Sandringham loses best and fairest Kade Answerth

Sandringham top-liner Kade Answerth is being linked with other VFL clubs after departing the Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

Sandringham top-liner Kade Answerth is leaving the club.

Sandringham midfielder and team leader Kade Answerth is leaving the Zebras.

The 2017 best and fairest told the club yesterday that he wouldn’t be going on at Trevor Barker Beach Oval next year.

There is speculation North Melbourne’s VFL team is making a play for the right-footer.

Officials from Richmond and Brisbane VFL have also been in contact with him (his younger brother Noah is with the Lions, who are among the NEAFL teams that have come into the competition).

Answerth joined Sandy from the Oakleigh Chargers in 2016 and in his first season was runner-up in the best and fairest award, the Neil Bencraft Medal. He won it the following year.

He was promoted to co-captain in 2018 and was vice-captain in 2019, when he was judged Sandy’s most courageous player after playing most of the season with a broken hand.

Sandy recruit Sam Dunell getting busy for Williamstown.

Keen to build on his tally of 70 games, he had committed to play in the 2020 season that never was.

Sandringham list and recruiting manager Josh Vella said the club was disappointed to lose a player of the calibre of Answerth, who won the Chargers’ best and fairests in 2014-15. He said the Zebras valued his contribution and wished him well for next year.

The news came a few days after Sandy locked in former St Kilda utility and Williamstown star Sam Dunell as a playing assistant coach.

Dunell knows his way around the Sandy ground: he played 43 games for the Zebras while on the Saints’ books (he also played 12 AFL games from 2012-14).

Crossing to Willy, he figured in their 2015 premiership and their 2019 grand final loss to Richmond, and was twice named in the VFL team of the year. He left Willy after 100 games, joining Old Melburnians in the VAFA.

Former club captain Trent Dennis-Lane has also returned as an assistant coach, with former Northern Football League coach Jimmy House also locked in to new coach Jake Batchelor’s panel.

Dennis-Lane has played with Bonbeach since leaving the Zebras four years ago.

Aside from Dunell, the Zebras have signed former Hawthorn-listed forward Jackson Ross and 2019 Richmond VFL premiership player Daniel Coffield.

Jacquin Mifsud, coming out of the Sandringham Dragons, is training with them.

As an aligned club Sandy will list 30 players, and 18 of them have to be under the age of 22.

Dale Robinson has been appointed head coach of the Southern Saints in the VFLW.

She has been an assistant with the Siants since 2018.

The VFLW season will kick off in February, aligning with the AFLW season.

Meanwhile, new Sandringham CEO Marcus Ashcroft yesterday presented stalwart Doug Gardiner, 80, with his life membership badge at a lunch at Sandy By the Bay.

President Nick Johnstone welcomed guests including new AFL Victoria CEO Brad Scott, Southern Football Netball League chief executive Lee Hartman, South Metro Junior Football League CEO Sarah Loh, and Sandringham Dragons talent manager Mark Wheeler and new coach Jackson Kornberg to a lunch to thank sponsors and volunteers.

Legendary Sandy administrator John Mennie attended.