Hampden league players commit to NEAFL move, others considering playing for Redland too

Warrnambool midfielder Darcy Graham and Camperdown captain Sam Cunnington will shift to Queensland, eager to test themselves in the state league.

Koroit premiership player Blair McCutcheon and Port Fairy onballer Kaine Mercovich are considering joining Redland too.

Cunnington, McCutcheon and Mercovich confirmed to The Standard they would visit Queensland in December.

Another Hampden league talent is also contemplating joining Redland.

Carse spent four years at Camperdown.

He led the Magpies to the 2018 grand final before signing on to coach his former club Redland.

Warrnambool coach Matt O’Brien said Graham, who finished second in the 2018 Maskell Medal, had the attributes to succeed in a state league competition.

“It is bittersweet. He’s a terrific player for us but it’s a great opportunity for him and he’s moving on to challenge himself at a higher level and you just have to wish them all the best when they’re doing that,” he said.

“His skills are good, he gets his own footy so that will be a real advantage for him and he’s got that huge tank, magnificent endurance so that will be an advantage as well.

“He’s a mature body, so he can get knocked around so that will help him at a higher level.”

O’Brien said the Blues, who will start pre-season training on Monday night at Reid Oval, had the midfield depth to cover Graham with premiership player Damien McCorkell returning to the club in 2019.

“He was away overseas all of this year but he did his ankle badly quite early last year so he’s really had two seasons off,’ he said. “He’s strong, a good decision-maker, terrific tackler.”

Cunnington, 24, said his decision was based on timing.

“My story is a little bit different to the others,” he said.

“I was planning on moving up that way about midway through the year, I have always had the idea in my head of moving up to Queensland.

“Midway through the year I thought ‘why not?’. I kept things pretty close to my chest.

“I had an idea this could potentially be my last year at Camperdown for a little while and on the Monday after the grand final when ‘Carsey’ announced he was going up to Redland, it wasn’t until then I congratulated him and told him my plans.

“He invited me to come up and train with Redland.

“Phil has explained if we don’t get picked in the senior Redland team (each week) that they’ve got affiliated teams in the QAFL that we’ll play with.”

But Cunnington said it would take hard work to make the final cut at the NEAFL club.

“All my plans are pointing towards playing with them and if ‘Carsey’ picks me in the final squad that’s where I’ll play and if not, I will play somewhere up that way anyway,” he said.

Cunnington said Redland was searching for players in their early to mid-20s such as Graham, McCutcheon and Mercovich.

“They’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of up-and-coming players and I guess the players ‘Carsey’ has targetted are very good,” he said.

The former Cobden skipper said he was excited to play a different style of football. “There’s a few wet-weather footy games that you don’t exactly get too excited about down this way so it will be a good change of lifestyle as well as football standard,” he said.

“It will be a really tough challenge and I know I have to do everything right, dot the Is and cross the Ts, to get a look in and so far that’s what myself and the others are doing.”

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