Wanderers coach Shannon Motlop has welcomed the return of experienced utility Neil Vea Vea

Wanderers coach Shannon Motlop points to the return of key position player Neil Vea Vea after a three-year absence and defender Mitchell Taylor as big plusses ahead of the 2020-21 NTFL season.

Neil Vea Vea will be a popular addition for Wanderers, with the key-position player returning to the Eagles for the 2020-21 NTFL season. Picture: ELISE DERWIN

SHANNON Motlop wants some older heads to guide his Wanderers players in their quest to play in the NTFL finals after a four-year absence.

The Eagles have not played a finals match since they were thrashed by St Mary’s in the 2016-17 grand final, the last of four successive premiership deciders between the two clubs.

Motlop points to the return of key position player Neil Vea Vea after a three-year absence and defender Mitchell Taylor for a more permanent presence as big plusses.

Nichols medallist Beau O’Connell is another key to Wanderers’ progress, despite the classy 18-year-old midfielder’s intention to enter the national draft this year.

“We’ve got a group of boys training now which is a big positive and we’re definitely hoping to get Beau for another year after his great 2019-20 season,’’ Motlop said.

“He has either gone down to Adelaide or is preparing to after the lockdown with the coronavirus, so we might have some work to do to keep him up here.’’

Motlop said the return of the big leaping Vea Vea, a premiership player in 2014-15, had everyone around the club excited.

“Neil’s been down in Adelaide for a while and is keen to come back and add to our height and experience in key positions,’’ he said.

“Mitchell Taylor is another one who can add experience and consistency to a team with plenty of good juniors with the ability to play at league level.

“And we want to keep Daniel Weetra involved with the club, even if he does live and work in Cairns now.

“We’ll look at flying him in to play games because we definitely want to look after Weeties, as we do with all of our players who move away from the Territory for work.’’

Motlop has another year left on his coaching contract as he looks to rebuild the club.

“I don’t believe a coach can get anywhere in the short term, it has to be the long term path if you want to build depth and stability,’’ he said.

“We’ve just got to rebuild our stocks with the good junior base we’ve got, but they’ve got to work hard get to the stage where they are winning games for us.’’