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NFL 2019: Daniel Caruso cleared to make switch from South Morang to Thomastown

After several weeks of negotiations, pacy midfielder Daniel Caruso has officially been cleared to join Thomastown.

Daniel Caruso looks to evade a tackler for South Morang last season. Picture: Nathan McNeill.
Daniel Caruso looks to evade a tackler for South Morang last season. Picture: Nathan McNeill.

Daniel Caruso is officially a Thomastown player.

The pacy midfielder’s clearance from South Morang to Main Street Reserve was approved on Monday, ending several weeks of negotiations between the Northern Football League clubs.

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The Lions had been weighing up whether to hold Caruso, who finished second in the Division 3 best and fairest count last year, to his contract for 2019.

But they relented earlier this week, granting Caruso’s request to join Thomastown 124 days after he was unveiled as a Bears player in October.

“He was the No. 1 target at the start of the year and we got him pretty quickly,” Thomastown president Rob Mazniovski said.

“I was pretty rapt to get that done and dusted.”

Mazniovski said he was always confident Caruso’s clearance would be granted.

“Daniel is a quality person, not just a quality player,” he said.

“I have been chasing him for two years now and he didn’t entertain the idea last season with his contract.

“He was under the impression in the second year of his contract he would be able to get out to play better footy, if need be.

“That is the only reason he entertained it. He’s a quality individual and he’s a big reason why this has come to an end now.

“I am stoked to have him at our club. We’re looking forward to him having a big season.”

Caruso has been joined by Ben Nesci (Bundoora), Lawrence Lopiccolo (Mill Park), Kane Slater (Bundoora) and Brayden Plant (Macleod) as new faces at the Bears, who finished fourth in Division 2 last year under coach Ben Chapman.

“We targeted a few players that we knew we wanted,” Mazniovski said.

“Added some speed to the team, a quality midfield and some forward players.

“That’s what we targeted, we’ve got them and we are pretty happy with where we’re at.

“We didn’t have to go out hard. We have got who we needed and we have just got to build on last year.”

Mazniovski said Thomastown hoped its increased depth would help it challenge leading premiership contenders such as Eltham and Whittlesea for the ultimate prize.

“We have kept everyone from last year and built on that,” he said.

“The depth is getting better and better and you have to. It’s a great competition.”

The Bears open their 2019 campaign on Saturday, April 6 with a home fixture against Eltham.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/nfl-2019-daniel-caruso-cleared-to-make-switch-from-south-morang-to-thomastown/news-story/1f7f0fb9f9b5a355952bfb0c996dca97