HAMILTON Kangaroos have their man after securing the signature of former Camperdown ruckman Jack Hickey this week.
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The talented tall moved to Hamilton late last year, prompting the Melville Oval-based club to attempt to lure him across.
“It’s one we’ve been waiting on for a while,” Kangaroos coach Matt Dunn said.
“Jack moved to town probably back in October. He’s obviously had fairly strong ties to Camperdown … (but) we got his signature this week. He’s got a fair bit of ability to play through the ruck (and elsewhere).”
Hickey will be a straight swap for another Jack, with Jack Sutherland leaving Hamilton Kangaroos to study in Ballarat this year.
Dunn said Sutherland had been training with the North Ballarat Roosters in a bid to earn a spot on their VFL list.
Jack Pertzel is also set to return from a broken ankle that saw him miss the second half of last season.
“He’s pretty much back to full training,” Dunn said.
Ex-AFL footballer Adam Campbell, who played 13 games for Fremantle between 2006 and 2009, has returned to his former port at Hamilton.
The six-foot-four key forward made over 100 WAFL apperances and also lined up for Sydney University in the NEAFL.
“He was an assistant coach at Coburg last year. He probably hasn’t played a lot of footy over the last couple of years (but he’ll be right to go),” Dunn said.
Josh Pepper will also make his return to Melville Oval after work commitments took him to Mildura midway through last season.
Dunn said Pepper hasn’t been able to train as much as he would have liked so far this pre-season as he has been carrying an ankle injury, but was optimistic the utility was on track to return to the field for the start of the season.
The recruits will significantly bolster the Kangaroos’ experienced stocks.
Meanwhile, Nick Johnstone, who had crossed from Warrnambool and District Club Allansford to the North Warrnambool Eagles earlier this pre-season, has lodged another transfer to cross to the South West District Football Netball League.
The two-time J.A. Esam Medallist started his career with Heywood, before moving on to South Warrnambool and then Allansford.