Goulburn Valley: Tom Clurey to play next two matches for Shepparton Bears

Former Port Adelaide player Tom Clurey is lining up with a GV club while his Picola District league club has an extended spell.

Former Port Adelaide defender Tom Clurey will play the next two matches for Shepparton Bears in the Goulburn Valley league despite starting the season playing at his original club, Katamatite.

The Bears have struck a deal with Clurey to play against Shepparton United on Good Friday and Mooroopna the following Saturday.

Clurey has played the first two matches for Katamatite in the Picola District league, but it doesn’t play again until May 3.

He can freely move between the two competitions due to the Picola District league not being an AFL affiliated competition, raising the possibility of more appearances for Shepparton later in the season including beyond the June 30 deadline.

Tom Hawkins marks in front of Tom Clurey in 2022. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Shepparton football director Rocky Gagliardi said the club had its sights set on Clurey coming on board permanently in 2026.

“We’re hopeful that there are potentially more than just the two games he’s agreed to play initially for us,” Gagliardi said.

“We’re hoping for the long-term and we can negotiate an opportunity for next year.

“He was very clear in his communication from the outset that he was 100 per cent committed to playing at Katamatite this year.

“He wanted to play with his brother and so forth and the fact he wanted to put back into that club.

“It’s the calibre of person that he is.

“But he knows a lot of people at our club and wants to play GVL.”

The GVL Easter round also includes Kyabram-Benalla, Shepparton Swans-Mooroopna and Rochester-Euroa also playing on Good Friday and Mansfield-Seymour and Echuca-Tatura playing on Saturday.