VAFA: Former St Kilda speedster Jack Lonie joins Old Haileybury

He took calls from clubs all over Australia but Jack Lonie’s next move in football is to the Premier B section of the amateur association.

Jack Lonie taking a kick for the Saints last year. Pic: Michael Klein

Jack Lonie’s phone has buzzed from the day he came off the St Kilda list at the end of last season.

The calls from prospective clubs – from state leagues and local level – can stop.

Lonie, 25, has linked with Old Haileybury in the Premier B section of the VAFA.

The speedy left-footer had a few training sessions with the Essendon VFL team, but he’s since decided to focus on his career, putting less of a focus on his football.

Recruited from the Dandenong Stingrays in the 2014 national draft, Lonie played 87 AFL games for St Kilda, booting 73 goals.

He made 11 appearances in the 2021 season.

Old Haileybury coach Daniel Ward said the club was chuffed to land a player of Lonie’s calibre.

“We met with him last week and it’s finalised now,’’ Ward said.

“He seems like a ripper fella and he’s 25 years of age. It’s fair to say he’s got some decent footy in front of him.

“It’s fantastic for our footy club from, just in terms of where we’ve been and what we’re trying to do.

“He’s got brothers playing at Seaford and he could have gone there of course. But he’s come to us and it’s a feather in our cap that someone like him wants to come on board and help us grow and get us back to A grade.’’

Jack Lonie celebrates during the AFL second elimination final in 2020.

Ward declared that Lonie was too good for local football.

“He’s way too good for B grade – but so is Brede Seccull (former Sandringham VFL captain and last year’s Premier B best and fairest),’’ he said.

“We reckon we’ll have the best two players in the comp.’’

Ward said Lonie would start training with Old Haileybury tomorrow night.

Old Haileybury was 9-2 on the ladder when the 2021 season was abandoned due to Covid.

In more positive news, Haileybury has regained Jake Gasperini from Sandringham VFL as a full-time player and Jayce Morgan has crossed from Southern Division 1 club Bentleigh.

“We’re in a better position now than what we were this time last year,’’ former Melbourne defender Ward said.

“We’ve improved our depth. We had three Under 19 boys play some senior footy last year and we’ve got some more coming up. We’re in a good spot.’’