Southern league: Mordialloc’s Toby Arms links with Springvale Districts

And two players from St Kilda City have signed VFL deals as they look to take their football to the next level.

St Kilda City’s Tyrell Lafituani hopes to advance to the VFL.

No one at Springvale Districts is making any grand predictions about how the Demons will fare in Division 1 of the SFNL next year.

But here is one certainty: they will not be short of tall targets when they go forward.

Districts announced last week that they had secured former AFL player Tyrone Vickery.

Now they have signed Mordialloc’s Toby Arms, who was eligible for the Under 19s this year but broke into senior ranks to play some eye-catching football for the Bloodhounds.

They add to a forward group of two-time Division 2 league medal star Matt Wetering, Darren Sheen, “Poppa’’ Feehan and Adam Read.

“We think our forward line will be really dangerous,’’ coach Kris Thompson said today.

“Hopefully we can get it down to them! But, yeah, it’s coming along nicely. With small forwards in there like Georgie (Angelopoulos) and Daniel Spence, we think we can have good pressure on the ground too.’’

Tyrone Vickey the Tiger.

He said Arms was a good prospect.

His friendship with Sam Wetering – who is also heading to Newcomen Rd Reserve – brought him to Districts.

“He’s got to put on some muscle, but he’s got a lot of talent,’’ Thompson said.

“He’s pretty quick and he jumps at the footy well, attacks it in the air, and he runs really hard defensively.

“He was best-on twice in the seniors for Mordi.’’

Meanwhile, Thompson said Vickery had been quick to make his mark with the Demons.

The 31-year-old brings to the club the experience of 125 AFL matches, 119 for Richmond and six with Hawthorn.

“He’s been super,’’ Thompson enthused.

“He’s a really intelligent guy and he’s fully invested in the club.

“He’s keen to work with our young players and our key position players. He’s all in. He’s been great. He’s interested in our recruiting, interested in the club and our game plan.’’

Thompson said he expected Vickery would play as a ruckman and forward.

Meanwhile, Brownlow Medal champion Dane Swan has re-signed at St Kilda City for 2022.

Swan played six games for the club this year and was named in the best three times, settling as a half back.

“He’ll play here and there up until the (clearance) cut-off and then return to us full-time,’’ City coach Matty Hoy said.

“He had a really positive impact at the club this year with the education side of football and game-day professionalism.’’

Hoy said City pair Mykelti Lefau and onballer Misilifi Faimalo had signed contracts with Richmond VFL, and Tyrell Lafituani had been invited to pre-season training with Frankston.

Tall and versatile and agile enough to play in any position on the ground, Lefau previously played with Casey Demons.

Faimalo is relatively knew to football and Hoy said he had great potential.

“I think he’d start next season playing local football with us and then as he learns a little bit more he’d start to play a bit more of a role at Richmond,’’ he said.

“I’d imagine it would be more about the education side of things for him early.

“He’s got freakish athleticism and speed, he’s evasive and his skills are really good.’’

Meanwhile Cheltenham is sending two players to the VFL, with wingman Austin Johnson heading to Richmond and defender Sam Hayes to train at Frankston.

Johnson made his VFL debut for Frankston last year and Chelt coach Des Ryan rates him highly.

Hayes is regarded as one of the best backmen in Southern.

The Rosellas had hoped to secure Casey VFL veteran Jack Hutchins as a full-time player next year but it’s believed he’ll be returning to Mansfield.

Meanwhile St Paul’s has lost former best and fairest Curtis Murfett, who has joined Gipplsand club Dalyston.