Laurimar joins NFNL Division 3 arms race, signing league goalkicking great

Laurimar has joined the NFNL Division 3 arms race, securing one of the Northern league’s greatest goalkickers for its return to the competition in 2025.

Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins welcomes Patrick Fitzgerald.

Laurimar has made an early play for recruit of the off-season.

The Power confirmed the arrival of Northern league goalkicking great Patrick Fitzgerald from Montmorency on Monday night.

Fitzgerald departs Montmorency Park after 17 seasons, amassing an astonishing 791 goals in 279 senior games.

He won the league goalkicking medal three times, including back-to-back in 2022-23, is a two-time club best-and-fairest winner, a 10-time Division 1 Team of the Year member and represented the league five times.

Fitzgerald had a strong home-and-away season, booting 40 goals – fourth most in the competition – but lost his place in the side for the preliminary final and grand final.

He arrives at Laurimar Reserve looking to lead the club back up to Division 2 after relegation this season.

A long-standing relationship with coach Jimmy Atkins drew him to the power.

“Me and Patty have had a relationship for a number of years from our time at Monty,” Atkins said.

“His time in Division 1 was coming to an end and it was great timing for us to land a big fish like him.

“We talk regularly, we got on really well, and he let me know he wasn’t going to play Division 1 any more – he still had a bloody good year though didn’t he?

“I spoke to him about it, we caught up and I think it was one chat and we got it done.”

With Laurimar’s young team looking to bounce back after a difficult season, a strong, experienced leader with premiership spearhead Jacson Cecil and co-captain Mitch Thompson hanging up the boots.

Joel Lawson had a career-best season, booting 36 goals, winning the club best-and-fairest and earning Division 2 Team of the Year honours.

Patrick Fitzgerald in action for Montmorency. Picture: Nathan McNeill

Atkins was confident Fitzgerald would have a significant impact on and off the field.

“We needed a leader around and Patty’s played almost 300 games of footy and got all sorts of records in goalkicking,” he said.

“He’ll be great for our young group.

“He’ll be great for someone like Noah (Mooney), he’s still so young but he’ll play his 50th game next year and he’ll be able to learn and watch and get a fair bit out of his footy playing alongside Patty.

“Losing (Jacson) Cecil and Mitch (Thompson) to retirement as well, we were targeting leaders for the club and we were lucky to get Patty.”

The Division 3 arms race has continued this off-season with the likes of Fitzroy Stars, Kilmore and Kinglake adding big names.

“I think he’ll suit our gameplan really well,” Atkins said.

“Division 3 is so even now, isn’t it, it’s become a really tough competition and we want to make sure we’re at our best and give ourselves every opportunity to get back up as quickly as we can.”

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The likes of co-captain Luke Wilson, Lawson, Mooney, best-and-fairest runner up Bailey Macleod, Kaiden Arthur, Ethan Bateman, Josh Leather, Jai Langford, Rhylan Herrick, Aiden Clark and Jacob Lawson have all re-signed for 2025.

Atkins said there were still irons in the fire and a signing such as Fitzgerald could be the difference in convincing players to pull on the black and teal.

“We’re trying, we’re going to get a few back – a few that decided to have time off,” he said.

“We’ll hopefully land a few more but I’m pretty happy with this one and you never know what can generate from a signing like this.”