YARRAWONGA’S backline faces a major reshuffle this year with three of its best defenders leaving J.C. Lowe Oval.
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Rhys O’Sullivan (Shepparton Bears), Logan Morey (Strathmore) and Drew Barnes (Nathalia) have departed with youngsters set to be given opportunities to step up.
Veteran midfielder Justin Perkins has retired to focus on triathlons.
Coach Damian Sexton said the Pigeons would be investing heavily in the young talent at the club.
“It’s the direction we will be taking,” Sexton said.
“There are a lot of good young players pushing up from the thirds and reserves and opportunities will be there.
“Our numbers have been good with players putting their hands up.”
Veteran key position Marcus McMillan will stay on at Yarrawonga while former captain Tim Cooper is yet to decide his playing future.
O’Sullivan has spent the past two seasons at Yarrawonga after previously captaining Goulburn Valley club Shepparton.
He has returned to play under former teammate and new Bears’ coach Sean Harrap.
‘‘Rhys had two years at Yarrawonga after he probably held the weight of the footy club on his shoulders when Shepp was going through the lean years with the captaincy, so it was good for him to get away,’’ Harrap said.
‘‘He’s going to lead with his actions and how he goes about his footy.
“He won’t have a title or a job in terms of being in the leadership group, but he’s happy to be a player and still feels pretty good footy wise, he’s only 31.”
Yarrawonga’s thirds sat on top of the ladder for most of 2017 before a disappointing finals campaign and the Pigeons will be hoping Isaac McMillan, Ely Smith, Matt Casey and Ronan Pritchard can make the transition to senior football.
Young forward Bailey Frauenfelder pushed up late in the season and held his own during the finals.
Club stalwart Ross Mulquiney will coach the under-18s.
Meanwhile, Wodonga Raiders star Brodie Filo is showing no ill-effects of last year’s sickening injury while playing for Northern Territory club Nightcliff.
Filo, who broke his jaw in two places in July, dominated in two matches for Nightclff in December and was close to best afield in last weekend’s loss to Tiwi Bombers.
Wodonga Raiders are hopeful Filo will return to Birallee Park with Tiwi Bombers star Ross Tungatalum next month.
Jydon Neagle has injured his calf at training, but coach Daryn Cresswell said the problem was “minor”.