Dylan Gunning
PORT Fairy’s quest to climb the Hampden Football Netball League ladder is gathering momentum with the signing of two quality recruits.
The Seagulls, which failed to win a game last season, have signed Dylan Gunning from Geelong Football League club St Joseph’s and Sam Anson from Portland.
Both players were regular senior team members at their former clubs, with Anson a lively midfielder and Gunning a solidly built half-back/wingman. They join new playing coach and former Glenelg key defender Sam Rudolph as key recruits.
Originally from Hamilton, Gunning was among St Joseph’s best players in its preliminary final loss last year under former Melbourne player Russell Robertson.
The 23-year-old said the move to Port Fairy after a year in Geelong had come about through work opportunities.
“I am a builder and it was a bit of a struggle to find work in Geelong,” Gunning said.
“My dad is good mates with Mick Hearn, so I have a job with Mick which I started this week.
“Port Fairy seems like a nice place and I’m looking forward to the footy. The grounds are a bit bigger down here than in Geelong so it might be more open — in Geelong it was a lot of contested footy.”
The arrival of Gunning and Anson is exciting news for Rudolph, who has been training the team for the past two weeks since moving from Adelaide.
Rudolph said the pair were just the types of players Port Fairy had on its wish-list.
“They are both senior, major league players who have experience and also the bigger, stronger bodies we need,” Rudolph said.
“I have been really pleased with the way all the guys have trained, they have all come back from the break in good shape and training has been good.”
The Seagulls are training Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. As well as traditional training drills at the Gardens Oval, the Seagulls have also trained on the beach and at Griffiths Island.
MOYNE GAZETTE