Bell Post Hill’s hopes of going at least one step further than this year’s preliminary final appearance in 2026 have received a massive boost – literally and figuratively.
The Panthers, who will celebrate 50 years of existence next year, have welcomed back big man Brock Carter to the club, continuing a fruitful off-season that has already seen the classy David Handley make his way back to Myers Reserve.
The 201cm ruck spent this year with Northern League Division 3 premier Fitzroy Stars after stints in the WAFL and SANFL.
Carter played 12 League games for West Perth in 2024, following three appearances for Glenelg in 2023.
In 2022, he played with North Cairns and was named in the AFL Cairns Team of the Year.
“When you’re under the pump in finals and big games… if you’ve got a big fella like him, a 200 centimetre bloke down the line, just kick to him, and you know you’re going to get a really good contest in the air,” coach Ash Witney said.
“It just makes it a little bit easier in those kinds of situations.
“The bigger games – finals and stuff like that – they make a big difference. They don’t get any smaller.”
Handley, whose football journey started in the Panthers’ Auskick program, has had an injury-interrupted past two seasons with GFNL club Geelong West.
He’s managed just eight matches, including only two this year.
However, Witney says Handley is working his way back to full fitness.
“I’m the one who’s trying to pull him up a little bit – he’s been in every session,” Witney said.
“He’s been good. He’s slowly built into it, but I’ve had to try and pull the reins back in a little bit.
“He’s super keen. He’s feeling good.”
Witney is excited about the improvement that can come from a group of players in the 18-24 age bracket, with the club beefing up its conditioning program.
“They’ll get another pre-season under their belt, and I think we’ll get an improvement from them as well.
“We’ve got a strength and conditioning coach on board now with us from Barwon Sports Physiotherapy, and I think that we’re going to get a little bit extra out of that as well.
“It’s not just recruits – it’s a whole club thing.
“Little bits and pieces that we’ve got to help us get to the next level.”
The Panthers, who won knockout finals against Anakie and the Belmont Lions, have no confirmed departures from the team that fell to East Geelong in a preliminary final.
However, Harvey Martin is a question mark as he prepares to tackle triathlons, while veteran quartet Caleb Bacely, Tim Barton, Nick Costello and Dylan Witney are unlikely to make a call on their futures until closer to Christmas.
“When you’re 36, 37, you’ve done enough pre-seasons before Chrissie, so we wouldn’t have been expecting to see them anyway.
“We’ll catch up a little bit later in the year and nut it all out.”
X: @krockfootball
