Surf Coast has commenced its second pre-season with a spring in its step after signing experienced South Barwon midfielder Chris Hughes.
Hughes is the fourth arrival this off-season from the GFNL club, joining Aaron Vickey, Austin Shepherd and Fin Brown.
He featured in South’s grand final loss to Leopold in 2023 but missed the 2024 decider after suffering a broken jaw in the preliminary final
However, Hughes spent most of 2026 in the reserves, making only two senior appearances in the first half of the season.
Coach Trent Rogers says patience paid off in pursuing Hughes.
“I did send a gentle message throughout the season just letting him know that come the season’s end I’d love to chat with him, and we just left it there,” Rogers said.
“I met with ‘Doc’ (Hughes) a week or two after they had finished their season, which was five weeks after ours.
“I had to wait pretty patiently because it was one that I was pretty keen on getting.
“For a developing side, I think he brings the right personality, the right experience, and he’s going to be someone who we believe can probably get another good four to five years of Bellarine football out of himself.”
Rogers also confirmed the arrival of Daniel Sinnott from Essendon and District club Airport West.
Sinnott played under Rogers at Airport West and will take on the role as midfield assistant coach.
“Similar to Hughesy, plenty of experience,” Rogers said.
“He’s a three- or four-time senior premiership player; he’d be closing in on 300 senior games of footy between Strathmore and Airport West in the EDFL.
“So, he’s played pretty much his whole career at Premier Division level in what’s a very strong competition.
“To close out the last couple of years of his senior career, he’s looking just to see what football’s like outside of the EDFL.”
Rogers says Hunter Gottschling, whose season lasted less than six quarters, will be like a recruit for Surf Coast.
“It was 20 minutes into a second quarter at Portarlington where he got the concussion, and what we were thinking would be the 21-day protocol ended up being a time where he went and got his shoulder done,” Rogers said.
“Whenever we were seeing him at training this year, he was walking around in his sling just helping the lads out.
“He’s a great people person, and he’s got a great football brain as well.
“It’s going to be pretty exciting to have him back.”
A quirky addition for Surf Coast is former Colac underage player Zac Davis.
Davis appeared on television reality show Big Brother Australia in 2023.
Former Geelong and North Melbourne AFL player Aaron Black, appointed Cats VFL coach, and Eddie Weeks (Newtown & Chilwell) are the only confirmed departures.
Veteran Luke Cartelli, who came out of retirement to join the Suns and won their best-and-fairest, is weighing up playing on.
The Suns started training last (Tuesday) night with 51 players on the track.
Rogers says there’ll be less of a “getting to know you” period than 12 months ago.
“Last night, we were able to get some conditioning in, but also get straight into how we want to play our footy, and either reinforce to the guys that played in ’26 or introduce the guys that are coming on board for 27, on how we want to go about things,” he said.
“Going into pre-season this time last year, to be honest, we had no idea what we’re working with or where we’re at, and so things like that sort of didn’t really come into play until February, March, and we’re chasing our tail a little bit in that regard.
“So it’s just good to be on the front foot and have a bit more of an idea of what we’re working with and the progression that we’ll see from those that played in 26.
“But then, because we’ve been pretty strategic in who we’ve been looking at and picked up for next year, we sort of already have an idea of where they slot to our side.
It is understood the Suns will face a trip down the Great Ocean Road to face Anglesea on Easter Saturday, March 27.
Meanwhile, the active pre-seasons of runner-up Torquay and beaten semi-finalists Newcomb have continued.
The Tigers have confirmed to K rock Football the addition of former South Barwon player Ben Lusby.
Lusby’s arrival, who most recently played for Central Highlands club Skipton, follows the additions of Gus Morrison (St Joseph’s) and August Stelma (Geelong West), and the return of Chase Loftus (Swan Districts) and Doyle Madigan (South Barwon).
And the Power has welcomed back Jack Walsh from Portland, while also signing former Geelong West GFNL player Kade Lovell from the Hampden League club.
Both represented the HFNL at under-23 level in the annual interleague match-up with the Ballarat League.
However, Barwon Heads has said farewell to another experienced figure.
Two-time premiership player Michael Philp has been announced as a signing by Colac and District club Apollo Bay.
X: @krockfootball
