Sharks hungry for first-up success in strong second-tier league
SOUTHPORT has re-signed 12 of its top-tier players as the Sharks begin building a list to make a run at the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition premiership.
The Sharks will have a group of quality core players at their disposal who are already embedded into the club and know what it takes to succeed at the highest level after spending time in the AFL system.
Among those already committed for 2021 include co-captains Seb Tape and Andrew Boston and their teammates Ryan Davis, Mackenzie Willis, Brodie Murdoch, Connor Nutting, Fraser Thurlow, Matt Shaw, Tom Fields, Brad Scheer, Leigh Osborne and Josh Williams.
Sharks football manager Jarrod Field said the ability of the club to retain the group of players was critical to Southport’s plans for next year.
“We have been able to retain the majority of our A-graders,” Field said. “We are really looking forward to testing ourselves in what will be an extremely tough competition.
“All of those guys have been in the AFL system and understand what is required to play top-level footy and that is what this competition will be.
“It is a great start for us and hopefully we can build on this list and be really competitive in our first season.”
Unfortunately for Southport former Gold Coast Suns player Josh
Hall has injured his ACL and will be unable to play while Jono Beech has opted to return to Adelaide.
Hall played a huge role as a ruckforward in his first season at the Sharks in 2019.
Southport returned to preseason training on Tuesday and will enjoy a slow build-up to the season, set to begin in April.
VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition teams will have lists of 40 players, with 12 of them required to be under the age of 22.