EAGLES IN TALKS WITH PREMIERSHIP CAT

NEWTOWN & Chilwell has confirmed its interest in former Geelong ruckman Mark Blake.

Eagles coach Damien McMahon revealed he had spoken to Blake, a 2009 premiership player with the Cats, about joining the club next season.

But Blake, who played 99 games with Geelong from 2004 to 2011, is yet to commit to playing football next season.

“We’ve been talking to him, but he’s certainly not on our list,” McMahon said yesterday.

“I haven’t spoken to him for a while, so I don’t know where it’s at. I don’t believe he has signed anywhere, but I know he’s looking.”

Asked if he was a chance to line-up in Eagles’ colours next season, McMahon quipped: “I don’t know”.

Blake would help bolster Newtown’s ruck stocks, with former Geelong big man Padraig Lucey opting to return home to Ireland.

McMahon revealed the club would unveil a “number” of recruits in the coming days, but it is unclear if Blake will be one of them.

The Eagles have lured for- mer Geelong Falcon Luke Maddock, who put pen to paper on Friday.

“He’s been in WA for the last two years and he’s signed with us,” McMahon said.

“He will be joining us next week. He’s a tall defender, played two years at the Geelong Falcons, went to Werribee for a season and then relocated to Western Australia with his best mate Jye Bolton.

“He spent the last two seasons at Claremont as a key defender. He played no senior games but was a consistent reserves performer in a strong club.

“He’s a mature age and he’s ready to play a role for us.”

Joining Lucey on the departures list will be Tim Horan, who has returned to his former club Cobden in the Hampden Football League, while Coby Grant has crossed to Modewarre. Meanwhile, McMahon rubbished speculation star forward Jai Sheahan was headed for Cobden.

“He talked about it, but no, he’s not going,” McMahon said of Sheahan.

“He’s best mates with Paul Hinkley, who is one of the coaches down there, and they travelled overseas together at the back end of last year, but he’s not leaving.”