Every move from across Gippsland’s country footy clubs
The silly season is well underway across Gippsland footy with clubs signing new players in droves. See every move throughout the off-season here.
The country footy off-season is well underway across Gippsland.
Clubs are already unveiling their fresh faces for next season and you can keep up with every move in our pre-season tracker below.
GIPPSLAND
BAIRNSDALE
Caleb Crofts: Back after a year at Paynesville.
Lukas Lakay: Returns to the club after a year with Lindenow.
Cameron McPhan: An excellent ball user who can play across different positions. Back at the club.
Oscar Pike: Returns to the club after a strong season with Paynesville.
Cooper Vickery: Has aligned with the club while on Carlton’s VFL list. Delisted by Sydney at the end of the season.
DROUIN
Malual (Mo) Aleer: The talented 201cm ruck arrives from the West Gippsland league.
Kyle Baker: A young player who arrives at the club chasing a new opportunity.
Tom Goswell: Returns to the club, a dangerous small forward.
Vincent Kuol: A young talented backman who likes to fly for the footy.
LEONGATHA
Brok Davidson: Returns to the club after time away in Melbourne’s Southern league.
Ben Harding: The ball magnet joins from Old Melburnians in the VAFA where he is known for racking up plenty of the footy.
Patrick Ireland: The former Gippsland Power youngster joins the Parrots on the back of a 111-goal season for Buln Buln.
Connor Watson: A young player at the club looking to take his game to another level.
MOE
Ben Crocker: The ex-AFL forward joins after a stint with Collingwood VFL.
Tom Murphy: The Frankston VFL gun has named the Lions as his home club for 2025.
Leigh Poholke:A four-time premiership hero with Sorrento, who has chosen a new challenge.
Myles Poholke: The former Adelaide Crow has joined with his brother.
MORWELL
Isaac Abas: Returns to the club after playing at Morwell East for the last three seasons.
Tom Caile: A former junior who is returning to the club.
Nathan Noblett: Back in Tigers’ colours.
Anthony Rosato: The former skipper is back after two years after living away.
SALE
Harry and Lachie Ronchi: The brothers have returned after taking 2024 off.
Connor and Zane Waixel: A pair of brothers. Connor is a small defender while Zane is a lively forward.
Cooper Whitehill: An inside midfielder who returns after time with Sale City.
Thomas Wrigglesworth: Returns to the club after taking a year off to focus on cricket.
WARRAGUL
Jim Harrison: Described as a classy midfielder who is a premiership player at a previous club.
Tom Hillard: A player of capable of playing across multiple positions but primarily in the midfield.
Jordan Stewart: Joins from Pakenham in the Outer East league where he was a multiple best-and-fairest winner in defence.
Zac Stewart: A strong midfielder who joins from Pakenham. A player for the big moments.
EAST GIPPSLAND
BOISDALE BRIAGOLONG
Declan Scriven: Returns to the club and is a strong inside midfielder.
Jude Scriven: A tough working backman who has returned to the club.
Jordan Stubbe: Returns to the club. A mid-sized forward.
Kade and Jake Renooy: The brothers will coach the club next year. Jake Rooney stays at the club and goes from assistant to coach. Kade moves to the club from Maffra after being the vice-captain for the past two season. He’s also been named in the Gippsland team of the year. Expect Kade to play and coach the club.
LAKES ENTRANCE
Sam Brown: Arrives with over 200 games of experience with South Belgrave. Will slot into the midfield.
Darren Martin: Will coach the club next year. Martin is a premiership player and has also coached a team to an East Gippsland premiership before. He coached Paynesville to the premiership in 2013.
LINDENOW
Norm Barry: Played at Lang Lang in 2024 but returns to the Cats.
Damon Braby: Joins from Watsonia, where he was regarded as one of the best young players in the competition.
Baxter Evans: The halfback arrives from Watsonia.
Jack Mitchell: Returns to the club after a year with Swifts Creek.
Tim Todd: Arrives from Watsonia in the Northern league.
LUCKNOW
Matt Corbett: A midfield addition from Bairnsdale.
Link McKenna: Arrives from Bairnsdale as a midfielder who can go forward.
PAYNESVILLE
Jamie Fraser: A midfielder turned forward who comes from Bairnsdale.
Josh Carroll: Set to add to the club’s midfield depth.
Josh Westland: A promising young forward from Sale.
STRATFORD
Nathan Pollard: Comes to the club to coach the team for next year. He returns to the club after playing in 2018. Pollard played for Maffra in 2023 and coached Lindenow South in 2020 and 2021. Last year he played for Lindenow South in the Omeo District league.
ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT
BUNYIP
Eli Bracken: Joins from the Gippsland league and can play across the ground.
Nathan Carver: The key forward with VFL experience has joined as a senior assistant.
Rickie Crockett: Returns to the club after recently playing for Nilma.
Wil Grummisch: The club describe him as a young gun to watch heading into next season.
Nick Smith: Is the new coach of the Bulldogs as the club returns to the Ellinbank competition. Smith last coached in 2023, guiding Albanvale to a grand final in the Western league. He previously coached Werribee Centrals in the Geelong and District Football League for four years from 2016 to 2019.
CATANI
Julian Suarez: Joins the club after going on a kicking spree last season in the West Gippsland reserves. The forward kicked 109 goals for Tooradin Dalmore in the reserves, easily winning the goalkicking medal for the league.
LANG LANG
Curtis Baker: A premiership winner at Cranbourne, he will add plenty of experience.
Bailey Galante: Brings over 150 senior games experience to his new side after crossing from Koo Wee Rup.
Max Gearon: Set to add depth to the Tigers’ midfield.
LONGWARRY
Brayden Chandler: Rejoins the Crows after living in Tasmania for the past few months. Chandler played four games for the Crows in 2023.
Bailey Rowe and Blake Collins: Announced as a double signing.
Jack Muirhead: Set to add depth to defence on his return.
NEERIM SOUTH
Lachlan French: Arrives on the back of a under-18 premiership in the Gippsland league.
Mason McGarrity: The goalkicker joins the Cats from Warragul Industrials in the West Gippsland league. McGarrity kicked 26 goals last season and is a former Gippsland Power junior.
Will Papley: A dynamic midfielder who crosses from the Gippsland league.
Tyler Pratt: The defender has returned to the club after several years away.
Lachlan Bambridge: Another goalkicker who is coming back to the Cats. Bambridge joins after playing for the Warragul Industrials last season in the West Gippsland league. In 2022 he won a premiership with the Cats and finished second in the goalkicking in the competition in 2022 and 2023.
NYORA
Paul Delaroche: Joins from Cranbourne in the Southern league. Delaroche is a small, quick forward who know how to find an avenue to goal. He kicked 31 goals in seniors last season.
Corey Lucas: Joins from Koo Wee Rup in the West Gippsland league. The midfielder makes the rise after playing thirds in recent years. In 2022 he was the West Gippsland league best and fairest in that age group.
Dante Di Pietro: Another player from Koo Wee Rup. Di Pietro is a defender who has recently been playing thirds in the West Gippsland league.
Austin Craven: A defender who also joins from Koo Wee Rup. Craven played 12 games for the Demons last year in thirds in the West Gippsland league.
Riley Battams: Joins from Koo Wee Rup. He played only two games in reserves last year for the Demons but the year before he was part of the senior team. Battams is a competitive ruckman.
Daryl Swinburne: Is the new coach of Nyora for next season. In recent times he was the opposition reviewer for Rowville in the Eastern league but has held assistant coaching spots at multiple clubs.
TRAFALGAR
Shane Brewster: Is the new coach of the club after signing for the Bloods for next year. Brewster previously played and coached at Narre Warren and Warragul Industrials and has won multiple best and fairests at Narre Warren.
Danny Brewster: Joins his brother at the club and will now be a playing assistant. Last year he played for Moama in the Murray league and before that he kicked more than 100 goals in a season for Natte Bealiba in the Maryborough Castlemaine District league.
YARRAGON
Gabe Bonicelli: A winger-forward who recently played in the Outer East league.
Matty Boyles: A skilled ball user set to bolster the midfield.
Rohan Marra: Joins from the Mid Gippsland league and can play across the ground.
Jayden McCormack: The versatile tall joins from the Mid Gippsland league.
Braydon Preuss: The ex-AFL big man is arguably the biggest signing in the club’s history.
Henry Tyers: A versatile presence with his best footy still ahead of him.
MID GIPPSLAND
BOOLARRA
Bailey Flanigan: A key defender who can play other positions if needed.
Jake Roe-Duggan: The highly skilled midfielder and forward has joined as an assistant coach.
Tristan Salerno: A premiership player in 2011 who is returning to the club.
FISH CREEK
Ethan Lamers: A premiership player with Leongatha.
Jacob Lamers: A premiership player with Leongatha.
Brodie Shaw: Arrives at the club with experience at Mt Eliza.
Luke Williams: Formerly of Balwyn and Casey VFL.
HILL END
Coaching announcement: Adrian Burns has been announced as the club’s new coach with coaching and playing experience with Essendon and St Kilda.
MDU
Coaching announcement: Rhett Kelly, a premiership player with Leongatha, has been appointed as the senior coach.
MORWELL EAST
Kyle Hearn: The key position player has played for Boolarra in recent seasons where he was a regular senior player including 10 games in 2024.
Max Jacobsen: Fresh off being best on ground in the Gippsland league decider, Jacobsen will play alongside good mate Brad Kimberley.
TOORA
Jordan French: An athletic running defender who adds some clean skills.
Lachi Smart: A key position player known for his strong presence on the ground.
Sam Smart: The club says he will add “silky skills and incredible endurance” to the side.
NORTH GIPPSLAND
GORMANDALE
Jaxon Gardiner: A player who possesses incredible speed across the wing and half forward.
Riley Hughes: Standing at 190cm, he can play in the ruck or defence. Returns to footy after a couple of years away.
Jesse Siddle: A young player who has pace, skills and athleticism.
Coaching appointment: Shane Duncan has been appointed as the club’s new coach after crossing from Traralgon where he was a senior assistant.
HEYFIELD
Darren Sheen: Has an extraordinary goal kicking record with over 1200 to his name.
SALE CITY
Mason Benson: A young and skilful player who has previously played for Sale.
Brodie Johnson: Returns to the club after spending time with Maffra.
WOODSIDE
Coaching announcement: Ben Johnson has been appointed as the club’s new coach.
YARRAM
Korey Carrison: Returns to the red and white. A dynamic small forward.
Nat Dungey: A versatile key position prospect.
Cody Harrison: Will add elite skills and explosiveness.
Ben Vardy: Returns to the club. A key forward.
Coaching announcement: Brett Mitchell has been appointed as the new senior mentor.
WEST GIPPSLAND
KOO WEE RUP
Billy Rolfe: Joins from Langwarrin where he was a two-time premiership player.
NAR NAR GOON
Coaching announcement: Matt Shorey has been named as the club’s new senior coach, joining from Heatherton.
TOORADIN DALMORE
Andrew Dean: Returns to the club after a stint in the Mornington Peninsula league where he was a consistent goalkicker.
Jack Flannery: The key forward joins from Ferntree Gully where he was the senior captain.
Shane Savage: The ex-AFL player joins from Pines and will slot into the midfield.
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS
Coaching announcement: Bob McCallum has been named as the club’s new senior coach. He is considered a legend of Gippsland footy.
Originally published as Every move from across Gippsland’s country footy clubs
Named: The top performers from Cricket Victoria Country Cup
Some of regional Victoria’s best junior cricketers went head-to-head in the Country Cup with one region dominating. We profile the top performers.
GV premier adds more firepower for flag defence
Recruiting is still going on for next year’s country netball season. Last year’s GV premier has bolstered its ranks. See all the signings for 2025.