Bundoora secures ex-AFL and 2022 league medal-winning big man

Bundoora will have one of the best one-two ruck tandems in the Northern Football League after securing an ex-AFL big man and 2022 league medallist.

Shaun McKernan in action for St Kilda. Picture: Michael Klein

Bundoora will have one of the best one-two ruck-forward tandems in the Northern Football League in 2023.

The Bulls have secured the services of ex-AFL big man Shaun McKernan for the new season to play alongside gun tall Hamish Shepheard.

The 2022 Division 1 grand finalists will also have key talls Peter McEvoy and John Jorgensen roaming the attacking 50m, giving rival defences plenty to think about.

Bundoora coach Michael Ryan said the club’s abundance of height was a “good problem to have”.

“He’s definitely a class footballer and big blokes the calibre of Shaun don’t grow on trees,” Ryan said.

Shaun McKernan flies high in the ruck for Tullamarine. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“The good thing about Hamish is he’s such a flexible footballer in terms of his athleticism, he can go to half-back or have a hit on the ball.

“Pete will really straighten us up across centre half-forward and allow Shaun to play as a ruck-forward.

“Hamish will be our starting ruckman and Shaun can come on in relief.

“We’re going to be tall across the ground but it’s going to be an asset for us, especially Pete straightening us up at centre half-forward, because Jesse King had to play under-sized there last year.”

McKernan is coming off a dominant season for Essendon District Division 1 club Tullamarine, where he was crowed joint Hutchison Medallist and named at centre half-forward in the Team of the Year.

It was McKernan’s first year back in community football after 13 seasons in the AFL.

The 32-year-old played 91 AFL games for Adelaide, Essendon and St Kilda, kicking 74 goals.

Bundoora’s forward line could at any time contain the likes of McKernan, McEvoy, leading goalkickers John Jorgensen and Kyle Green, Sam Lloyd, Kyle Wheatley, Danny Younan and Jesse King.

“Kyle (Green) will be one that definitely benefits, with John Jorgensen and Shaun down there, I think both of those boys are going to shape plenty of contests in the air and Kyle showed last year he’s a very opportunistic small forward,” Ryan said.

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“Jesse’s biggest strength is his endurance and work-rate – he’s got a great set of hands too – and he had a great finals series, which will hold him in good stead for 2023.”

McKernan joins former Essendon teammate Ben McNiece at Yulong Reserve.

McNiece’s signing was a key trigger for McKernan signing on with the duo to play alongside Essendon VFL teammates Danny Younan and Jake Hobbs.

Bundoora has also added Lachie East (Hurstbridge), Wheatley (Watsonia), Aaron Gundry (Avondale Heights) and Jedd Longmire (Corowa-Rutherglen) this off-season.