VAFA Premier: Former Carlton and Richmond ruckman Shaun Hampson links with Old Xaverians
Shaun Hampson joins the long list of former AFL players to make the move to the Victorian Amateur Football Association.
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Old Xaverians lost one former AFL ruckman but they’ve gained another.
With ex-Saint Jason Holmes returning to the US, the VAFA power had a large hole to fill in its senior team.
It has done so by securing former Carlton and Richmond big man Shaun Hampson.
Hampson, 33, is friends with Old Xaverians assistant coach Marcus Baldwin and has committed to playing with the Premier club.
Hampson last played football in 2018, with Richmond’s VFL team, as he battled a painful back injury.
He had 35 AFL appearances for the Tigers between 2014-18 after earlier lining up in 63 matches for Carlton from 2007-2013.
Originally from Mt Gravatt, Queensland, Hampson was selected at pick No. 17 overall in the 2006 national draft.
His recruitment is another lifter for Old Xaverians, who are shaping well for the 2022 season.
They have picked up former Melbourne strongman Aaron vandenBerg and Ed Delany from Carlton VFL, as well as Will Goss from Heidelberg.
And Brendan Goss has returned after a stint in country football. Last year he turned out for Donald in the North Central Football League, kicking 23 goals from seven matches.
Hailing from Warragul in Gippsland, he was promoted from the Under 19s to debut for Xavs in 2010.
Goss made his reputation by booting 80 goals in 2013.
Old Xaverians also have a classy crew of young players bubbling through, including Billy Egan, Daniel Tuddenham and Harrison Bell.
Joseph Ayton-Delaney (Port Melbourne) and Charlie Macisaac (Footscray Bulldogs) have made VFL lists.
Old Xaverians were on top of the ladder at 9-2 when last season was abandoned because of Covid.
They supplied the winner of the VAFA Woodrow Medal when their captain Marcus Stavrou polled 14 votes from 11 games, nosing out Collegians star Dave Mirra (13) and Old Melburnians’ Gus Borthwick (12).
Stavrou was the first Old Xavs player to win the Woodrow since Michael Blood in 1997.
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