Zach Walter says “the time was right” to return to Barwon Heads after four years with GFNL club Newtown & Chilwell.
The 2019 Bellarine grand final best-on-ground also spent time with VFL club Port Melbourne, but was happy to turn his back on the state league system and focus his energy on helping the Seagulls return to the finals after a rare miss last year.
“The position Barwon Heads were in, looking to get a few guys back, and I’d become good mates with a lot of the boys that sort of came to the club in that time that I’d went away,” he told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“It was pretty appealing to go back and play a bit of footy with those guys and build something special down at Barwon Heads.”
The Seagulls have made an inconsistent start to the season, including rare consecutive losses at Howard Harmer Oval to Geelong Amateur and Anglesea, the latter by a point.
“That one did hurt a bit,” Walter said.
“I think we played how we wanted to play for patches of the game, but yeah, one that you know, we ideally would have liked to have snuck over the line.
“Still a lot of good signs, which was pleasing. But, (it’s) never easy to look at those straight after the game.”
Barwon Heads will be keen to stay in touch with the top three when it heads to Ray Menzies Oval for the first Battle of the Bridge against Ocean Grove in 2025.
The match-up will see Walter play against best mate Joe McDonald, who spent last year at Newtown & Chilwell, for the first time in six years.
“It’s going to be really good. We’ve had a lot to do with each other the last year and a bit, which has been great.
“You go away and do what you do, and you probably don’t get to see as much of his development.
“But, when we got him over to Newtown to see how well he’d been going and the impact he had at GFL level was unreal.
“He’s obviously taken a lot of it away, and I’m sure he’s going to be absolutely dominating on the weekend.”
Barwon Heads will be boosted by the return of veteran great Mitch Herbison, Jimmy Allen and Kallum Hinchcliffe.
However, Angus Ford has returned to the Geelong Falcons.
It was mixed news for Ocean Grove at selection.
Big man Kye Annand, Gus Bourke, Campbell Snookes and Harry Cashin among the inclusions.
However, Taj Wyburd has retained his place with Geelong’s VFL team, which had the bye last week.
Anton Woods, Brady Pritchard and Cam Fowler are also out of the team held goalless for three quarters last week.
Portarlington will be strengthened by the return of Connor Menadue from injury and the recall of Nick Lane from the reserves for its meeting with Anglesea at Ellimatta Reserve.
However, the Demons will be without Kelly Pickard and Jack Dorgan as they look to avoid a third consecutive loss.
The Roos have regained key defender Jordan Harrison and recalled Liam Carolan.
Off-season addition Ollie Tate will return to the Torquay team for its clash with Modewarre at McCartney Oval.
The Tigers have also named debutant Merrick O’Neil on an extended bench. O’Neil is another product of the club’s junior program.
Drysdale will be without key forward Joel Watson (finger) for its meeting with Newcomb at Drysdale Recreation Reserve.
He will be replaced by Ben Henderson, with Ocean Grove recruit James Robbins named on an extended bench.
Stawell recruit Tommy Williams will make his debut among four changes for the Power.
Peter Gordyn, Pat McGinley, and Jack Drought have been promoted from the reserves, with Mason Andrews, Tom Webster, Josh Taylor, and Oliver Marshall missing.
Spiro Alesios returns for Archer Hanegraaf as Geelong Amateur looks to continue its unbeaten start to the season against Queenscliff at Queenscliff Recreation Reserve.
X: @krockfootball
