By DAVID NAGEL
IS THIS the final piece in the ever evolving puzzle of the South East Football Netball League this season?
Doveton unveiled the second half of its quartet of highly-prized signings on Saturday, with Port Melbourne premiership player Jake Dermott joining another former Borough, Sam Raru, in their debut for the Doves against Pakenham.
Dermott – a versatile key-defender, and Raru – a strong and highly-skilled midfielder, join Frankston ruckman Russell Gabriel and former Hawthorn-tall Jarrad Boumann in a star-studded addition to Robinson Oval.
Dermott, just 23, comes with impeccable credentials; the Sandringham Dragon of 2010 became part of Port Melbourne folklore the following season, joining his father, 211-game club-champion Greg, as a premiership player in the Borough’s drought breaking premiership success.
It was Jake’s fifth game of senior footy for the club and the Borough’s first premiership since 1982.
Jake played the following season with Port, before moving to Frankston in 2013, and played the last two years with the Dolphins alongside Gabriel.
“Jake was our secret weapon today, we only picked him up Thursday,” Doveton coach Shannon Henwood said after his side’s 49-point victory over the Lions.
“He’s good mates with Russ, but due to work commitments he can’t get to training at Port Melbourne.
“He’s played nearly 50 games (43 senior and 21 reserves) at VFL level so, to get him, that’s a massive bonus for the club.”
Raru made one of the more impressive debuts we’ve seen in recent seasons, dominating the Lions’ midfield with a strong-and-aggressive approach at the ball, shrugging off tackles and using his sublime skills to carve up the Lions going forward.
Raru played for the Oakleigh Chargers in 2012 and has shared his time between Port Melbourne and Knox – in the Eastern Football League – for the last two seasons.
Doveton’s recruits continue one of the great injections of talent we’ve seen into this league in a very long time.
Former Hawthorn key-forward, and number-six national draft pick, Beau Dowler, has joined Beaconsfield, while 2014 West Coast Eagle, Ash Smith, is one of a number of new faces to join Berwick at Edwin Flack Reserve.
Ben Kearns, Michael Johnson and Michael Riseley are other talented footballers to join the Wickers, while former St Kilda star Stephen Milne added further excitement with his one-off appearance for Hampton Park against Beaconsfield in Round 2.
And there’s action at the opposite end of the scale as well, with talented juniors Kyle O’Sullivan (Beaconsfield), Matthew Wheeler (Pakenham), and son-of-a-gun Tom Bethune (Tooradin) all making their senior debut on the weekend.
Are there any more pieces to the puzzle?
