The hot stove season of rapid-fire player movement is well and truly in motion across district football and netball competitions, with Goulburn Valley League clubs starting to call in reinforcements from elsewhere to bolster their 2025 rosters.
Those faces come in forms old and new, with Kyabram appointing a player for his second stint at the Bombers.
Sam Vick makes the short trip west from Kyabram District League powerhouse Lancaster, where he won two consecutive premierships and played under Corey Carver previously.
Vick understands what a winning culture looks like in the red and black as well, having played a role in Kyabram’s dynastic years through the mid-2010s and earned premiership player status there as well.
Joining him in returning to the club is Mitch Gugliotti, who arrives back at his club of junior origin from Tongala in Murray Football League.
Co-coach Carver made no bones about it: Kyabram’s recruiting onus is by the town, for the town — and it’s working so far.
“We’ve wanted to recruit Kyabram people back to our club who have been playing at other clubs,” Carver said.
“We’ve got more guys who will come soon and they’re locals as well, so it’s been a strategy to bring Kyabram people back on board.
“It’s one of those culture things. We want to provide a culture of being inclusive and we want our families back playing with us.
“Sam’s coming in to give major league footy a go. He’s looking for a change personally and wanted to have a go at a big league and I know him very well having coached him at Lancaster.
“Mitch really wanted to come back and I know him and his family well, but haven’t coached him before. He’s at the right age coming back a more mature player who can play a role in the forward line or on-ball.”
The Bombers did indeed have more local names coming, with further news breaking Wednesday afternoon of Billy McLay’s return to the club after a year alongside Gugliotti at Tongala.
McLay is more than acquainted with these surroundings, already opening the batting for the Redbacks in the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield.
Kyabram has made its first moves, but so too have top-six hopefuls Shepparton United and Mansfield.
The Demons have welcomed former Murray Bushrangers captain Kade Chalcraft into the fold at Deakin Reserve for 2025, having spent time in Geelong’s VFL program since graduating locally through the Coates Talent League.
Chalcraft came up through United’s junior ranks and earned a handful of senior caps during his Bushrangers days, marking another homecoming to the region’s premier division.
That surname should ring a bell to those familiar with United as well; Kade is the brother of Jye, who has impressed and then some in the WAFL— finishing equal-seventh in the 2024 Sandover Medal.
Lastly, Mansfield has looked to reinforce its midfield-forward connection with the signing of hybrid player Mitch Lewis.
Lewis has racked up the suburban experience, playing in Melbourne’s South East and Eastern football leagues before spending the past two years at Sunbury in the Ballarat competition, with handy experience at Casey and Port Melbourne in the VFL as well.
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