By Lachlan Onions
There is a buzz around the Penola Football Club after the Eagles announced they are bringing the band back together with three ex-Penola footballers set to join the club next year.
Tom Williams, Brodie Foster and Jordan Galpin will all return to the nest in 2023 to don the Penola colours after the trio spent stints elsewhere across the South East.
Penola coach Brad Maney spoke to The Penola Pennant last week and was excited to have these players join the Eagles next season.
“It is pleasing to know that these players want to come back and want to excel in the KNTFL,” he said.
“In the conversations I have had with these three blokes, they didn’t look at the last two seasons too harshly – they understood what we have been trying to build.”
Foster, Galpin and Williams will bring some much-needed experience to the young Eagles side with almost 750 games of football between them and Maney said their experience will have a “huge” impact.
“It cannot be underestimated, realistically all three of the players play in a different part of the ground and you cannot have enough leaders across the ground,” Maney said.
“That is something we have definitely lacked, particularly with injuries this year, it really hurt us.
“Their leadership on the training track is going to be really important and that is probably where I think these three excel – their ability to train hard and lead out on the training track.”
Foster will be a marquee player for the Eagles and brings a wealth of experience, while his ability in front of goal will be a much-needed boost.
The former South Gambier and Glencoe player has played 299 games, 110 of them for Penola and kicked 626 goals, 242 of which were in the blue and white.
He will line-up for Maney’s side off the back of an impressive 2022, where he kicked 39 goals in 16 games for the Demons side that claimed this year’s Western Border Football League minor premiership and made the grand final.
A standout season for Foster was in 2019, when he helped lead Glencoe to the Mid South Eastern grand final with 118 goals for the campaign.
Williams returns to McCorquindale Park after stints in the Western Border and Mid South Eastern Football Leagues.
He has played 191 games and was a member of the Kalangadoo side which claimed the 2022 premiership.
Galpin brings 255 games of experience with 197 coming in Penola colours.
He has kicked 189 goals in his career and was a key member of the Hatherleigh side which made the Mid South Eastern grand final this season.
Maney said everyone within the squad is really excited to have these players return to an up-and-coming Penola side.
“Our younger group have seen these players win premierships at the club before, so they understand that their way is a winning way,” Maney said.
“They are going to buy into that knowing these guys have won the KNT before and follow their lead.
These three players will bring a boost to the areas on the ground where the Eagles where at their weakest in 2022.
“I think the two main weaknesses were in the forward line and in-and-under midfielders – Tom and Jordy both bring that in-and-under midfielder aspect and Tom can probably float back as well,” Maney said.
Foster will address the weakness in the forward line and Maney said the former Demon is a proven footballer in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League and is a huge asset for the side.
