PORT Fairy’s Jack Hollmer is relishing more time in the midfield.
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The 30-year-old had a slightly delayed start to the season as he worked his way back from major shoulder surgery, but now he and his adopted Hampden league club are reaping the benefits of his consistent form.
He was eased back into footy starting deep forward and recently returned to the midfield, where he has starred, earning best on ground honours in Port Fairy’s wins over Koroit and Camperdown the past fortnight.
“It took probably four or five matches to get match fitness back up with the interrupted pre-season and no practice matches,” Hollmer said.
“Then the last few weeks I’ve been playing up in the middle (and getting more of the ball).”
Hollmer says a favourable run home has the Seagulls – who have cracked into the top five – in a good position to make finals again, particularly with recent wins over Koroit and Warrnambool.
“It’s good to know we can match it with the top sides,” he said.
“I think we match up really well on Warrnambool – we beat them there (at Reid Oval) last year as well.
“We hadn’t beaten Koroit in 11 years (before the other week).
“We weren’t too far off North Warrnambool up until three-quarter-time and then Koroit beat them last week.
“We know we’re thereabouts as well.”
Hollmer said, while Koroit still has players to come back, from what he had seen of the teams, the Eagles are the ones to beat this season.
The former VFL footballer retired from Geelong – where he was games record holder – at the end of last season after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury sustained during the 2015 pre-season while playing for NTFL club Wanderers.
He is still based in Geelong and trains at Torquay – where good mate and former Cats teammate Dom Gleeson is coach – but has been playing at Port Fairy since 2014 when not required at VFL level.
This season, he has switched his focus to playing for the Seagulls full-time and it is a move he says he hasn’t regretted one bit.
“I’ve loved it,” Hollmer said.
“It’s a bit less pressure than VFL, and I love coming down there to play.
“I’m having a ball at the moment.
“Hopefully we get a win (Saturday) and I reckon if we win (at least) two of the next four, we should be right for finals.”
Port Fairy coach Brett Evans said Hollmer’s return to form mirrored that of his team, which has turned around a 1-5 start to sit fifth on the ladder with a 7-7 win-loss record.
“He’s been a big part of that – especially the last month he’s been very good,” Evans said.
“He’s covering a lot of ground and taking a lot of marks. He goes through the midfield, but he works really hard to help out defence.”