Warrnambool has added another high-profile name to its off-season recruiting spree, signing a former AFL key position player for the 2024 Hampden league season.
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Aaron Black, who kicked 69 goals from 57 games with North Melbourne and Geelong between 2011 and 2018, will line up for Dan O'Keefe's side next year after putting pen to paper on Friday.
The 32-year-old swingman, fresh from a year's break from football, joins ex-North Melbourne star Ben Cunnington, Austin Steere (Uni Blacks) and Taylem Wason (Russells Creek) as the Blues' additions so far.
O'Keefe was thrilled to have Black commit as his side aims to rise up the ladder in 2024.
"He's fresh and he's really excited to jump on board," he told The Standard.
"He's really excited. He said he's already started training which is great."
The Blues mentor said Black's role as the VFL operations manger at Geelong was a priority for him however is hopeful the former Kangaroos goal-kicker will be available "for at least half a season".
Black's signing came about through his connections with Cunnington as well as O'Keefe.
"He's really close mates with Ben Cunnington, so that's great but in 2019 I also coached him, I did a little one-year stint at the Geelong Cats in the VFL," he said.
"He had just finished up in the AFL but stayed on in the VFL that year. I had a fair bit to do with Blacky that year and have remained pretty good mates since that. And with Ben coming on board as well it became a bit of a no-brainer for him."
O'Keefe expects Black to occupy a spot in the forward line for the Blues.
"He'll probably play sort of a key forward, full-forward role for us," he said.
"He's a beautiful mark and he's a beautiful kick as well which is a nice acquisition to compliment what I think is a really quality midfield. Hopefully we can get the ball down to him."
Black played 100-plus games at VFL level with North Ballarat, Werribee and Geelong before retiring in 2021 as captain of the Cats' reserves outfit.
He played a season with Bellarine football league outfit Modewarre in 2022 before having a year off.
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Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
