MPFNL: Sorrento signing Ethan Phillips joins Hawthorn

Just days before he was snapped up by Hawthorn, one of the AFL’s latest feel-good stories was planning to pull on the jumper of a contender in the Mornington Peninsula league.

Ethan Phillips playing for Port Melbourne in the VFL. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos)

His name appears in Sorrento’s list of recruits.

But emerging defender Ethan Phillips won’t be seeing any Mornington Peninsula league action in 2024.

Instead, the bright lights of the AFL await the 24-year-old after he was signed by Hawthorn through the supplemental selection period on Monday as a “ready-made key defensive option”, just days after James Blanck’s season-ending knee injury.

Phillips had signed with Sorrento a few months ago, listing the Sharks as his home club while he played VFL with Box Hill Hawks.

He was cleared from De La Salle.

But just as quickly as he was an “in’’, Phillips is now an “out’’ — without playing a game for the Sharks.

Sorrento had hoped to have him for five games this season.

Ethan Phillips of St Kevin’s hand balls during the 2018 VAFA Premier grand final. Picture: Hamish Blair

Sharks coach Leigh Poholke said Phillips is good friends with Sorrento recruit Dylan Clarke and was keen to play with the southern peninsula club when commitments allowed.

“He’s a really nice guy, really polite,” Poholke said.

“He can obviously play footy. His stats speak for themselves and now he’s off to the big smoke.

“We would have had him for a handful of games. We were hoping for somewhere around four or five.

“Hopefully he gets a good crack at it (at Hawthorn). They need a key back now so he should get a good go.

“We pencilled him in for Mornington away, Pines away, YC away and one home game, but obviously not any more.

“He’s a really good fella, really polite, I couldn’t speak more highly of him. He’s probably the easiest player I’ve ever had to deal with in my three and a half years (as coach). The deal was done in a two minute phone call.”

Poholke said Sorrento was still on the lookout for another recruit.

“We can fit one more in,’’ he said.

“A big full-forward or a big centre half forward would be nice.’’

Sorrento’s key signings include former Essendon midfielder Clarke and former Vermont and Montmorency ruckman Liam Buxton.

The Sharks meet Queenscliff in a practice match — the annual Battle of the Rip — on Saturday, March 16.