MPFNL: Mornington signs Frankston Dolphins VFL vice captain Kai Owens

A VFL B&F runner-up who came under the notice of AFL recruiters has joined MPFNL premiership club Mornington.

Mornington coach Josh Newman (left) welcomes recruit Kai Owens. Picture: Facebook

Mornington is now fully equipped to step into MPFNL Division 1 after securing Frankston Dolphins gun Kai Owens.

The 24-year-old is capable of dominating the league, according to Mornington coach Josh Newman, who captained Owens at Frankston in 2022.

“He’s a genuine gun so I think he’ll be awesome for us,” Newman said.

Fierce-tackling Owens emerged as a draft prospect after moving into the Dolphins midfield in 2023, his fifth season in the VFL.

The 193 centimetre right-footer had played most of his football in the forward line, occasionally taking a turn in the ruck.

Owens’ decision to quit the VFL and play locally is a coup for Mornington, which won the Division 2 premiership to secure a return to the MPFNL top flight.

Kai Owens in action for the Dolphins. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

Newman said the versatile Owens would be a dominant force in whatever role he plays next season.

“I don’t know exactly where we’ll play him,” Newman said.

“We’ll have a conversation with Kai around where he wants to play and where he plays his best footy, and where we think he’ll have the biggest impact at local level…because coming down to local level he’ll tear games apart.

“That’s the positive for us with Kai, he’s so flexible and versatile where we can pay him.

“You can play him as a ruck, who ends up playing as an extra mid, or you can play him as a genuine mid or you can play him up forward.

“I think we’ll probably use him in a range of those different areas throughout the year.

“You build your team around those sort of players.

“He’ll be pretty damaging wherever you put him.”

Owens was Frankston’s vice-captain in 2023 and also runner-up in the club’s best and fairest award.

He was also nominated for the Fothergill-Round Medal, which is awarded to the best young player in the VFL competition, and he attracted interest at AFL level.

Kai’s younger brother is St Kilda forward Mitchito Owens.

Mornington has also signed Frankston YCW’s four-time premiership defender and vice-captain Brenton Credlin and Bonbeach ruckman Angus Grant, who has played VFL for Frankston.

“We’re pretty happy with what we’ve got,’’ Newman said.

“We don’t want to create too much change. We’ve obviously got to bring in a few to help you be better.

“We’ve got one more that we’ll announce...we just haven’t announced it yet.’’