Sam Gilmore named Heidelberg captain, amid latest signings
Heidelberg has loaded up on exciting young talent this off-season and captain Sam Gilmore is excited to see his developing team prove the doubters wrong again in 2020.
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Heidelberg captain Sam Gilmore says the club’s emerging talent can keep it in premiership contention.
The Tigers surprised many observers last year as they finished second and were the only team to defeat Greensborough in the NFL Division 1 home-and-away season.
While several senior players have departed – most notably Sam Grimley (Uni Blues) and Ryan Stone (Wangaratta Rovers) – Heidelberg has loaded up on talent over summer.
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Nick Richards (Wangaratta) and Josh Onderwater (Apollo Bay) are the club’s latest signings, while North Heidelberg premiership winner Brodie Tardio (Old Ivanhoe) is awaiting clearance approval.
Josh Smith, son of Tigers premiership player Mark, has signed on from EDFL club Greenvale, with the midfielder playing 71 Premier Division games over the past four years.
Josh Minogue, Tom Schnerring and Christian Buykx-Smith will be at Warringal Rd full-time after departing VFL club Williamstown.
Gilmore has no doubt his team can repeat its 2019 performance.
“It’s funny, going into 2019 we were touted as being a year or two off, but we came out and showed that wasn’t the case,” he said.
“We were better than the outside perception and that will be the goal again this year.
“There’s a hunger there to prove we’re still at the pointy end and we won’t beat around the bush, we want to win a premiership.”
Richards arrives having established himself as a star in the Ovens and Murray, winning a premiership with Wangaratta in 2017 and playing in the Magpies’ losing grand final teams in 2018 and 2019.
The 21-year-old former Murray Bushrangers representative has also been listed by VFL clubs Williamstown and Werribee.
Tardio played in arch-rival North Heidelberg’s Division 2 flag in 2017 and was a part of the Bulldogs preliminary final team the following year before crossing to Old Ivanhoe last season.
Gilmore takes the leadership reins solo this season after serving as co-captain alongside Stone in 2019.
New Tigers coach Danny Nolan had no hesitation in naming the reigning NFL Division 1 Coaches’ MVP and Blair Harvey medallist as skipper.
“Danny and I have a really close bond and connection and understanding of one another. He’s been a big supporter of me from day one,” Gilmore said.
“As far as my job goes, I think it’s going to be reasonably easy working with those young guys, and providing a bit of experience where I can.
“Something I’ve learnt about myself, I don’t need to over-complicate things, leading by the way I go about it with my professionalism.”
Heidelberg has locked in two pre-season matches, facing EDFL clubs Pascoe Vale (March 21) and Strathmore (March 28).
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