VAFA: Decorated mid Jack Hunt departs Old Trinity

One of Old Trinity’s most distinguished stars of the past decade has departed the VAFA top-flight club, but coach Bernie Dinneen explains why he remains bullish about the 2021 list.

Champion midfielder Jack Hunt has departed the club after a decade. Picture: Supplied

One of Old Trinity Grammarians’ most decorated stars has departed, but senior coach Bernie Dinneen remains bullish about his club’s list heading into 2021.

Gun midfielder Jack Hunt has crossed to Goulburn Valley league club Mooroopna following a decade at the Premier outfit, netting two club best and fairest awards, two grand finals and selection in the VAFA’s Team of the Year in 2019 across 175 matches.

Dinneen said while the fan-favourite would be missed, he moves on to pursue work opportunities with the club’s blessing.

“We’re supportive of him moving on, we know he’ll always be a Trinity person,” Dinneen said.

“He’s still going to train with us, he addressed it and notified the players last Wednesday before he’d signed so I think he went about it in a really mature and respectful way.

“I think that holds a lot of sway with the boys – they know why he’s moving on and what he’s given to the club over 10 years.”

Old Trinity coach Bernie Dinneen.

With Hunt’s departure comes opportunities for the club’s youth among the existing senior experience according to Dinneen.

“We’re going to have a pretty young, exciting, dynamic list next year – we’ve got quite a few guys involved in the NAB program and a few in the VFL program,” Dinneen said.

“We’ve got some real talent in that 18-23 block – (Hunt) won the best and fairest in 2019 and the next four were all under 22.”

Dinneen pointed to the strong pre-seasons of young guns Jack Lefroy who is said to be “tearing up the track” following four senior appearances last year and 2019 premiership-winning Oakleigh Charger Harris Mastros.

The club is also set to be bolstered by a “double batch” of kids coming through following no footy played in 2020.

“We’re excited for the opportunities for the young kids coming through,” Dinneen said.

“Any of the kids that we would have got from last year for this year didn’t play, and then any kids we get this year for next year – so we’ve got a double batch of homegrown kids coming through as well as a few NAB kids outside of that.”

Dinneen said 2021 poses as an opportunity for his club to set itself up for sustained success.

“Our focus is getting a really prominent brand of footy for these kids coming through,” he said.

“My hope is similar to what St Bedes did under ‘Bevo’ (Luke Beveridge), if we can get a group of guys that can stay together.

“If we can get a young and exciting group to come through and play really good footy, I think our best will be super-competitive.

“If we can make 2021 a really good launching pad, I’d be expecting to be consistently finishing in the finals for the next few years after that.”