Greensborough adds ex-AFL talent ahead of the new Northern season
Northern league power Greensborough has made a major splash in the recruiting market, adding an ex-AFL talent with more than 200 games under his belt.
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Greensborough has made a major splash on the recruiting market, snaring a 200-game ex-AFL gun.
Former Carlton and St Kilda midfielder Jack Newnes will call War Memorial Park and home in 2023, in a major boost to the club’s NFNL Division 1 premiership aspirations.
It’s a return to the northern suburbs for the Ivanhoe junior and Northern Knights alum after 11 seasons in the AFL system.
Newnes played 207 AFL games after being drafted by St Kilda with pick No. 37 in 2011 before moving to Carlton in 2020.
The 29-year-old will slot into a Greensborough midfield which has lost key pillar Tom Bell as well as mid-season recruit Josh Caddy so far this off-season.
Borough coach Saade Ghazi was rapt to add Newnes’ experience and ball-winning ability.
“To bring in someone that’s played over 200 games and we still believe could play at that level - he played 16 games last year - and especially a midfielder, we’re over the moon,” Ghazi said.
“We’re grateful he chose the Greensborough footy club ... because I’m sure he would have been in demand.
“Losing Tom Bell, Jack will be a good replacement for him.
“We’ve got some good young midfielders, we’ve got a couple of ruckmen - which we didn’t have last year - and we thought we needed someone with a bit of class and experience and Jack brings that to the table.”
Newnes will train for the first time with his new teammates when pre-season training restarts next week.
He joins the likes of VFL-listed pair Charlie Bowes, Harry Andronaco, Zac Hart, Jamie Smith (Mulwala), Joe Aston-Delaney (Old Xavs), Will O’Dwyer-Richards (Calder Cannons), Mark Pegoraro and Brodie Glenn (Whittlesea), Nathan Howard (Bundoora) and Callum Spencer (Corowa-Rutherglen) at Greensborough.
The addition of ruckmen Smith and Howard is a major boost for Borough after Tom Brindley was forced to ruck at various times during the season.
Smith is coming off a premiership season with Mulwala in the Murray league, while Howard was adjudged best-on-ground in Bundoora’s reserve grade premiership last season.
Aston-Delaney arrives from VAFA Premier Division finalist Old Xaverians while Bowes, Andronaco and Hart’s availability will be dependent on VFL commitments.
“(Ruck recruits are) very handy, last year we struggled in that area,” Ghazi said.
“Asking Tom Brindley, who’s 6’3, to compete against 6’8 ruckmen it’s hard and it might have cost us three or four games.
“There are a lot of good ruckmen roaming around in the competition but I think our midfielders will find it a little bit easier this year compared to last year.
“Joey was Old Xavs best player in their finals last year and we’ve been trying to get him for a little while.
“An area we thought we struggled with last year was a bit of outside run and skill, we were very good at contested footy, but we wanted some skill and speed and he’ll be very good at wing, half-back.”
Arguably the biggest loss of the off-season has been Nick Riddle.
The Greensborough and Northern Football League great will cross to VAFA outfit Old Ivanhoe this year leaving a giant hole in defence.
Riddle, Bell (Doncaster East), Caddy (Port Melbourne Colts), Josh Callaway (Panton Hill) and Tristan Stead (retired) are the key departures.
However, Ghazi can see a silver lining.
Breakout young gun Angus Sievers will have a bigger role in defence this season, while the club will continue to invest in youth - two under-19s sides could be entered this season.
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“We’re still speaking to a couple (of recruits) but we want to be mindful of what comes in is what we need,” he said.
“We have lost some talent ... we’re going to be young but we’ve still got a lot of talent.
“Nick Riddle is going to hurt us but in saying that Angus Sievers was outstanding last year and we think Tom Brindley can play back.”
Greensborough kicks off the Northern season with a Good Friday blockbuster against Macleod on April 7 at DeWinton Park.
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