Southern league: Hampton Hammers cult figure Shakore Bragg-Taylor joins Springvale Districts

There has been plenty of movement at Newcomen Rd in the off-season but Shakore Bragg-Taylor’s arrival has delighted the Demons.

Hampton Hammer Shakore Bragg-Taylor has joined Springvale Districts.

Shakore Bragg-Taylor’s reaction after he kicked a goal for Hampton Hammers counted as one of local football’s great celebrations last season.

He looked more like an Olympic gymnast as he flung himself across the oval.

Springvale District coach Kris Thompson probably wanted to pop a handstand of his own this week after his club signed the flamboyant former US baseballer.

Bragg-Taylor grabbed Thompson’s eye last season, with the coach describing him as an “excitement machine’’.

He was surprised – and pleased – when Bragg-Taylor contacted Districts expressing his desire to join them in the move to Division 1 in the Southern league.

Thompson said he believed the left-footer could make the transition despite his lack of experience.

Last year was his first in football.

Bragg-Taylor so impressed stalwart Southern league official Garry Cranny that he was added to the SFNL “young guns’’ squad.

In nine games for Hampton last season “Shak’’ kicked 11 goals and was named in the best players five times.

“For a bloke who has played only nine games, you can’t believe how well he kicks the ball,’’ Thompson said.

“And he’s as tough as … 183(cm), athletic, he can jump, he’s super-fast, and he’s hard as. You know when he’s around at training. I think he can play in our senior team no problem.’’

Bragg-Taylor told Districts’ website that joining the Demons was “a no-brainer after I came down and trained a few times’’; he “loved the culture and atmosphere’’.

“You can tell all the boys really buy in and have each other’s back. I also wanted to really push the envelope on my footy and see how I match it with quality footballers not only at Springy but in a Div 1 competition.”

The Demons were promoted to the top tier after being undefeated in Division 2 when Covid killed off the 2021 season.

Since then Thompson and football manager Gregory Scott have been busy trying to strengthen the squad.

Additions include:

* former Richmond and Hawthorn tall forward Tyrone Vickery.

* Mordialloc youngster Toby Arms, who is training with VFL club Port Melbourne and is likely to be placed on its Academy list.

* midfielder Alexander Derzekos, who played in the Golden Rivers league last year and was formerly with Parkdale Vultures.

* Parkdale Vultures utility Ryan Macdermid, a former Sandringham Dragon.

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The popular David Monaghan is returning and Jack Allender is back from injury.

There are losses (but none to rival clubs).

Nathan Brown, Mladen Josic, Matt Runnalls, Joe McLelland and Lance Baptist have retired and ruckmen Matt Mayne and Luke Behin moved interstate.

Two-time league best and fairest Matt Wetering has joined Collingwood’s VFL team but is nursing a hand injury he suffered at work.

Thompson said Districts would have “a different look’’ and be younger than last season.