The third part of the Smithy's VFL off-season update reviews all the list changes at Essendon, Footscray and Frankston.
Leigh Tudor is back as Essendon coach after one season on the AFL coaching panel. Tudor, who led the Bombers to a 2-8 record in 2021, will be Essendon’s first full-time VFL senior coach. Club great Brent Stanton coached the VFL team last year, recovering from a 0-8 start to finish with an 8-10 record, and will become a full-time AFL development coach in 2023.
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Youngster Lockie Rayner has headed north to join his older brother Cam at the Brisbane Lions. Rayner, 22, played two matches in his debut VFL season for the Bombers.
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Developing youngsters Max Simpson and Kyle Weightman have flown out of the Hangar, growing their manes to walk into Coburg. 21-year-old Simpson played 10 matches for the Bombers last year for a total of 14, while Weightman, the son of Richmond great Dale, earned seven appearances and kicked six goals at Windy Hill.
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Essendon captain Joe Atley won the Bombers’ best-and-fairest but won’t be back to defend it after heading home to Goulburn Valley league club Rochester full-time, according to the Weekly Times. The former Port Adelaide midfielder played 17 games last year for a total of 24, averaging 20.5 disposals, 6.5 clearances and 5.4 tackles.
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Rookie key position player Cam McLeod has switched from the Bombers to Werribee. McLeod, 20, from Albury, played two games and kicked one goal at Windy Hill last year to add to his one for GWS in 2021 while part of the Giants Academy.
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Possibly the biggest feelgood story of the VFL off-season is the return home of Williamstown games record holder Ben Jolley. The competition’s fourth most-experienced player of all time, Jolley, 36, has played 290 VFL matches for Bendigo Bombers, Williamstown, Port Melbourne and Essendon, including a record 218 for the Seagulls. He played only three games for the Bombers last year but needs just 13 games to break the long-standing VFL record of Port Melbourne and Williamstown legend Billy Swan. It will be one of the biggest stories in football if he can get there.
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The Bombers have potentially picked up some important experience, with unlucky Hawthorn delistee Tom Phillips committing to the VFL team while also trialling for an AFL Supplementary Selection Period spot. Phillips, 26, lined up eight times for the Box Hill Hawks last year. He has 24 VFL and 115 AFL matches behind him for the Hawks and Collingwood. Overlooked NAB League graduates Mitch Szybkowski and Hudson O’Keeffe are also training for that SSP position.
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The third Murray brother out of New South Wales club Henty is on his way to the VFL. The 199cm Toby Murray, 19, the younger brother of former Sydney and Collingwood flyer Sam and Adelaide defender Nick, will play for the Bombers. Toby played 12 NAB League games for the Murray Bushrangers for 12.8 disposals and 4.7 marks. He also played for the Allies in the National Championships and made a VFL debut for Collingwood, picking up nine touches and a goal.
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Cody Brand’s exit from the AFL list takes a key player out of the VFL team. Brand, 20, returns home to Ballarat league club Sunbury Lions after playing 17 times for the VFL Bombers and averaging 11.6 disposals.
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Alec Waterman was a key player for the Bombers’ VFL but his AFL delisting has seen him head home to Perth, signing with West Coast’s WAFL team. Waterman, 26, kicked 14 goals in nine games while averaging 12.2 disposals in the VFL.
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Port Melbourne has jumped on a famous name, signing Tom Hird after he was delisted by Essendon. The son of Bombers legend James, the 21-year-old did not miss a VFL game in his two seasons at Windy Hill, playing all 28 matches for an average of 14.9 disposals on the wing, while also kicking 15 goals. He was unable to become the fourth generation of his famous family to play at the top level.
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FORMER Western Bulldog and Southport VFL player Brad Lynch will make a return to the State league at the Bombers. Lynch played 61 VFL matches for the Bulldogs and Sharks and nine AFL games for the Bulldogs, before lining up for QAFL team Broadbeach last year.
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THE “no-name” midfield that sparked Essendon’s resurgence in the second half of last season has returned to the NEC Hangar, and they definitely have a profile now! Brad Bernacki, Stefan Rasinac, Billy Cootee and Sam Conforti will all line up for the Bombers again in 2023.
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ANOTHER signing for the Bombers, with Calder Cannons best-and-fairest winner Declan Willmore arriving at the club. Willmore is a 189cm, 76kg midfield prospect from Essendon Doutta Stars. He kicked 10 goals in 14 NAB League matches.
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SOUTHERN Districts’ Northern Territory league star Ronald Fejo has switched from Essendon to GWS this season. Fejo, 21, who made his VFL debut for the Bombers last year, has played 14 matches for the Crocs over summer.
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ESSENDON has confirmed the signing of East Fremantle youngster Jack Cleaver to its VFL list. Cleaver, 18, trained with the AFL squad over summer and will remain at the NEC Hangar as he continues his development.
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FORMER father-son selection Tom Wallis has returned to Essendon after a stint at East Perth. Wallis, 26, had one year on the AFL rookie list in 2015 but didn’t play a senior game. He spent last year in the WAFL, managing seven reserves games, averaging 16 possessions.
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ESSENDON has become the second club to finalise its 2023 VFL list, and it has a decidedly new look with 19 recruits among the 32 players named.
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THE Bombers have named impressive young leader Billy Cootee as their new captain for this year. Cootee, 20, famously took the toss on his VFL debut in 2021 when he was the skipper of the Western Jets. He replaces the retired Joe Atley. Fellow breakout midfielders Sam Conforti and Brad Bernacki will be his vice-captains.
Retired AFL ruckman Stefan Martin will join Stewart Edge’s VFL coaching panel. Martin, who pulled up stumps after 203 AFL games for Melbourne, Brisbane Lions and the Bulldogs, will be an assistant coach of the midfield while also working as a development coach with the AFL squad.
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The home of the Bulldogs will look very different by the time footy returns in 2023, with the Whitten Oval undergoing a $77 million redevelopment. The old EJ Whitten Stand has been demolished and will be replaced with a state-of-the-art complex and new grandstand, while the oval is also being rebuilt. The club aims to be back on the field for the start of this season on the last weekend of March, but work will continue throughout 2023.
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Former Collingwood pair Caleb Poulter and Jay Rantall are set to be announced as arrivals to Footscray, it has been reported. The pair are training with the Bulldogs and took part in match simulation before Christmas. Poulter played 17 VFL matches for a total of 20, averaging 21.4 disposals and 5.1 marks. Rantall, played six VFL games for the Magpies before being delisted at the end of 2021, spending last year with Norwood, averaging 22.7 disposals and five tackles in 21 SANFL outings. Fellow ex-Magpie Tyler Brown was expected to join them before signing with Adelaide as a delisted free agent last week.
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Delisted Bulldog Louis Butler has been linked to North Melbourne's VFL team by Code Sports. Butler, 21, played 14 VFL matches last year (average 21.3 disposals, 5.3 marks) for a total of 21 and one AFL game for a total of four.
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Charlie Parker has returned home to SANFL club Sturt after losing his place on the Western Bulldogs’ list. Parker played eight VFL matches in his only year at Whitten Oval, averaging 12.6 disposals.
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Young Bulldog Chance Doultree has headed back to the country after five VFL matches across the past two years. Doultree, 20, who played three times for Footscray last season, will line up for Gippsland league club Maffra.
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THE Bulldogs have farewelled strong-marking defender Bailey van de Heuvel, who has joined Geelong. 200cm van de Heuvel, 24, played eight games last year for a total of 14, averaging 11.1 possessions and 5.8 marks.
The Dolphins suffered the first immeasurable blow of the off-season after skipper Josh Newman announced his VFL retirement to take up the coaching job at Mornington Peninsula-Nepean club Mornington. Newman, 27, played 113 matches for Frankston and Williamstown, captaining the Dolphins for the past four seasons and was a genuine star of the competition.
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Bailey Lambert became the first Dolphin to commit his future to Frankston Park, doing so on AFL Grand Final eve. Lambert, 23, had an injury-interrupted season last year but still played 11 games for a total of 30. He averaged 14.4 disposals and 4.1 marks in 2022.
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Frankston Park will now be known as Kinetic Stadium after a new deal signed with the international bus company. Kinetic is the owner of Skybus, which held the naming rights to the ground since the Dolphins returned to the VFL in 2018.
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Taylin Duman was one of the recruits of the VFL season after arriving from Fremantle. Duman, 24, dominated the last line of defence for the Dolphins, playing 16 matches and averaging 22 disposals, seven marks and 5.1 rebounds. He has signed for 2023 but has also been linked with a full-time move to Doncaster East in the Eastern league, with that club announcing his signature.
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Jackson Voss was a key part of Frankston’s improvement, especially early in the season, and will be back to do it again in 2023. The 21-year-old put together an impressive 16-match season to take his tally to 22 in the Dolphins’ back half, averaging career-highs in disposals (17.7), marks (4.4) and rebounds (4.2).
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Will Fordham was announced as the Dolphins’ best-and-fairest winner and has re-signed for 2023. Fordham, 26, brought up his 100th VFL and 50th Frankston matches on his way to another brilliant season that yielded 24.3 disposals, 5.3 clearances, 4.8 tackles and 18 goals.
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Breakout defender Joe Lloyd was a key signature for the Dolphins, and they secured it early on. Lloyd, 21, had a wonderful season, playing 14 games to take his tally to 22. He completed some impressive lockdown roles and can be expected to continue his upward trajectory. Meanwhile, developing key position player Kai Owens will also be back at Kinetic Stadium. The older brother of young St Kilda star Mitch, Owens kicked eight goals in 13 matches last year while pinch hitting in the ruck and now has 42 matches in the bank.
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Important defenders Ryley Stoddart, Max Williams and Taine Barlow have recommitted alongside ruckman Jimmy Rendell. Former Sydney-listed and Carlton VFL backman Stoddart, 23, played 13 games last year for a State league total of 47. Full-back Williams, 24, lined up 15 times for a tally of 32 in a breakout year and Barlow, 23, added nine games to move to 16. Rendell, the son of former Adelaide big man Matt, played seven games in an injury-interrupted year for a total of 26.
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Dolphins star Trent Mynott will remain in black, white and red after inking a contract extension. The former Box Hill Hawks and Essendon player, 23, finished second in the club’s best-and-fairest after a stellar season in which he played all 18 matches.
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A huge loss for the Dolphins, with ex-AFL forward-mid Josh Begley stepping away from VFL footy. Begley played 17 AFL matches for Essendon from 2017-20 and leaves the State league with 57 games and 70 goals for the Bombers and Dolphins. He will play for Eastern league club Boronia. Former AFL player Tom Murphy is another to depart Frankston for local footy. Murphy, 24, who played 17 matches for the Dolphins last year (average 15.1 disposals) for a total of 42 (plus 16 SANFL games for West Adelaide) will play full-time for Somerville in the Mornington Peninsula-Nepean league.
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Heart-and-soul defender Liam Hiscock has also walked away from Frankston. Hiscock, 25, played 12 games for the Dolphins last year for a total of 36, but has headed to the Mornington Peninsula-Nepean league and Edithvale-Aspendale. Former Gold Coast Sun Sam Fletcher has also left after 14 games last year and a total of 29, signing with MPNFL club Dromana as the international travel bug bites. Billy Mackay will also be a loss for the Dolphins after stepping away from State league footy, according to Code Sports. Mackay, just 21, who played 14 matches last year will either play for VAFA club Old Haileybury or travel overseas.
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Dolphin fans were sporting cheesy grins when it was announced that one of their most promising youngsters – Colby Nayna – was staying at Frankston. Edithvale-Aspendale product Nayna, 19, played 13 VFL matches in his debut season and showed enough to suggest he has a bright future at the level.
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Another key departure for Frankston, with defender Will Arthurson opting to play full-time for Eastern league club Berwick. Arthurson, 23, who was aligned to the Wickers last year, played 14 VFL matches for the Dolphins last season for a total of 26 since arriving in 2019.
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Two more huge ticks for the Frankston program, with Liam Reidy and Tylar Young finding themselves on AFL lists after the NAB AFL Rookie Draft. 204cm ruckman Reidy, 22, played 16 games last year for a total of 17, averaging 9.1 disposals and 21.5 hitouts and kicking eight goals to be drafted by Fremantle. Young, 24, played eight games for the Dolphins in 2019 and 2021 before switching to Richmond VFL last year, adding 14 games and impressing enough to be promoted onto the Tigers’ list.
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While ruckman Liam Reidy has headed to Fremantle, the Dolphins have replaced him with a near namesake – Lachie Reidy, 18, has arrived from Vermont and Eastern Ranges, according to Code Sports. He averaged 18 disposals and four marks in 14 games for Eastern last year and played trials for Victoria Metro.
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Two more young Dolphins are in the sights of AFL clubs, with forward Brodie McLaughlin and defender Kye Turner training for Supplementary Selection Period spots. McLaughlin, 25, kicked 24 goals in 12 matches to win Frankston’s goalkicking and earn a shot with Gold Coast, while Turner, 20, who played two games for Frankston, is doing a pre-season with Melbourne.
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Some good news for the Dolphins, who have landed a replacement for AFL-drafted ruckman Liam Reidy with Nick Minchin arriving at Kinetic Stadium from SANFL club Glenelg. Minchin, 26, is a 200cm big man who played six games in his debut season for the Tigers, averaging 6.3 disposals and 17 hitouts.
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The son of former AFL player Heath Black has joined Frankston seeking VFL game time. Small defender Chayce Black, 21, spent 2020-21 on the Box Hill Hawks’ list without making a debut. He was named in the best 13 times in 19 matches for AFL Outer East club Wandin last year as it made the preliminary final. Meanwhile, highly-rated NAB League 194cm prospects Trent Marotta and Justin Davies have also signed with the Dolphins. East Ringwood product Marotta, 18, averaged 14.4 disposals and 3.6 marks in nine games for Eastern Ranges last year, while Haileybury College’s Davies, 19, averaged 10.4 touches and 3.5 marks in 11 matches for Dandenong Stingrays and booted 15.11.
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The Dolphins have picked up a number of recruits in recent weeks, according to Leader Local Footy. The list is headed by GWS Academy graduate Sebastian Quirk, 21, who heads south from Belconnen via Pennant Hills after 10 VFL games for the Giants in 2022 that yielded an 11.5-disposal average. The Dolphins have also picked up Casey Demons’ fringe players Josh Smith and Matt Johnson, while Sandringham Dragons talent Ben Hempel, has also committed.
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THE Dolphins have added three more young players to their list, according to Code Sports. Gold Coast/Northern Territory Academy graduate Riley Stone will be joined by Dandenong Stingrays alumni Harrison Collopy and Jess McManus.
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IT’S four AFL recruits in the space of 12 months for the Frankston Footy Factory after Gold Coast signed key forward Brodie McLaughlin in the Supplementary Selection Period. McLaughlin kicked 24.14 in 12 matches for the Dolphins last year for a total of 38 majors in 24 matches.
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FRANKSTON has won the race for the NAB AFL Draft’s hard-luck story Mitch Szybkowski. Inside mid Szybkowski, 19, returned to Dolphins’ training this month after his trial with Essendon came to an end, but has also since trained with premiers Casey Demons.
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CLASSY half-forward Ben Hempel’s arrival at Kinetic Stadium has been made official. Hempel, 18, averaged 14.9 disposals in 12 NAB League games for Sandringham Dragons last year.
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THE Frankston Footy Factory has rolled another one off the production line with Kye Turner joining Melbourne in the Supplementary Selection Period. Turner, 22, is an early graduate of the new Dolphins Academy and developed strongly throughout the season, playing the last two VFL games.
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DEVELOPING ruckman Tom Roberts has added a stripe of red to his black and white, heading south to Frankston, according to Code Sports. The 202cm, 112kg Roberts, 22, who hails from Somerville, played seven matches for the Magpies last year, averaging , averaging 7.1 disposals and 32 hitouts.
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Will Fordham and Trent Mynott have been appointed as co-captains for this year. Fordham, 26, played all 18 games last year, bringing up his century and winning the Peter Geddes Medal. Mynott also played every game to cross 50 VFL matches and reach 61 in total, averaging 21.3 disposals.
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SOUTHERN league club Cheltenham has produced another VFL player, with Alec McComb joining Frankston, according to Code Sports. McComb, 20, kicked 20 goals in 19 games for the Rosellas as they made last year’s Grand Final
Part 1: Box Hill Hawks, Brisbane Lions, Carlton
Part 2: Casey Demons, Coburg, Collingwood
Part 3: Essendon, Footscray Bulldogs, Frankston
Part 4: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS
Part 5: North Melbourne, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne
Part 6: Richmond, Sandringham, Southport Sharks
Part 7: Sydney Swans, Werribee, Williamstown
