Vermont and former VFL ruckman Liam Buxton set to play in VAFA
Liam Buxton has had two false starts with his football this year but he’s hoping to finally pull the boots on, with VAFA Premier powerhouse St Kevin’s.
Victorian Football
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Two clubs have put out media statements about Liam Buxton this year.
Woodville-West Torrens welcomed him to the SANFL.
A few months later Vermont welcomed him back to the Eastern league.
Now St Kevin’s may be welcoming him to the VAFA.
The 23-year-old powerhouse is training with the Premier power and will play for Skobs if the season gets underway.
Buxton joined VFL club Casey Demons last year as a highly-rated prospect from Vermont, where in 2018 he played in a premiership, was best finals player and starred at representative level.
He played 15 senior matches for the Demons, getting mentions in the best three times.
Woodville-West Torrens pounced on him at the end of the season and he moved to Adelaide “for opportunity, football-wise, lifestyle-wise’’.
“I was happy to make that commitment to jump over,’’ he said this afternoon.
“Then a global pandemic decided to happen. That kind of made things quite complicated.’’
Buxton went to Adelaide in early January and when the SANFL season was put on hold he returned to Melbourne in mid-March. He headed back to Vermont, but on June 3 the Eastern league cancelled its season, giving his football its second false start this year.
Stalwart St Kevin’s recruiter Nick Sweeney, figuring the club could do with a star ruckman, came calling and he has trained with it for the past two weeks.
Buxton said he knew “nothing at all about the VAFA but if we play I guess I’ll find out very quickly’’.
“It’s good fun so far,’’ he said.
“It’s just nice to be able train. It seems to be a pretty skilful team. There seems to be some pretty good players.’’
Buxton is the second Eastern league top-liner to link with the VAFA since Eastern shut down, with reigning Balwyn best and fairest Charley Haley returning to De La Salle.
Speculation persists that Vermont full forward Brett Eddy will have a run at Caulfield Grammarians.
The VAFA board will meet on July 6 to decide to go ahead with its season.
It met on Monday night and later issued a press release saying that “until AFL return to play (RTP) protocols are finalised and State Government announcements about the ‘return to contact training’ and permissible competition dates are confirmed – no decision can be made about the VAFA competition for the 2020 season proceeding’’.
“The earliest date that the season can commence is July 25 and the latest date August 1, and will only proceed upon the satisfaction of the above requirements.
“The VAFA board and administration remain committed to the 2020 season, making certain we can provide a safe environment for all to be part of.
“The VAFA implore all of our community to maintain their role in reducing community transmissions at this crucial time, as we endeavour to return to the field ‘for the love of the game’.’’