Named: Country footy’s biggest recruits for 2024 season

A stack of gun signings are heading to the bush this year. See the top three recruits joining each of the major country leagues.

The Hampden league has become a destination competition for top-end recruits this season with former Geelong and Port Adelaide player Steven Motlop joining North Warrnambool as the latest big name addition

The southwest major league has had an influx of quality players with the list headed by dual North Melbourne best and fairest winner Ben Cunnington’s return to the region to play for Warrnambool.

Motlop’s signature was confirmed by North Warrnambool on Monday night and he will play under first-year coach Nathan Vardy, who also has recent AFL experience at West Coast.

Vardy and Motlop were teammates at Geelong.

Steven Motlop celebrates a goal during the 2021 AFL finals series playing for Port Adelaide. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Motlop, 32, retired from the AFL at the end of 2022 with 217 matches at the elite level.

He played only three games for Cairns City last year and has been playing in Darwin over summer.

North Warrnambool finished runner-up to South Warrnambool last season with Vardy taking over as coach from Adam Dowie.

The Ovens and Murray and Goulburn Valley leagues traditionally attract high quality players, but they have been trumped by the calibre of player heading to the Hampden league in 2024.

Ben Cunnington played his 238th and final match for North Melbourne last year. Picture: Michael Klein.

Other players with recent AFL experience heading to the Hampden league include former North Melbourne and Geelong key position player Aaron Black.

Hampden league administrator Trent Hill said the competition was heading into an exciting era.

“Last year was one of the best Hampden league seasons in a long time,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot of players coming back to the region like Lewis Taylor at Terang-Mortlake did last year.

“There is no doubt having some players already in the comp who have played at the highest level is helping clubs attract some of these gun players.”

Reigning O & M premier Yarrawonga has signed former Hawthorn and North Melbourne utility Dan Howe and ex-Carlton midfielder Lochie O’Brien will play for Wangaratta Rovers, who bombed out in the first week of finals last year.

Former North Melbourne player Daniel Howe has returned to Yarrawonga. Picture: Michael Klein

The top-end departures outweigh the gains in the Bendigo league.

But 25-year-old Fergus Greene is expected to make a big impact with Sandhurst after being cut by Hawthorn at end of last year.

Fergus Greene has headed back to play for Sandhurst after a stint with Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Klein

GUN RECRUITS GOING BUSH

(The top three recruits joining major country leagues in 2024)

BALLARAT

Andrejs Everitt (Bacchus Marsh)

Lauchlan Dalgleish (Ballarat)

Jayden Wright (Lake Wendouree)

BENDIGO

Fergus Greene (Sandhurst)

Michael Hartley (Castlemaine)

Jackson Cardillo (Gisborne)

CENTRAL MURRAY

Jayden Magro (Tyntynder)

Jack Geary (Cohuna Kangas)

Adam Baird (Kerang)

GEELONG

Lachie Taylor (Geelong West)

Tate Porter (Leopold)

James Gow (St Joseph’s)

GIPPSLAND

Jack Lewsey (Warragul)

Tim Golds (Moe)

Tom Blenheim (Bairnsdale)

GOULBURN VALLEY

Aidyn Johnson (Tatura)

Mick Mattingly (Kyabram)

Matt Perry (Shepparton Swans)

HAMPDEN

Ben Cunnington (Warrnambool)

Steven Motlop (North Warrnambool)

Aaron Black (Warrnambool)

MURRAY

Sam Lloyd (Deniliquin)

Tom Holman (Moama)

Kyle Mueller (Congupna)

NORTH CENTRAL

Matthew Wade (Nullawil)

Hamish Hosking (Birchip-Watchem)

Todd Stevenson (Donald)

OVENS AND MURRAY

Lochie O’Brien (Wangaratta Rovers)

Daniel Howe (Yarrawonga)

Patrick Naish (Wangaratta)

SUNRAYSIA

Derek Egglomesse-Smith (Wentworth)

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Imperial)

Jake Thrum (Irymple)

WIMMERA

Jake McQueen (Nhill)

Ryan Kemp (Horsham Demons)

Jacob Welsh (Stawell)