Marlon Motlop joins Stawell for the rest of the season

A former Port Adelaide player could be the final piece of the puzzle for premiership glory for a country club in a celebration year. Here’s what we know.

Former Glenelg player Marlon Motlop has joined Stawell. Picture: SANFL

An important meeting late last year could be the start of a major year of celebrations for Stawell in the Wimmera league.

And now, the Warriors have added what they believe to be the last player needed to win this year’s premiership.

The club has signed former Port Adelaide player Marlon Motlop to the team for the rest of the season.

Motlop played five games for the Power before having a successful career in both the WAFL and the SANFL.

He won best and fairests at two clubs and one club in the WAFL and SANFL respectively before winning the premiership with Glenelg in 2019.

At 34, he’s now made the move to the Wimmera league and played in Stawell’s 21-point win over Nhill, kicking a goal on debut.

“It was a good signing late,” Stawell president Shane Fields said.

“He came for his first run Saturday, which is great for the club.

“As he plays a few games, he’s only going to get better.”

Fields said Motlop signed after talking to his Wanderers teammate, Mitchel Taylor, who is also at Stawell.

The coach Tom Eckel also played with Motlop when he was at Glenelg, so it all came together perfectly.

“His signing coincided with what we are doing,” Fields said.

“All the players are like a sponge with him whenever he talks.

“I think it is going to help (in our premiership quest).”

Josh Linton gets the ball away for Stawell earlier this year. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Stawell is currently 5-0 to start the year, beating last year’s premiers in round one.

Fields said the success had come after an important meeting last year.

This year is the club’s 150th anniversary but the president said the increase in performance wasn’t to do with that.

“It wasn’t related to the 150 years, we went back to the drawing board last October after last season and thought we need to be strategic on who we recruit,” he said.

“It coincided with it in the end. We finished third two years ago and were ordinary last year so we needed to bounce back and get the few extra players required to have a crack at the premiership.

“For us it was bolstering our bottom five and getting some more fringe players.

“You are only as strong as your weakest player.”

So far the plan has worked and Fields added the team hasn’t been able to put its strongest squad out yet.

The focus now is to set themselves up for a tilt at finals later this year.

The team has a bye this weekend.