WGFNC 2020: Tooradin-Dalmore bolsters list ahead of season
A former Richmond AFL rookie headlines a bag of recruits for Tooradin-Dalmore ahead of the 2020 West Gippsland Football Netball Competition.
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A bag of recruits, including a one-time Richmond AFL rookie, could see Tooradin-Dalmore soar to new heights in the West Gippsland competition this year.
Key forward Piva Wright, who was drafted by the Tigers in 2011, will slot into the Seagulls forward line alongside Andrew Dean to form a potent attack.
“When you add him (Wright) to what we’ve already got — Deany kicked 66 goals last year — he just adds so much flexibility,” Tooradin football manager Nick Pouki said.
“Even if we get 80 goals between them we’re still up. One can offset the other.”
Wright, a strong athletic forward with a great right foot, was a Noble Park product who played with Doveton Eagles last season.
He’s coming off an Achilles injury and Tooradin officials hope he will be playing with the Seagulls by Round 5.
Tooradin-Dalmore finished in third spot in its inaugural season in the WGFNC last year and has been busy in the off-season.
Its other additions include Bairnsdale midfielder Tomm Bryan, former Rye utility Brady Egan, Narre Warren premiership forward Stewie Scanlon and Hastings gun Taylor Stratton.
Egan appeared on Foxtel’s The Recruit in 2016.
Tooradin-Dalmore made the move to the West Gippsland competition last season and Pouki said it’s been a good one.
Apart from winning a reserves flat, the Seagulls felt at home in the league.
Tooradin has lost some key players, with captain Matty Livermore and star player Nick Lang crossing to Emerald.
The promising Jake Cronin has gone to Crib Point.
Lachlan Gillespie will coach Tooradin-Dalmore for a sixth straight season.
Pouki said rivals Phillip Island and Cora Lynn would be tough to beat.
“Other teams have recruited really well,’’ he said.
“Phillip Island haven’t been beaten in two years.
“We just want to play finals footy.
“If you look at what other clubs have done, every club has got better, Cora Lynn has got better, Phillip Island has got better, Garfield has got better.
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“Everyone around us has got better so we’ve had to get better with it. Finals is where we want to be, though.”