GDFL Signing Tracker: Every new recruit and departure from the off-season
Plenty of clubs are getting busy as the GDFL off-season heats up. See every signing and departure from across the competition including profiles on every recruit.
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The off-season is in full swing and plenty of clubs across the Geelong & District FNL are getting busy.
Clubs are on the hunt for new recruits to help achieve the ultimate like Inverleigh.
See all the signings so far across the competition.
Anakie
Luke Dahlhaus (Point Cook)
In the biggest shock of the off-season so far, Anakie has landed former Western Bulldog and Geelong star Luke Dahlhaus. The 2016 premiership player, who retired from the AFL in 2022 after 225 games, was lured to the club by his best mate, new Anakie coach Jayke Mawson.
Andrew Boseley (South Barwon)
The goalkicking supremo became a Roo, linking up with a handful of close friends and former South Barwon teammates, including coach Jayke Mawson, that he played with before he was drafted by Hawthorn. The 31-year-old kicked the third-most goals in the GFL in 2023 and Mawson believes he can get close to the 100-goal mark for the Roos.
Luke Priddle (North Geelong)
Jesse Mawson (Port Douglas)
Mitch McKee
Steve Topouzakis (Grovedale reserves)
Sean Sim (Ocean Grove reserves)
Paddy Slack
Jacob Ritchie (Westerns)
Daniel Demasi (Alvie)
Joel Jahn (SWV Rovers)
Michael Crossett (Murrabit)
Bailey Johns (Lara)
Callum Ritchie (Westerns)
Anakie announced 12 signings in the one hit, headlined by South Barwon premiership players Jesse Mawson — who has been playing for Port Douglas in Queensland — and Mitch McKee. Luke Priddle last played for Anakie in 2012, and has taken the field for three other GDFL teams since: East Geelong, Corio and North Geelong.
Paul Ridout (Birregurra)
Heading over from Biregurra in the Colac & District FNL, Ridout is a lead-up forward who has impressed in pre-season training.
Ryan Oogjes (Thomson)
Played predominantly in Thomson’s reserves side but broke through for six senior games in 2023, the last of those coming in round 18.
Josh Allessi (East Geelong)
Alessi comes from East Geelong’s reserves, where he kicked 13 goals from 12 games this season.
James Vandenberg (Wickliffe/Lake Bolac)
Vandenberg played in East Geelong’s reserves side in 2022 before a seven game stint with Wickliffe/Lake Bolac in the Minniera and District FNL last season.
Bannockburn
Lachie Kidd (Bannockburn)
Bannockburn has landed one the best young talents in the Bellarine FNL, signing Kidd from Queenscliff. Kidd played three games for Gold Coast’s VFL side during the Covid period in 2021 and was named in the BFNL team of the year. A ball-magnet who will significantly bolster Bannockburn’s midfield.
Rob Maibaum (Leopold)
Tigers coach Ron Pilgrim said convenience was the primary behind the Meredith resident’s switch to the Tigers, with Maibaum travelling all over the state for his work as an electrician. Maibaum played a variety of roles in his two seasons at Leopold and was part of their premiership side.
Fletcher Wilson and Bailey Kelly (Leopold)
Wilson, a former Geelong Falcon who joined the Lions in 2021, played 16 senior games this year but was dropped after an elimination final victory over Newtown & Chilwell following 10 consecutives matches at the highest level. He was named best on ground in the Lions’ grand final loss to St Mary’s in extra time. The Tigers have also recruited ruckman and forward Preston Pedron via St Albans after moving to the area from Albury Wodonga.
Departures: Hayden Spiller is making the move up to north and has signed with the North Cairns Tigers for the 2024 season. The Tigers expect the Geelong Falcons graduate to take part in pre-season training, though, with Spiller set to start living in Cairns early next year.
“Definitely (a loss), he’s been a very good player for us, dual premiership player and he’s got lots of ability so he will definitely leave a hole,” coach Ron Pilgrim said.
Champion Daniel Measures retired after Bannockburn’s elimination final loss to East Geelong.
Bell Post Hill
Tanner and Angus Martin (Grovedale)
The Panthers have injected some young talent into their list, picking up brothers Tanner and Angus Martin from Grovedale’s U18 side. The Martin name is etched into Bell Post Hill’s history: their mother Jen is a premiership netballer, their father Adam is a life member, and their uncle Brad coached their senior side to a premiership.
Harvey Martin (Lorne)
Bell Post Hill locked in Martin at the start of November, seeing him join his brothers Tanner and Angus at the club. Martin won the reserves best-and-fairest for Lorne in the CDFL, booting 32 goals in 14 games.
Departures: Premiership greats Caleb Bacely, Dylan Witney, Renn Lovitt and Nick Costello are heading to Great Western in the in the Mininera and District Football League, while Matthew James and Noah Bartolo have headed to Corio.
Coaching announcement: Panthers premiership player Ash Witney, the brother of departing Whitey medallist Dylan, will co-coach the club in 2024 and take the reins from Justin Tarr in 2025. Witney became Belmont Lions’ coach midway through 2017 before stepping down in July 2019.
Belmont Lions
Bradley Michell (Barwon Heads)
Michell will join his brother Scott at the Lions after splitting his time between the seniors and reserves at Barwon Heads this year.
Josh Wilson (St Albans)
Heads to the Lions from St Albans, where he played 13 matches this year. A speedy wingman, Wilson has close to 100 GFNL senior games under his belt.
Michael Murdoch (St Albans)
Teammates with Wilson, the 22-year-old kicked 13 goals in 18 senior games for St Albans last season, named in the best on five occasions. Will likely spend more time in the midfield at Belmont.
David Allitt (North Footscray)
Joins the Lions after previously playing with North Footscray.
Jordan Edwards (Russells Creek)
A senior regular at Belmont in previous seasons, Edwards is back at the Lions after a year playing with Russells Creek in the Warrnambool & District League. Is renowned for his speed and flare.
Adam Leamer (Geelong West)
Another familiar face, Leamer last played for Belmont Lions in 2016. Since then he has taken the field for Geelong West, where he kicked 21 goals from nine matches last season in their reserves.
Lachie Dalkin (Stawell Warriors)
Split his time between the reserves and seniors for Stawell in the Wimmera FNL. A defender who can take intercept marks and use the ball well.
Dylan Piazza (returning)
Returns to the Lions after a cuple of years away from the club.
Daniel Brockett (Newtown & Chillwell)
A Lions junior, Brockett returns to the club after playing 20 reserves games for Newtown & Chillwell over the last two seasons.
Corio
Herschelle Carr and Hayden Burns (both North Shore)
The Devils have poached two forwards out of GFL club North Shore in Carr and Burns. Carr kicked 16 goals across 10 senior games for the Seagulls this season, while booted six majors from 11 games. Whitley Medal winner Joel Bennett’s relationship with Carr helped secure the double play.
“It’s really positive, they are in the age bracket that we are after... and they both have goalkicking ability so they will be really handy for us,” coach Darren Bennett said.
Matthew James (Bell Post Hill)
The Whitley medallist has been lured to the Devils, his third club in four seasons. James will add speed and star power to Corio’s midfield. Becomes the second Whitley Medal winner at the club after Joel Bennett’s win this year.
Noah Bartolo (Bell Post Hill)
Bartolo adds to Corio’s young talent, with the former V-Line Cup representative last playing three senior games for Bell Post Hill in 2022. Tipped to be a key part of the Saints’ senior line-up.
Jayden Kealey (Thomson)
Played one game for Thomson’s reserve side, his first appearance since 2019. Also will be Corio’s new strength and conditioning coach in 2024.
Isiah Bigham and Jalen Bigham (Bell Park)
The talented twins of club legend Ricky Bigham have joined Corio. Both played U18 Division 1 football this year for the Dragons.
Brock Cervenka (Bell Park)
Another Bell Park junior addition, Cervenka has caught the eye during pre-season training. His father Leigh played for the club during the mid 2000s
East Geelong
Ned Aulsebrook (Barwon Heads)
The Eagles poached Aulsebrook from Barwon Heads, locking him in as playing coach. The 2022 BFNL premiership player will replace Tom Cordner-Maas following his retirement.
Jaydan McLauchlan (Barwon Heads)
Aulsebrook has brought McLauchlan with him to join him as a playing assistant coach. McLauchlan was vice-captain of the Seagulls’ premiership side but didn’t play in 2023.
Angus Hill (Modewarre/Colac)
The Eagles have signed the midfielder/forward who will be playing in his third Geelong competition in two years. Hill started last season at Modewarre, who he joined in 2021 after moving down to the region, before playing seven games for Colac’s reserves side.
Conor McKinnon (Barwon Heads)
Another Barwon Heads pick-up from Aulsebrook, with the ruck/utility joining the Eagles after 15 senior games for the Seagulls in the BFNL. McKinnon was dropped to the reserves after their first final. Will likely replace Tim McLennan in the ruck.
Jacob Sobey (Warrack Eagles)
A ruck-forward, Sobey played 13 games for the Warrack Eagles in 2023 alongside former Demon, Hawk and Crow Kyle Cheney in the Wimmera FNL.
Lachie Zimmer (Sandhurst)
The forward-mid played 17 matches with Sandhurt’s reserves side in the Bendigo FNL last season. Becomes an Eagle after moving down to Geelong with his partner.
Departures: Tim McLennan has retired just one year after winning the Whitley Medal. With his first child due early next year, the ruck star has decided to call time. Playing coach Tom Cordner-Maas also retired after the Eagles bowed out of the finals.
Geelong West
Tannar Stone (Geelong GFL)
A recruit of sorts, Stone will switch from the Giants’ GFL side to their GDFL team in 2024. Played five senior games this year.
Charles Wild (Jeparit Rainbow)
Wild returns to Geelong West after two seasons in the Horsham District League. Had previously played GFL reserves for the Giants and also for Barwon Heads’ reserves.
Trent Archer
The Giants welcome Archer, who last played for North Shore’s reserves in 2022. Archer played two full seasons for the Giants’ GFL side in 2015-16.
Beau Fenton (Otway Districts)
Joins the Giants from the Colac & District League, where he played 18 games last season.
Michael Facey (Geelong West GFL)
Swithes over to Geelong West’s GDFL side after 13 games in the GFL reserves in 2023.
Gus Fraatz (Newcomb)
The Geelong West junior returns to the Giants after some BFNL reserves football for Newcomb.
Tom Jenkins (South Warrnambool)
Jenkins managed five games for South Warrnambool’s reserves earlier in the season along with nine reserves appearances.
Daniel Pollard (Geelong West GFL)
Another to make the switch from Giants GFL to GDFL after kicking 18 goals in 14 reserves matches in 2023.
Matt Sondergeld (Port Melbourne Colts)
Arrives from Port Melbourne Colts in the Southern FNL where he played the last few seasons. Returns to Geelong loca footy after a stint with St Albans in the GFNL. Expected to add experience to the Giants’ onball brigade.
Ako Warakea (Geelong West GFL)
Had a year off in 2023 but returns to the GDFL arm of the club, having featured in 13 games in 2022.
Departures: Geelong West Giants star Blake Dye is on the move to Leitchville Gunbower in the Heathcote District league in central Victoria. He booted 109 goals in 28 games across the last two seasons, finishing second in the league goalkicking in 2022 with 76 majors.
Coaching announcement: Scott Frangos, a playing-assistant coach last season, will take the reins as senior coach in 2024.
Inverleigh
David Peel (Geelong West)
A former VFL player for North Ballarat, Peel will return to his junior club of Inverleigh. The Geelong Falcons graduate captained Geelong West for several years in the GFNL and played a handful of games in the reserves this year.
Ryan Bell (Dimboola)
Bell is back in Geelong after three seasons with Geelong West in the GFNL from 2017-2019. Since then he has played with Bungaree in the Central Highlands Football League (2021) and Dimboola in the Wimmera Football League.
Toby Manganelli (returning)
The Hawks confirmed in October that Manganelli is back after a season off, playing just the one reserves game in round nine in 2023 when the club was low on numbers.
Michael Best (Aspley)
Best returns to the Hawks nest for the first time since 2019 after stints with Rowville and more recently Aspley in the QAFL. Was named in the best in half of his 18 games for Inverleigh in 2019.
Departures: Bradley Surkitt will coach at South Colac next year, while Jarrod Young has announced his retirement.
Coaching announcement: Dalton Grundell will co-coach the club in 2024 with premiership coach Chris Moore.
North Geelong
Patrick Cleary (North Shore)
The first big signing from new coach Peter Riccardi, with Cleary joining forces with his former Seagulls coach at the Magpies. Cleary captained the Seagulls for several years before stepping down, averaging 11 disposals this year as a key defender at GFNL level.
Harry Cornelius (North Shore)
The Clarence product played four senior games and four in the reserves for North Shore last season. Was part of Clarence’s reerves side in 2022.
Rory Desnoy (Leopold)
Desnoy split his time between the reserves and seniors last season for Leopold, finishing the year with a grand final loss in the twos to St Mary’s. The youngster kicked eight goals in 13 senior games in 2023.
Cooper Vaughan, Noah Billy and Noah Penny (Newtown & Chillwell)
The trio have arrived at the Magpies from Newtown & Chillwell. Vaughan played 15 reserves games for the Eagles last season, Penny played five reserves matches, while Bily was part of their U18 seconds side.
Cooper Pasque (Leopold)
Came along with Desnoy from Leopold, where he played five reserves games in 2023.
Charlie McDonald (Grovedale)
Broke through for five senior games for Grovedale in 2023, including the last three games of the season, along with 16 reserves appearances.
Juanito Ramos (Bannockburn)
Only played the first four games of the season for Bannockburn and kicked nine goals, including a bag of five against Belmont.
Dillon Wickham (Otway Districts)
Returns to North Geelong after three games last season for Otway Districts’ reserves in the CDFNL.
Luke Donald (Anakie)
Arrives from Anakie, where he played 10 reserves games in 2023.
Coaching announcements: Geelong champion Peter Riccardi has begun coaching the club, while Keegan Carr has moved from North Shore to be an assistant.
Thomson
Logan Mitchell (Barwon Heads)
The two-time Barwon Heads premiership player joins grand finalists Thomson, who is set to give their midfield an extra edge in 2024. Also played for Waratah in the NTFL last season.
Lucas Boyd (Kolora-Noorat)
The goalkicking machine is a big signing for the Tigers, having dominated for Kolora-Noorat over the past two seasons and kicking bags of goals at GFL level for Leopold. Boyd slotted 45 goals in 12 games for the Power last year after booting 27 in nine matches in 2022. In his most recent GFL season, Boyd managed 13 goals from just three games for the Lions.
Nick Lynch (South Colac)
Joins the Tigers as a playing assistant coach. Lynch kicked 45 goals in just 16 games in South Colac’s premiership year in 2022 and has kicked more than 300 goals across his 211 game career.
Departures: Brent Jacques was forced into retirement after surpassing the 16-game suspension limit with his crude bump in the GDFL grand final. Reserves player Angus Leigh has joined Winchelsea.
Werribee Centrals
Zac O’Halloran and Keegan Gilbert (St Bernards VAFA)
The Centrals have locked in two additions from VAFA club St Bernard’s. O’Halloran has a premiership, best-and-fairest and team of the decade achievements on his resume.
Connor McKenzie (Point Cook)
Has been a senior player since the age of sixteen at Point Cook. The 21-year-old was locked in by the Centurians in mid-December.
Coaching announcement: Nick Diker has joined Rhyce Prismall’s coaching panel. Has coached at senior level for Shepparton Swans and Glen Orden, and was a reserves coach and senior assistant at Werribee Ammos.
Winchelsea
Bailey Kahle (Colac Imperials)
The wingman returns to the Blues after two seasons in the Colac & District FNL for the Imperials. Was named in the best in 15 times for the Imperials across 34 matches.
Jack Symmons (Grovedale)
Symmons had a breakout season in 2019 for Grovedale, kicking 24 goals and finishing as the GFL rookie of the year. A forward with great hands overhead, Symmons will be one to watch in 2024 considering his talent.
Matt Synoradzki (Jeparit-Rainbow)
Hails from Horsham & District FNL grand finalists Jeparit-Rainbow where he kicked 17 goals last season. An attacking winger with good speed who is back in Geelong local footy after spending most of his career with Geelong Amateur.
Angus Leigh (Thomson)
A Winchelsea junior, Leigh rejoins the Blues after a reserves premiership for Apollo Bay and three seasons for Thomson’s reserves side.
Departures: Winchelsea has lost one of its brightest young talents, Indi Parish to the Colac Imperials. Parish is the younger brother of Essendon ball-magnet Darcy.
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Originally published as GDFL Signing Tracker: Every new recruit and departure from the off-season
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