Banyule continues strong recruiting campaign with addition of ex-Collingwood tall

Banyule continues its impressive recruiting campaign, luring an ex-Collingwood tall away from a Northern rival, after signing a reigning league best-and-fairest.

Sam McLarty signs for Banyule.

Banyule’s impressive recruiting campaign is showing no sign of slowing down.

The Bears have secured the signature of former Collingwood-listed tall Sam McLarty for 2024.

The 25-year-old travels down the road from NFNL Division 1 rival Heidelberg, where he’d signed this year but didn’t play a game due to shoulder surgery.

McLarty last played for VFL club Coburg in 2022 and was aligned to Eastern club East Doncaster.

Banyule co-coach Ricky Dyson said it filled a significant need for the club heading into next season.

“We’re really excited about having Sam on board,” he said.

“We had an opportunity to sit down and have a chat with him and put forward our plan and how he will be a big part of it.

“It’s certainly a need we needed to fill and someone of his size and ability and bringing good people into our club is such an important thing.

“A big man that can play either end, they don’t come by very often, so we jumped at the opportunity.”

McLarty is the latest in a string of recruiting announcements at Beverley Road.

Banyule has secured a trio of talents from the Bendigo league, including reigning Michelsen Medallist Noah Wheeler.

Wheeler and Eaglehawk teammate Lewin Davis were both named in the BFNL Team of the Year, while South Bendigo’s Oscar White is also on board.

Wheeler played 20 games and kicked 23 goals as Eaglehawk made a semi-final appearance this season.

He polled 24 votes to win the league medal by two but will miss the start of 2024 after injuring his ACL in the finals.

“Noah, is one of the three boys that have come together, so we’re super excited to have them on board,” Dyson said.

“He’ll miss the start of the season but he wants to get his hands into some coaching and help while he can’t play, he wants to be hands on.

“We’re really fortunate to bring good people into the club with Lewin and Oscar also coming down, which is great.”

In a significant boost to the Bears midfield brigade, veteran ruckman Tim Martin has also agreed to return.

The star big man spent one season with Woodend-Hesket in the Riddell District league, helping the Hawks reach a drought-breaking grand final and finishing third in the Bowen Medal.

Martin is a revered figure at Beverley Road having won the grand final medal in the Bears’ 2022 Division 2 premiership.

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“Tim is just loved by everyone at our football club,” Dyson said.

“A big man with super leadership qualities is really important and he’ll be able to teach the younger guys coming through, he’s a really good role model for them.

“We were rapt to hear he might not be going around again up bush, they had a successful year up there – they didn’t end up winning the grand final – but the time was right for him to come back closer to home.”

NFNL Division 3 Team of the Year young gun Seb Francis-Perkins is also on board and Dyson hinted the club’s recruiting isn’t finished yet.