NEWTOWN & Chilwell has secured the signature of highly sought-after Footscray VFL premiership player Liam Nash.
Eagles coach Damien McMahon confirmed the 27-year-old put pen to paper ahead of last weekend’s training camp at Anglesea.
The 28-year-old played 69 VFL games with the Bulldogs across five seasons and was vice-captain of the 2016 flag-winning team.
A Gippsland product, he spent the last two years with Mirboo North.
“He’s living in Torquay – lots of clubs pursued him,” McMahon said. “We’re really fortunate he chose us to come and train with for a few sessions.
“He comes with great leadership.
“We were linked to him through one of our players indirectly. We got the tipoff he was coming down, and we got in pretty early and were fortunate enough to get him across the line.
“He trained with us for six weeks before he made a decision to join us.”
Nash is one of five off-season additions at Elderslie Reserve, including Grovedale young gun Flynn Young, who is also on Werribee’s VFL list.
The former Geelong Falcon, who led the Tigers goalkicking with 31 majors after arriving at Burdoo Reserve from Barwon Heads, spent three seasons at the underage level with Newtown & Chilwell between 2017-19.
“He’s a guy we’ve kept a close eye on,” McMahon said. “We were disappointed that he ended up at Grovedale last year.
“As it’s turned out, he’s made the decision to come and join us.
“We’re pretty confident he’ll play some VFL football after debuting (in the) last game of the year last year.
“We’re a team that’s chasing more goals, and he’s a noted goalkicker.”
Experienced defender Nelson Browne is back at the club after spending 2022 playing in Cairns, Andrew Crosbie has landed from Goulburn Valley club Euroa, and Ryan Eyers is the latest arrival from Ovens and Murray club Corowa-Rutherglen after joining Geelong’s VFL squad.
200cm Eyers won the best-and-fairest at Talent League club Murray Bushrangers.
“He was a player that everyone thought might get picked up as a Category B rookie at GWS but it didn’t pan out for him,” McMahon said.
“He’s down here studying at Deakin and on the Cats’ list.
“He could play ruck – he probably sees himself as a back. I know the Cats are training him up as a back at the moment.
“He played on Jeremy Cameron at match sim in the AFL program the last couple of weeks.
“He’s a player that could play centre half-back for us, centre half-forward, and probably pinch-hit in the ruck if required.”
However, Angus McKay has chosen not to return to the Eagles, instead signing with arch-rival St Joseph’s.
Recruited to the club ahead of the 2021 season, the West Australian suffered a ruptured ACL in a practice match.
He returned to action with Murray League club Deniliquin late last year while posted to the Riverina as part of his course at Marcus Oldham.
“We stayed in contact with him constantly, but he’s ended up at St Joeys, which is a shock to us,” McMahon said.
“We probably missed one there; we would have loved to have him.”
Newtown & Chilwell will face Ballarat league club Sebastapol, GFNL rivals Geelong West and VAFA powerhouse Uni Blues in practice match action before hosting the Giants in Round 1.
Twitter: @krockfootball
