NFL 2019: Panton Hill signs Montmorency ruckman Joel McLellan
PANTON Hill has predicted developing ruckman Nick Parks will go to another level after the signing of experienced big man Joel McLellan.
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PANTON Hill has predicted developing ruckman Nick Parks will go to another level after the signing of experienced big man Joel McLellan.
McLellan has crossed to Cracknell Reserve after playing Northern Football League Division 1 for the past five seasons with Greensborough and Montmorency.
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His arrival will give the Redbacks a dominant ruck combination as they target their first premiership since 2013 under coach Steve Layt.
“He was our key target. We have been speaking to him for some time,” Layt said.
“That was really the achilles heel in our side, the back-up ruckman to Nick Parks, and we have done better than that with Joel.
“Those two will work nicely together. We won’t have to rob Peter to pay Paul with (full forward Rhys Boyden), throwing him into the ruck.
“Plus it will help his development, Nick. He’s only 20. He’ll learn an enormous lot.”
Parks was one of the premier ruckmen in the NFL third tier this year and Layt said working alongside McLellan would fast track the 20-year-old’s development.
“Nick has been crying out for support,” he said.
“He has been playing around 22 minutes a quarter in the ruck, which is too much for a 20-year-old. I’m conscious of that.
“They’ll share the ruck and Joel will rest forward which will create another big target for us. “It gives us that flexibility now, so we don’t have to muck around with our forward line. We can actually strengthen it.”
After joining the Redbacks from Diamond Creek, Parks was named in their best players 12 times in 19 games during his first full senior campaign.
Panton Hill reached the Division 3 grand final in its first season under Layt, but was beaten by St Mary’s.
While McLellan will be the club’s key recruit, the return of 2013 best-and-fairest winner Nathan Hendry and small forward Cam Jordan will bolster the Redbacks’ flag bid.
Daniel Haynes has retired, however other key players including spearhead Matthew Byron and Parks have put pen to paper for 2019.
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