MPFNL recruiting news: Seaford signs Sam Mackinder, Will Kennedy and Harry Bould

A tip-off has led to Seaford signing a midfield gun with big wraps, as well as a Western Jets best and fairest winner, while an ex-AFL livewire has recommitted.

Seaford signings: from left, Harry Bould, Will Kennedy and Sam Mackinder.

A tip-off, and then a phone call, netted Seaford a future star midfielder.

New Seaford coach Rohan Bleeker was alerted to the potential of Beaconsfield youngster Sam Mackinder, who was also a member of the Frankston Dolphins academy.

“My assistant said, ‘hey we should probably give this guy a call because he’s going to be a star’,” Bleeker said.

A call was made and 21-year-old Mackinder, wanting more midfield time and a fresh challenge, became a Seaford player.

So, too, have fellow young guns Will Kennedy and Harry Bould.

Sam Mackinder has joined Seaford. Picture: Facebook

Kennedy, a ruckman, won the best and fairest at the Western Jets in 2019 in the then NAB League and was touted as a draft prospect.

Bould, a speedy midfielder, is fresh from playing in Mornington’s MPFNL Division 2 premiership.

Bleeker said Mackinder was on the radar at Frankston and he would add real grunt to Seaford’s engine room.

“We can provide greater opportunity and obviously with (Ishak) Bashir moving on, he was pretty much his likely replacement,” Bleeker said.

“He teams up with Harry Bould who we’ve brought across from Mornington.”

Kennedy comes from Caulfield Grammarians in VAFA Premier where he played as an intercepting key defender, an effective tall forward and a skilled tap ruckman.

He also also played a handful of VFL games with the Frankston Dolphins.

“He won a best and fairest with Western Jets, he went through the system, missed out on a draft, went back to VAFA and just wants to play a different league,” Bleeker said.

“He’s played amateur footy his whole career and now he wants to come and play on the peninsula and see how he goes.”

Will Kennedy.

Harry Bould.

Bould caught the eye with his pace and class in Mornington’s romp to the premiership.

“He’s an outstanding person,” Bleeker said.

“The other two are fantastic people as well, but Harry, he was incredibly impressive in his interviews just the way he wanted to go about his move from Mornington. He wouldn’t go any further than saying, ‘yeah, I’d like to have a chat’, until he’d spoken to Mornington.

“I was just really impressed with the way he conducted himself. I’m excited for him to come across as a player but also as a person too.”

Bleeker confirmed former St Kilda player Jack Lonie, after a brilliant 2023 season with Seaford, was on board again for 2024.

“Jack was just holding out to see maybe if the club was going to improve in terms of a recruitment sense, make sure they were moving in the right direction, and he has every right to do that because he’s a quality player,’’ Bleeker said.

“We’re rapt to have Jack back on board.”

Seaford has farewelled some good talent: Bashir to Division 2 rivals Edithvale-Aspendale, Mitch Harvey to the Frankston Bombers in Division 1 and ruckman Macklin Raine, who missed 2023 with a knee injury, to Highett.

Bleeker was thrilled with the additions.

“We’ve brought in what we targeted,’’ he said.

“We’ll have another list meeting and we’ll talk about what else we what we might need to go and shore up.

“At this stage we’re pretty happy with the way things are moving.’’