MPFNL 2024: Sorrento signings Dylan Clarke and Liam Buxton make early impression
An ex-AFL Bomber and a Northern league ruck star have raised the bar at Sorrento with eye-popping fitness work, although one had an injury setback.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
One is an ex-AFL Bomber, the other a Northern league champion.
Sorrento boom recruits Dylan Clarke and Liam Buxton have made strong starts at the Sharks aahead of the Mornington Peninsula league Division 1 season.
Midfield speedster Clarke, who played 24 games for Essendon, has slotted in seamlessly, despite hurting a calf at Sorrento’s first training session in November.
“He’s one of the best fellas you’d come across, he’s barely missed a session, super fit,” Sorrento playing-coach Leigh Poholke said of Clarke.
“He did his calf in the first session but he’s going great, we couldn’t be more impressed.”
Clarke hurt his calf while running a 2km time trial but, eager to impress his new teammates, he completed the run.
“He still ran it in 7 minutes with a torn calf,” Poholke said.
“He’s great…we couldn’t be more impressed with how he’s handled himself, presented himself, bought into the group, yeah, really good.”
Buxton is regarded as one of the best rucks in local footy and Poholke has been blown away by what he’s seen so far.
“He’s everything we were promised. He’s amazing,” he said.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a ruckman this good — I think we’ve got to go back to the Scott Cameron days.
“This guy is a genuine ruckman, he’s incredible. And he moves. Oh, boy, does he move.
“He’s up the front in all our running, he won all our strength testing. Like, I think he’s 105kg and he did 25 chin ups.
“Yeah, he’s going to be good.
“I can’t wait to start doing some practice matches and some match sim because the stuff we’ve done so far he’s just torn apart.”
With the additions of Clarke and Buxton, alongside the likes of Shannon Gladman and Myles Poholke, Sorrento will boast one of the strongest midfields in Division 1.
The Sharks finished sixth last season with a 9-9 record.
How proud Panthers can build from grand final heartbreak
Departing East Malvern coach Mick Rossborough has detailed what he said to his side after it’s brave grand final defeat and where he thinks the Panthers can improve in 2025.
Hawks and ‘the hard way’: Promotion at last for triple-premiership power
It has won it three times in the same tier of competition, but at long last, Boronia has earned promotion after another Division 2 grand final triumph on Sunday.