Mornington Peninsula superstar has crossed to the Southern league
One of the Mornington Peninsula’s greatest players has crossed to the Southern league, making a powerhouse “as good as anyone in the midfield”.
Southern
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Frankston YCW’s loss is East Brighton’s gain.
Stonecats and Mornington Peninsula league champion Kyle Hutchison is on the move and has landed at Southern league reigning premier East Brighton.
Hutchison has played in an impressive eight premierships at YCW, winning flags in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022.
He’s also known to feature rather heavily in the league medal, winning the 2016 Division 1 count by six votes.
Vampires coach Nick Jewell said Hutchison’s addition now allows his midfield to compete with the competition’s best.
“He’s outstanding, and has been an outstanding player for a dozen or so years,” he said.
“I put the call in out of curiosity and it led from there – he brings an unbelievable amount of experience and high-end talent to our group.
“Throw him in with Sean Downie and Blake Cochrane, Kai and Cale Love-Linay, it gives our midfield an A-Grade hit to it with (Daniel) Taberner in the ruck.
“We’ll be as strong as anyone in the midfield now, and his goal sense too going forward.”
Such was its supremacy in the middle, East Brighton had the luxury of playing Ryan Semmel and Sean Downie predominantly forward in its grand final win over Murrumbeena.
The Vampires hope to do more of the same with some of their midfielders in 2024.
“When your midfield can go forward, kick goals and rest up there, and have the like of Nick Corp and Tom Lamb up there, it really makes us dangerous,” he said.
“The opposition will have to get their match-ups right and have a really good defender.
“If they’re more of a back pocket they will take them up higher and lose them in traffic or take them deep and play out of the goalsquare.
‘It gives us a bit of firepower, which is awesome.”
Hutchison joins Rob Forrest and Josh Bennett as East Brighton’s recruits so far this off-season.
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