PRODIGAL SUN

TSL club Lauderdale has signed former Gold Coast Sun Jacob Gillbee, but he won’t play tonight against the Tigers. Gillbee, pictured in action for SANFL club Central District, is a former junior Bomber and the son of Hobart great Steve.

LAUDERDALE has added a star reinforcement by signing former Gold Coast Sun Jacob Gillbee but the half forward-wingman will not suit up for tonight’s TSL clash against Tigers.

The former junior Bomber was taken with selection 49 in the 2010 national draft and made six appearances for the Suns between 2011 and 2013.

After being delisted, he moved to South Australia and signed with Central District, before playing with Rostrevor Old Collegians in the South Australian Amateur Football League last year.

The son of Hobart great Steve has returned home and officially put pen to paper with Lauderdale on Wednesday night, but will need a solid training block before taking the field.

His availability would help soften the blow of the extended absence of stars Thor Boscott and captain Bryce Walsh through injury but Tigers coach Trent Baumeler has urged his group to concentrate firmly on the 22 who take the field for the visitors, aware they will be hungry to avoid crashing to a fourth straight defeat.

“We have made a real emphasis this week on changing our language about the way we talk about Lauderdale,” Baumeler said. “We are not so worried about who is not there — obviously that is widely talked about through the media — we are worried about who is there, because there is still some quality.

“[Phil] Bellchambers is a really good player, Josh McGuinness gives them run and carry from the back half and Ben McGuiness, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated players in the comp.”