Southern league: Port Melbourne Colts add WAFL premiership player to list

Port Melbourne Colts are expected to be one of the big improvers in Division 1 of the Southern league this year after appointing former AFL star Lindsay Gilbee as coach and landing a string of classy recruits.

Subiaco premiership player Chris Deluca has landed at Port Melbourne Colts.

The first Southern league club to set down a marker for 2019?

It had to be Port Melbourne Colts.

The 2018 season was only five days old when the Colts confirmed at their annual AFL grand final lunch that former Western Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee would be their new senior coach.

MRP FOR SOUTHERN LEAGUE

MT WAVERLEY GOES INTO RECESS

PORT COLTS LAND LINDSAY GILBEE

FIVE OUT, FIVE IN FOR ST PAUL'S

That drummed up some buzz for the club and the competition.

And in the following weeks the Colts announced a mix of recruits, and returning and retained players that suggested they could regain their kick after two battling years in Division 1.

Now comes more good news with Gilbee confirming the signatures of former WAFL player Chris Deluca and leading St Albans midfielders Matthew Sondergeld and Tyler Jones.

Deluca, 26, figured in Subiaco’s 2014 premiership team and Gilbee said the onballer could be expected to have a big impact in Southern.

“He was coming to Melbourne and one of his mates knew someone from Port Colts and suggested he should go there,’’ Gilbee said.

“So he came and trained — and just dominated.’’

Matt Sondergeld getting busy for St Albans.

Former NEAFL player Sondergeld captained St Albans last year and is a league representative player, as is Jones.

The arrival of the trio adds to a list that was looking a lot stronger even before Christmas.

Club great Brad Sutcliffe is back after a stint in the Essendon District league with Westmeadows, where he won the 2017 best and fairest.

Justin Taylor, another Colts premiership player and best and fairest, has made the same switch.

They have brought with them former Westmeadows vice-captain Mitch O’Neill, a 192cm key defender with much senior experience.

The exciting Mitch Clarke, who booted three goals in the club’s 2016 Division 2 grand final victory over Caulfield, has also returned to Port Melbourne Colts after an extended spell on the sidelines with injury.

The Colts have also picked up a leading ruckman in Matthew Dalla-Libera and a century goalkicker in Lachlan Harris.

Brad Sutcliffe has returned to Port Melbourne Colts.

Originally from WA, Dalla-Libera played with Taylors Lakes last season and was named in the Essendon District Division 1 team of the year.

Harris booted 102 goals for NEAFL club Aspley Hornets in 2017. He also spent time at South Fremantle in the WAFL and WA amateur competition.

Other newcomers include Christopher Wangman, a decorated player with Glengarry in the North Gippsland league, and Michael Diaz, also from Glengarry.

The Colts had five wins in 2017 and three last year as they narrowly avoided relegation.

They are expected to finish closer to the top five than the bottom three after their busy off-season.

But Gilbee said he was taking nothing for granted, pointing out the club was a long way off the pace last year. He said other teams had recruited well too.

“Whatever happens, we’ll need a bit of luck in regards to injuries,’’ he said. “All teams need it.’’

Gilbee joined the Port Melbourne club after a stint on St Kilda’s coaching panel that took in coaching Sandringham’s VFL team in 2017.

“It’s definitely a lot more hands-on,’’ he said of his move to suburban ranks.

“Nothing is laid out for you. You have to do a lot of the legwork yourself and that’s that exciting part, that’s the fun part.

“You get to coach your own team and put your own stamp on how things should run.’’

As for a game plan, “no matter what level of football you play, I think the fundamentals will always stack up.

“You can have the best game plans in the world but you still have to get your hands on the footy,’’ he said. “Don’t forget these guys play footy for fun. It’s not their full-time jobs. You’ve got to make do with the time you’ve got with them.

“My aim is that they enjoy their footy. If they have a few wins and some success along the way, that’s great.’’

Colts president Stephen Duvnjak with Lindsay Gilbee.

Gilbee said a lot of supporters had returned to the club and more sponsors were on board.

He said a lot of credit should go to new president Steve Duvnjak, whom he described as “young and vibrant’’ and wanted to set the club up for sustained success.

Gilbee expects to play a few matches this year (as a former AFL player he chews up four points, even though he’s 37 and last played league football in 2012).