Noble Park sweats over Piva Wright, who has been linked with Doveton Eagles.
Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty says Piva Wright could take the Eastern league ‘by storm’. But the big Bull is being linked with Southern club Doveton Eagles.
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Noble Park is in a battle to hold on to ace key forward Piva Wright.
The Bulls have been told Wright has signed at Southern Division 2 club Doveton Eagles but they are desperate to keep their former junior.
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Noble football manager Steve Coats said he had been bombed with messages from players saying they wanted Wright to stay.
He said the burly right-footer’s experience, leadership and talent made him “a huge part of our plans’’.
Coats and Bulls coach Mick Fogarty believe Wright could become one of the Eastern league’s best goalkickers.
“It’s not looking good,’’ Fogarty said.
“It’s really disappointing, to be honest. He’s a guy who could really take the EFL Division 1 by storm and show some real consistency and maturity. He’s also an emerging leader for us.’’
Wright, a one-time Richmond AFL rookie, left Noble Park at the end of 2016 to play at South Belgrave but returned for 2018.
He kicked 38 goals from 17 matches.
The Bulls had already lost another key position player, with Ryan Morrison joining Norwood.
More positively, they have signed tall Richmond VFL forward Joel Cusack, Sandringham Dragons TAC Cup graduate Nick Stamatis, former Collingwood rookie Darrean Wyatt, Doveton 2018 best and fairest Mitch Cotter, Casey Demons-listed listed Ben Campbell and Frankston VFL half forward Goy Lok.
And they have a group of players pushing up from the premiership-winning Under 19 team.
Wyatt, a 204cm former basketballer, was with Collingwood as a Category B rookie in 2016 and later had stints at Coburg and Frankston in the VFL.
He played 10 matches with Frankston this year.