Aaron Black eager to reunite with Ben Cunnington at Warrnambool

The 32-year-old key forward, who played 57 games with North Melbourne and Geelong between 2011 and 2018, committed to the Blues last week, joining close friend and former AFL star Ben Cunnington at the Hampden league outfit.

The duo has remained close after being drafted to the Kangaroos together in 2009 but hasn't played together since round 16 of the 2015 season - Black's final year at Arden Street before departing for Geelong.

Black, who had a season off football this year after a stint with Bellarine club Modewarre in 2022, said the plan to join Cunnington had been in the making for some time.

The Geelong VFL operations manager also had a strong connection with Blues coach Dan O'Keefe, whom he'd remained in touch with after playing VFL for the Cats where O'Keefe was an assistant coach in 2019.

"'Cunners' and I caught up mid year," Black told The Standard.

"He came around to my house, it was when he was playing in the VFL and playing at Geelong against them (the Cats). He came around before that and was having a chat and he mentioned that he was probably going to finish up and move back home and then hit up a club down there.

"So straight away I was thinking of DOK (O'Keefe), so I was like just pushing him towards DOK and I just said 'mate wherever you sign I'll come onboard with you'. DOK was the only one who knew that."

Black confirmed his VFL role would be his "number one" priority during the season but expects to be available for around half the season.

"It could be as low as six (games) but it could be as high as 12 sort of thing," he said.

The Torquay-based former Kangaroo and Cat is excited to pull on the boots again after a year away.

He kicked 24 goals in 11 games for Modewarre in 2022 but sat out this year due to burn out from juggling playing commitments, his VFL role and previous job as an AFLW assistant coach with the Cats.

"I thought 'you're a long time retired so I might as well'," Black said of his decision to return to football.

"And the opportunity to play with Cunners again was a big driver as well. I'm looking forward to it, see how long my body can hold up."

Black has suffered his fair share of injuries during his career but said his body was feeling "fresh" after training for the past couple of months.

He played at both ends of the ground during his 57 AFL games and 100-plus VFL appearances but anticipates he will start in the forward line for the Blues.

"Honestly wherever DOK needs me to play I'm happy to do it," he said.

"And I guess the beauty of it, if you can't get a kick at one end go to the other and try your luck there."

The Blues are aiming to surge up the ladder in 2024 after an underwhelming eighth-placed finish in O'Keefe's first year at the helm.

The club has been busy recruiting, already adding Austin Steere (Uni Blacks) and Taylem Wason (Russells Creek) to its list alongside Cunnington and Black.

"I reckon that's exciting as opposed to coming into a team that's sitting at the top," Black said of joining the eighth-placed team.

"It's something that we can hopefully build on. I know we've recruited pretty well some other players as well.

"(We) finished eighth but pretty close to finals anyway. It's not like right down the bottom so they've got a good group there.

"With my role I have a few players in the Hampden league as well that we keep track of, so I'm across the Hampden league as well."

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