Wangaratta Rovers to dump plans for interstate travellers

The Hawks adopted one of the more unique recruiting strategies in league history last season, snaring players from three metropolitan areas on the eastern seaboard.

Just like rivals Wangaratta and Myrtleford, Rovers had a large contingent from Melbourne, largely made up of junior products.

However, the club also had two players from the Gold Coast in Tom Thynne and Tyler Cornish, while there was also a small contingent from Sydney-Wollongong, including impressive Sydney Swans VFL player Ryan Hebron.

Cresswell revealed it was part of a crafty plan to circumvent Melbourne's COVID issues.

"A lot of last season we went with the Queensland (and NSW) experiment if Melbourne shut down, clearly everything shut down in the end," he offered.

"100 per cent it was the reason we went with that plan, we tried something different and Tyler and Tom are two of my very close friends."

Thynne won the Hawks' best and fairest, indicating while he would love to return, commitments might not allow that.

He was a three-pointer and Rovers quickly showed the competition the standard all profile players must reach in the game of the season against Wangaratta in mid-April.

The Hawks carried the most three-point or more players in that round three clash with seven.

They produced the best football of the year to topple competition favourites Wangaratta by 14 points with those multiple point players in outstanding form.

However, COVID didn't allow the Hawks to again reach that phenomenal standard.

"We don't want to go through what we went through last season, chopping and changing our side and losing continuity," Cresswell admitted.

In what's been a big off-season of recruiting throughout the O and M, the Hawks landed an enormous blow over the weekend, signing six players.

Morris medallist Brodie Filo headlined the original group and Rovers maintain he will be a three-point player.

AFL North East Border doesn't confirm its player points until late February or early March, with any player attracting three clearances in the past three years attracting a one-point penalty.

ALSO IN SPORT

If Filo is confirmed as a three-pointer, as expected, he will be one of the best value recruits.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: