Benalla has also been busy restocking with NT recruit Braedon McLean a prize signing.
He has played more than 300 games with the Wanderers in the NTFL competition, collecting three club best-and-fairest awards.
He is a also a six-time representative player for the league. He is currently playing in the Top End’s summer competition.
The Saints have also lured midfielder and noted speedster Sandon Ashworth from the NSW South Coast’s Shellharbour City premiership team this year, while also earning a spot in the league’s Team of the Year.
Hugh Trewin from the Beaufort and VAFA Premier division club Uni Blues is also a handy signing for the Saints.
Formosa former Redleg
Kyabram Football League’s Longwood coach and this year’s McNamara medallist Jye Formosa is heading back to his old club Western Football League club Storm on Melbourne’s western border, while his brother Jordan, who also played with Longwood, has got the coaching gig at Dunnolly in the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League.
The Formosa brothers have been behind Longwood’s revival over the past three seasons and will be hard to replace.
Chapman makes Road return
Murray Football League premier Congupna will have a former co-coach of the club taking the senior coaching reins next season.
Josh Chapman is taking over from Ben Bingham who has coached The Road to two flags and a runners-up finish over the past three seasons.
Bingham is staying on with the club as a player.
Bushrangers’ recruit fires
Boom Benalla Bushrangers star recruit Tom O’Donnell hasn’t taken long to make a presence in the Wangaratta District Cricket Association’s new season.
In the opening round two weeks ago he clubbed 60 in helping the Bushrangers make a winning score of 7-197 to Beechworth’s 141.
O’Donnell, who is the son of former Australian all-rounder Simon O’Donnell, has represented Victoria as an all-rounder, but didn’t play in last Saturday’s second round when defeated by Wangaratta Magpies.
He has a property in the Benalla area and decided to make a comeback this season with the Pioneers.
Purples’ Oakes day
Nathalia's forward line is poised to get a boost for the 2027 Murray Football League season.
Three-time premiership Purple Nathan Oakes is returning to the club for the first time since it completed a hat-trick of premiership triumphs in 2017.
Since leaving Nathalia Oakes has spent four years with Richmond’s VFL sides and also playing and winning two flags in two years with Balwyn in the Eastern Football League and booting 110 goals in those seasons.
Oakes will join a Nathalia attack which already boasts noted goal-kicker Liam Evans who topped the Murray league goal-kicking list with 93 goals and helped his side reach the preliminary final this year.
Lion one of Bombers’ best
Runner-up in Essendon’s best-and-fairest award this year was Sam Durham who cut his teeth playing the game with GVL club Seymour.
And it took now Hawthorn recruit Zach Merrett to deprive him of the top award by only 11 votes.
Merrett joined club greats in Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison as seven times winners of the premier Essendon award, the Crichton Medal.
Dermy rates Harley
No surprise at a report last week that AFL great Dermott Brereton is an ardent fan of former Tongala player Harley Reid.
Sounds a bit like how Dermy played himself and he made a point that ratbags like Harley ‘‘cause you trouble but win games’’.
I think calling Harley a ratbag is a bit harsh, but it’s really a positive and compliment because it’s how Dermy defines a good player.
