Heidelberg secures a famous club name for NFL Division 1 2020 season
Heidelberg has secured a much-needed injection of experience in the shape of a son of a premiership player but coach Danny Nolan remains adamant the club will continue to develop it’s youth.
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Heidelberg will welcome back a famous club name in 2020.
Josh Smith, son of Tigers premiership player Mark, has signed on from Essendon District league club Greenvale.
The midfielder has been a key member of the Jets for the past four years, playing 71 Premier Division games during that period.
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“We’re really happy to have Josh on board, a bit of experience in the midfield,” new Tigers coach Danny Nolan said.
“He was interested in coming across, we’ve got plenty of youth around, but we thought a bit of experience would certainly help.”
The acquisition is Smith is important for Heidelberg after losing experienced trio Ryan Stone, Tom Sullivan and Sam Grimley this NFL off-season.
Smith joins Collingwood VFL vice-captain Matt Smith and Kieren Parnell from NT Thunder and St Mary’s (NT) at Warringal Park.
Williamstown VFL-listed Christian Buykx-Smith and Tom Schnerring will be in black and yellow full-time in 2020.
While pleased with the club’s new faces, Nolan was adamant the Division 1 club would continue to promote youth after an impressive 2019 that saw the club finish the home-and-away season in second place.
The Tigers bowed out of the premiership race in straight sets, but Nolan saw plenty of growth in his squad.
“We’re looking to build from within, we certainly believe we’ve got the calibre there, it’s just a matter of them developing now,” Nolan said.
“It’s time for them to take that next step. If they continue the way they did last year there’s no reason we shouldn’t be a really strong side.
“I think with the speed we have we’ll still be playing the running game.”
Nolan takes the coaching reins from Frank Raso, who stepped down last year due to increasing work commitments.
After a whirlwind couple of months, five-time Heidelberg premiership player Nolan is looking forward to getting started.
“It all happened pretty quickly, but it’s exciting,” he said.
“There’s a lot of romance in me coming back to coach the club that I was involved in a lot of good times at.”
Heidelberg starts its Division 1 campaign by hosting Hurstbridge on Saturday, April 4.
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