AFL off-season moves and train-on players: SANFL star Jack Hayes training at St Kilda, WAFL goalkicker Nick Martin to join Dons
A goalkicker from the WAFL will train with the Bombers in January, while a SANFL star who dominated grand final day is at the Saints. See your club’s train-on players.
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Subiaco forward Nick Martin will begin his audition for an Essendon list spot after Christmas.
Martin is set to train with the Bombers from January, joining delisted Bomber Dylan Clarke, father-son prospect Tex Wanganeen and NT Thunder’s Ronald Fejo jnr, who pushed their cases in recent weeks.
The 20-year-old also trained with West Coast last pre-season but suffered a quad injury and wasn’t able to force his way onto the Eagles’ list.
A good WAFL campaign kept him on the AFL radar, kicking 24 goals in 17 matches and averaging 15 disposals and five marks.
The Bombers and St Kilda are the only two AFL clubs with two list vacancies, while Carlton, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Sydney and West Coast have one each.
The Saints have brought in Woodville-West Torrens utility Jack Hayes, who is regarded as arguably the SANFL’s best player.
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He captained the league’s representative team against the WAFL and kicked three goals in the 53-point victory.
Hayes, who stands 192cm, also finished equal-third in the Magarey Medal and won the Jack Oatey medal as the best player afield in the Eagles’ grand final triumph over Glenelg.
He averaged almost 20 disposals, eight marks and seven score involvements, on top of kicking 22 goals in 20 matches.
The Hawks don’t have any official train-on players but plan to involve Box Hill footballers in select sessions throughout the pre-season to boost numbers at Waverley Park.
Fergus Greene, James Blanck and James Parsons are the first to receive that opportunity.
Greene was considered a draft smokey after a strong VFL season following his delisting, where he kicked 30 goals from only nine matches, but didn’t find a new home.
The 187cm forward turns 24 on Monday and is keen for another shot at the highest level after playing only five senior games – all in 2018 – across four injury-marred seasons at the Bulldogs.
ay Clark
Gold Coast has offered SANFL ball magnet and Magarey Medalist James Tsitas a chance to compete for a spot on its list.
The Geelong Falcons’ product, who has been one of the most consistent ballwinners outside the AFL in recent years, has been invited to train with the club.
The Suns have one spot available on their list after losing hard nut Hugh Greenwood to North Melbourne and are also looking at former Magpie and Saints’ midfielder Nathan Freeman.
Tsitas, 26, was a key player in Woodville West Torrens back-to-back premiership win this year, averaging 29 possessions and five clearances.
The train-on invite is a great reward for Tsitas’ determination and resilience as the popular onballer has searched for an AFL opportunity since his draft class in 2013.
Previously, Tsitas, who is highly-rated for his character and work ethic, starred for the Geelong VFL team before making the switch to South Australia.
The ready-made onballer was twice named in the VFL team of the year and won the Cats’ VFL best and fairest award in 2017.
Clubs can sign players in the pre-season supplemental selection period between January 10 and March 9, or choose to fill any list spots in the mid-season rookie draft, which is planned for June 1.
WHO IS TRAINING AT YOUR AFL CLUB?
Carlton: Josh Cripps (East Fremantle), Tyreece Lui (Eastern Ranges)
Essendon: Dylan Clarke (Essendon), Ronald Fejo jnr (West Adelaide), Nick Martin (Subiaco)*
Gold Coast: Nathan Freeman (Frankston), James Tsitas (Woodville West Torrens)
North Melbourne: Marty Hore (Melbourne)
St Kilda: Jack Hayes (Woodville-West Torrens)
Sydney: Paddy McCartin (Sydney VFL)
West Coast: Kade Dittmar (East Perth), Luke Strnadica (East Fremantle)
One down, two to go as Pies lock in first key piece
Collingwood has completed the first of its Holy Trinity of re-signings.
Important defender Brayden Maynard will remain at the Magpies until the end of the 2025 season despite having the chance to test free agency this year.
Collingwood football boss Graham Wright consistently named Maynard alongside Darcy Moore and Jordan De Goey as priority re-signings and has locked in his man on a new three-year deal.
The 25-year-old’s ability to play on small and tall opponents and his unerring left boot makes him a key piece of Collingwood’s backline.
Maynard, who has played 138 games and hasn’t missed one since 2018, was runner-up to Jack Crisp in this year’s Copeland Trophy count and short-listed for All-Australian honours last year.
A refreshed atmosphere at the Holden Centre, including the arrival of new coach Craig McRae, who replaced long-serving Nathan Buckley, was among the reasons for Maynard committing his future to the club.
“I saw so many reasons to stay and none to leave. It wasn’t a question, in my mind,” Maynard said.
“I’ve been here for seven years and Collingwood is 129 years old, but the environment under ‘Wrighty’ and ‘Fly’ (McRae) feels brand new. It’s exciting.
“I’m also thankful for the faith in a long-term deal and the support of those around me. I’m still striving to be as good for Collingwood as Collingwood has been for me.”
Wright said beyond Maynard’s on-field talents he was a “heart and soul figure” behind the scenes at the Magpies.
“His passion, for his club and his teammates, has made him a fan favourite and makes his decision to re-sign an important one on a number of levels,” Wright said.
“Brayden has developed into a first-rank player and we believe there is so much more to come. I know he has ambitions to lead and to bring along the many young players in our group.”
Among the other Collingwood players whose contract expires next season are Steele Sidebottom, Jamie Elliott, Jeremy Howe, Isaac Quaynor and Jordan Roughead.
Suns exodus continues as Dons poach academy kid
By Sam Landsberger
Gold Coast has lost another key person with academy coach Andrew Raines walking away from the club last week.
The Suns farewelled football boss Jon Haines and midfield coach Josh Francou after the season while Richmond premiership player Jacob Townsend rejected the Suns’ offer to train with the club, preferring to sign with VFL club Southport Sharks.
It comes as Gold Coast academy player Austin Harris joins Essendon’s pre-season with a view to the Cairns product playing for the Bombers’ VFL team in 2022.
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Harris was picked in the AFL Academy team showcasing the country’s best 17 and 18-year-olds this year for an exhibition game against Geelong’s VFL team.
Raines, a highly-regarded talent nurturer who has closely mentored emerging star Jack Bowes, wants to spend more time growing his business One On One Football, which is an online platform connecting accredited AFL coaches with players for private sessions.
Raines and partner Alyse also had a baby boy, Zander, in May.
Gold Coast has had a significant staff turnover in recent years, but Raines said there was no ill-feeling towards the club he has spent the past seven years at.
“I’ve got a business, One On One Football, that I created a couple of years ago,” Raines said.
“It was always bubbling in the background and has really taken off the last 12-18 months. Some exciting opportunities have popped up and I’ll be spending more time growing that business.”
Raines said the Suns chose not to list Harris because he wasn’t quite ready for the rigours of AFL.
“He’s going OK, but still needs a bit more development,” Raines said.
“A lot of the kids up here are a year or two behind in development and when you throw Covid in the mix and their lack of ability to play against other states, especially the southern states, he probably just needs a bit longer.
“I think that was the club’s call there, plus we only had so many spots.”
Suns recruited Broadbeach boy Bodhi Uwland and Northern Territory teenager Sandy Brock from their talent academy this year.
Raines backed big-bodied midfielder Alex Davies, another academy product, to rise up and replace Hugh Greenwood in the AFL engine room next season.
Raines, 35, played six games for the Suns in 2015 and was appointed head coach of the club’s talent academy the following year.
He suspected the Suns would have no problem finding a replacement.
“They’ve got Jarrod Cotton, who coached Norwood in the SANFL, he’s taken on my old role anyway in the Under-18s,” Raines said.
“My new role was sort of coaching director and high performance coach in the juniors.
“I don’t think they’ll take too long to fill that with some pretty good candidates in the interview process.”
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