West Gippsland Football Netball League Club Warragul Industrials has locked in a swag of esteemed recruits as the club pushes for a finals berth in 2025.
After welcoming Buln Buln premiership coach Bobby McCallum to the fold, the Dusties have welcomed former state leaguers Goy Lok and Brenton Hillard as well Cora Lynn team of the decade player Jeremy Monckton.
Current Frankston VFL-listed pair Noah Gown and Tyson Milne will also call Western Park home, with the former a one-point player having grown up at the club.
After finishing seventh this season, Warragul Industrials is optimistic those players can propel it back into September action.
Footy manager Dylan Smith said there was a common denominator that linked the list additions.
“We’ve targeted connections,” he said.
“We wanted A-Graders – the whole point of getting these guys was to improve our midfield.
“Our midfield got destroyed last year, we had kids running through there who held there own but we needed some stronger players through there.
“We want speed and strength – we feel like we’ve added some really good experience.
“Brenton has class and IQ, Jez is quick and exactly what we need and will complement (Michael Debenham) well.”
Debenham, a key pillar and beating heart of the Dusties midfield since 2021, will play a full season next year after missing the second half of 2024 due to travel.
Lok is close to fellow Dusty Quiy Jiath and knows Smith, Gown was keen to return home and brought Milne with him and Hillard and Monckton are best mates who live nearby.
A hard working and exciting midfielder with state level experience at Sandringham, Casey, Frankston and SANFL club Norwood, Lok has done off-field mentorship work for those clubs during that time.
The Dusties have a junior academy which has grown its long struggling junior participation into a thriving club, and discussions are taking place about getting Lok involved.
Those midfielders will be fed in the ruck by McCallum, who will be a playing coach for the club, and Malual Aleer who was a raw developing big man for Gippsland Power in the Coates League this season.
The acquisitions have been necessary to offset the losses of Mason McGarrity, Kyle Beveridge, Shane Brewster and Lachlan Bambridge, who were all key contributors this season.
The club is set to be put on the map by Alixzander Tauru next week, a Dusties junior who is certain to be selected in the top 10 of the AFL National Draft held on Wednesday 20 November.
But the club has other youngsters coming through it is keen to see get a chance at either senior level or for the Power in the coming years.
Tough inside bull Regan Awty played nine senior games and was named in the best players six times, with the club hopeful the 17-year-old could play for Gippsland next year.
16-year-old midfielder Cody Templeton played seven senior games, captained Vic Country’s under-16s and got a taste of Coates League footy in 2024, which the natural leader is set to use as a launchpad for a big 2025.
15-year-old Cohen Dent is a skilful key-position player who already exceeds 200cm and will be seeking selection for Vic Country in the under-16s national championships next year.
