look out.
Damien Johnston (Upper Ferntree Gully)
The ex-Casey VFL gun and Beaconsfield co-captain of the past three seasons headlines the Kings’ recruiting haul in a big boost to the midfield. He reunites with ex-Beacy assistant Kris Fletcher – now Upper Gully’s senior coach – who says the former state league man is set to inject plenty of leadership and experience into an emerging group.
Will Kennedy (Noble Park)
Standing at 198cm, the towering ex-VFL man has linked with the Bulls from Seaford following a stint with the Frankston Dolphins. Senior coach Steve Hughes says he ticks more than a few boxes, too – especially height for the back six, an area which the Premier Division club had lacked in recent seasons.
Guy Laughlin (Mitcham)
The zippy triple premiership forward has returned to Walker Park after a stint in Western Australia, in a move Mitcham senior coach Neil Winterton heralded as “huge”.
Jimmy Miller (Balwyn)
The hulking key forward and ruck has signed full-time with back-to-back reigning premier Balwyn after stepping away from the VFL with Port Melbourne.
Miller stands at some 195cm and brings more than 100 games’ state league experience across stints at the Borough, Frankston, and South Fremantle in the WAFL where he won a premiership in 2020.
Kai Owens (Doncaster East)
The former Frankston VFL star has landed in Eastern’s top-flight, adding to an already star-studded list chock-full of ex-state and AFL talent at the Lions.
The 25-year-old spent the past two seasons at MPFNL club Mornington where he won the best and fairest this year and finished third in the league medal.
But it was at VFL level with the Dolphins where the brother of St Kilda gun Mitch turned the heads of AFL scouts, with a 2023 move into the midfield highlighting the fierce-tackling Owens as a draft prospect. Brother Tomoya has also signed at Doncaster East, following 17 VFL matches for Frankston in 2025.
Blake Pearson (East Ringwood)
The former Port Melbourne VFL star returns to the Eastern league’s top-flight where he took home back-to-back competition best and fairests across 2021 and ’22 while playing for Norwood. And he’s fresh off 50 goals with Oakleigh District in 2025, where he spent the past three seasons as playing-coach.
Michael Schwab (South Croydon)
The Bulldogs won the race for one of local footy’s most sought-after talents this off-season, landing the forward and midfielder after three years at Montrose. Highly touted for his pace and footy IQ, Schwab spent this year on Box Hill’s VFL list.
Dylan Williams (Surrey Park)
The 24-year-old’s phone rung hot when his papers were stamped at Port Adelaide after six seasons in the AFL – but a strong connection to former his junior club couldn’t be beaten in the race for his signature. The swingman played 15 games for Port Magpies in the SANFL in 2025 – kicking 21 goals – among a top-flight career taking in 29 AFL matches. He’s joined by fellow ex-AFL name and Surrey Park junior, Blake Leidler, fresh off the Swans’ list.
Lincoln Wong (Wantirna South)
A big boost for the Devils in their Division 1 move, the former club captain returns following 18 months away. An inside midfielder, Wong shot the lights out in the green and white across several seasons, winning the Division 1 league medal in 2022 – and earning a string of Team of the Year gongs along the way. In a further boost, tall swingman and former Devils junior Makuei Andrew links up with brother and VFL talent Deng at Walker Reserve.
Kane Young (Rowville)
The Eastern league Premier Division power needed a key defender – and it got one, in the form of a returning flag hero. The premiership defender spent 2025 with South Belgrave in Division 1, where he featured in its heart-stopping grand final victory.
Revealed: All the latest Eastern league key signings
