RDFL 2019: Midfielder Matthew Hutchesson crosses from Sunshine to Macedon
Dual Sunshine best and fairest Matthew Hutchesson has crossed to Macedon in a major boost for the Riddell District Football League club’s midfield stocks.
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Dual Sunshine best and fairest Matthew Hutchesson has crossed to Macedon in a major boost for the Riddell District Football League club’s midfield stocks.
Hutchesson, who took out the Roos best and fairest last season, will help fill the void left by the departure of premiership players Errol McConnell (Pascoe Vale) and Casey Summerfield (Gisborne).
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“We already prepared for life without them, although they are big losses,” Cats coach Ben Tankard said.
“We are definitely going to have a different look midfield.
“It actually gave us an opportunity last year to get some midfield minutes into some younger players who really stepped up in Zach Smedley and Brodie Hoyne.
Tankard said Hutchesson, one of the Western Region league’s most consistent on-ballers during the past four years, was a “hard inside midfielder” and a “class act”.
He joins two-time EDFL premiership player Karl Staudt (Ocean Grove) and Louis Bongiovanni (returning) as new faces at Tony Clarke Reserve.
Bongiovanni, a Macedon junior, has returned to the club after playing basketball in the United States.
“(He’s) a bit of an x-factor,” Tankard said.
“We don’t really know much about him, but he’s obviously very talented and athletic.”
Premiership defender Jonathan Barnett (Colbinabbin) and key forward Chris Kilmartin (retired) are the other key omissions from last year’s senior squad.
Tankard backed Aaron Johnston, who kicked 25 goals in 12 games last season before being sidelined by a back injury, to fill Kilmartin’s role and partner Matt Knox in attack.
Sebastian Miletic, Jae Wilton, Matthew Dick and Clinton Burgess will lead the club’s defence, which ranked as the competition’s best in 2018 after conceding an average of 41 points during the home-and-away season.
“We’ll try and develop one or two of our younger guys in a key position to be ready to go if we get injuries,” Tankard said.
The Cats hope to unveil another signing this week, but are confident they have built a side capable of contending again after a fifth-placed finish in Tankard’s first year at the helm.
“We are pretty excited about the squad we have put together,” he said.
“I think the top-five sides, again, are going to be really tight. It looks like Romsey and Woodend have recruited quite well.”
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