Recruiting set to pay dividends
SOUTH Barwon shapes as a GCA1 premiership dark horse, according to injured East Belmont premiership captain Sean O’Neill.
The Swans have been busy in the off-season, landing a raft of promising recruits in a move O’Neill believes will lift the side back into the finals frame.
English import Ryan Gibson has crossed from Newtown & Chilwell, star allrounder Jayden Hicks has moved from GCA3 outfit Thomson and Kyle Bienefelt has returned after a season at Geelong.
South Barwon has also netted respected mentor Bill Dixon as coach, joining stalwart Damian Gorman at the helm.
“You could argue that South Barwon has been the most active in the recruitment space,” O’Neill said.
“Gibbo is back, they’ve landed Hicksy and Bienefelt and got Bill Dixon in the fold and he’s a good operator. They will get a full year out of (Terry Hill), who missed three-quarters of last season through injury. So I’d imagine they will be up there.”
North Geelong has also been busy in the winter following a disappointing 2018-19.
With no departures to speak of, the Magpies have added the class of Brayden McGregor from Premier club Carlton, Alistair McCann from Moama and Craig Biddiscombe from St Joseph’s.
All-rounder Mitch Troy returns after a stint as captaincoach of BPCA club Winchelsea, veteran batsman Damian Vassiliou is also back and Cam Alford slots into the first XI after a long injury lay-off.
“North Geelong have the recruit of the off-season in McGregor, just going by stats alone. From all reports he’s a really good player,” O’Neill said.