A Southern league premier has landed five prized recruits on the field and one off the field

A Southern league premiership side has wasted no time in gearing back up, securing five recruits including a 200cm ruckman straight out of the state league as well as a successful coach as an assistant.

Nic Minchin celebrates a goal while playing for Glenelg,

There was a specific criteria to Murrumbeena’s handful of recruits.

The Lions wanted a mix of homegrown, age appropriate and supremely talented players.

They’re Southern league Division 1 bound and will do so with five signings on field and one off field.

Nic Minchin (St Marys/Geelong VFL), Nathan Scollo (De La Salle), Julian Callahan (Leongatha/Coates Talent League), Harry Boontjes (Oakleigh) and Edward Standish (Oakleigh) are new to the den.

As is two-time VAFA Premier grand final coach Shane Joyce, who will be Michael Kinsella’s assistant in 2025.

Minchin has stepped away from VFL and has returned to the area while Scollo and Callaghan will do a pre-season at Box Hill.

Murrumbeena won the senior, reserve, under-19s and Open Grade premierships in 2024 and Kinsella says the haul “really solidifies that sustainability”.

Nathan Scollo. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“Harry, Nic and Nathan are ‘Beena juniors, so we wanted to target them pretty heavily,” he said.

“The age profile of the guys is really important, Ed and Julian are around 18 and 25, are really high-level talent and help solidify our spine with speed and ball use.

“Being in the premiership window in Division 2 we did have eight guys who are over 30 in our main squads, so we expect eight to nine retirements in the next two to three years and need to plan accordingly.

“Bringing in people in their mid to low 20s really solidifies that sustainability and means our 19s – who we hope will be Division 1 premiership players in years to come – have a lot more friends around their own age.”

Minchin flies for the ball. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The Lions identified ball movement and polish as areas they needed to improve this off-season.

“As you go down the divisions the age goes up and the ball speed goes down,” Kinsella said.

“In regards to the contest and stoppage, adding Nic in, we have a strong midfield so I don’t think any Division 1 team will really trouble us there, we’ll be able to compete.

“But the ball movement, polish and cleanliness on the secondary phase is something we didn’t get challenged with in Division 2 but is a staple in Division 1.

“We played Bentleigh in a practice match and it was a strongly contested game, so we have a benchmark of where we stand in Division 1.

“The part they got us was in uncontested possessions so that’s an area we identified as one we needed to improve on.”

Joyce joins the Lions after four seasons as an assistant coach at University Blacks.

Shane Joyce. Picture: Hamish Blair

Prior to Uni Blacks, he took Amateur giant Collegians from the brink of relegation in 2015 to successive grand finals in ‘17 and ‘18.

Collegians lost both but there was nothing in it: losing by three points and then five.

“Shane is a star,” Kinsella said.

“He’s got an incredible pedigree and his son Xavier was one of our under-19 premiership stars so Shane was at a lot of our earlier games.

“He’s got a little bit of a feel for Murrumbeena already and knows the younger guys coming through.

“Shane’s experience and technical expertise is going to be a huge asset and he’s going to work as a mentor for myself and for Dimi Petrakis, our under-19s coach, as well.”