HDFL TOP PERFORMERS - The Addy's top 50 ranked players between 2012 and 2019

TRIPLE Heathcote District league Cheatley medallist Ryan Semmel is among four players who are headed from Huntly to Stanhope.

Semmel and his brother Luke, as well as key forward Chris Gleeson and backman Josh Harris will reunite with former coach Denis Grinton at the Lions in the Kyabram District league next season.

Grinton is again co-coaching Stanhope with club great Mark Patten.

Superstar midfielder/forward Semmel is the only player in HDFNL history to have won three Cheatley medals having done so in 2018, 2016 and 2013.

During his seven seasons at Huntly (2012-13, 2015-18 and 2021) Semmel played 112 matches, kicked 212 goals and was named among the best players 69 times.

"I've enjoyed my time at Huntly, but unfortunately, there was no fairytale in terms of a premiership, but it's a chance for something new at Stanhope," said Semmel, who narrowly missed a fourth Cheatley Medal when he finished second by one vote to North Bendigo's Jarrod Findlay in 2017.

"I'm looking forward to playing at Stanhope. There's a connection at the club already with Grints and Luke Mann and Josh Dickerson who I played with at Huntly in 2018 are already there.

"The boys have said they love the club, so hopefully, we can have some success."

The two Semmels, Gleeson - who has kicked 285 goals across seven seasons at Huntly - and Harris join a Stanhope side that was sitting third on the ladder with a 9-2 record when the KDFL season was abandoned last month.

"You don't have players of the calibre of Ryan walk through your club too often, so it's huge for the club," Grinton said.

"And I consider Luke an unbelievable player as well and Chris Gleeson is a quality forward who has kicked goals in the 60s for Huntly playing predominantly centre half-forward.

"And Josh Harris is the type of player who'd be first picked in any side with the way he goes about his business, so they are going to be four really strong additions for the club."

The departures of the Semmel brothers, Gleeson and Harris adds to a lengthy list of Huntly players who are also on the move from the Hawks to Calivil United in the Loddon Valley league.

Stanhope - which won its last flag in 2008 - closed out its season with a sensational win over Nagambie when the Lions came from 31 points down at three quarter-time to beat the Lakers by three points, 12.8 (80) to 10.17 (77).

Meanwhile, Eaglehawk's Damien Wust is also on the move to the KDFL having been appointed the new senior coach of Rushworth.

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