A KEY position player from the Goulburn Valley league and utility with NEAFL and VFL experience are joining reigning BFNL premier Strathfieldsaye in 2018.
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Jack Shanahan joins the Storm from the Northern Territory Thunder in the NEAFL, while Hugh Robertson is making the move to Strathfieldsaye from Seymour.
Robertson has played as both a key defender and key forward for Seymour.
He kicked 30 goals for the Lions this year, while he has also represented the GVFL inter-league team as a backman, including in 2015 when he was named one of the best against the Geelong league.
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“He has been doing some work in Bendigo with the police force, his parents live in Strathfieldsaye and he’s looking to build in Strathfieldsaye, so we see him as a long-term prospect for our club,” Storm coach Troy Coates said.
“He’s around that 24-25 age and centre half-forwards aren’t easy to come by, so we see him playing that role as a key target for us next year.
“He has proven he can play both ends, but we have recruited him as a forward. We feel we can get better across that half-forward and that Hugh will provide a great target for us.”
Shanahan has played with both the NT Thunder in the NEAFL and has senior experience in the VFL with Geelong.
“Jack has played some high-level football and at that 26-27 age, we think he will add great value as not just a player, but in terms of his leadership and he will also be our midfield coach,” Coates said.
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“He will bring some new ideas to us and can play a number of positions be it back, in the midfield or across half-forward, so he will give us really good flexibility. We’re a fairly young list, so we’re really excited with his experience.”
As well as coaching the club as the successor to Darryl Wilson, Coates will also add to the Storm’s playing stocks, while the club also has 2015 premiership player Jordan Wilson returning from Colbinabbin.
Coates will be assisted by Luke Freeman (senior assistant) and Mick Delaney. The club will kick off pre-season training on December 5.