Coburg Football Club are delighted to have secured a few more signings ahead of the 2018 season, consisting of Peel Thunder duo Damon Cramer & Lachlan Mitchell, as well as Adam Swierzbiolek from Waverley Blues in the Eastern Football League.
Damon Cramer is a medium forward who made his WAFL League debut for Peel Thunder in 2017, managing six games with the Fremantle Dockers aligned side. He managed to make the WAFL Colts (under 19’s) team of the year and represented Western Australia at the 2017 Under 18 National Championships. Standing at 192cm and only 70kgs, he may lack in size however boasts strong hands and good decision-making abilities.
Upon finalising his contract, Coburg GM Sebastian Spagnuolo was delighted to have secured the services of the Rockingham product for season 2018.
“Damon was considering moving to Melbourne for the 2017 season but stayed in WA instead, from there we continued to monitor him and he had a fantastic WAFL colts season as a forward”
“As much as we could, we tracked Damon throughout the 2017 year and once he missed out on getting drafted, we touched base to see if he was moving over to Melbourne in 2018, which he was.”
“Damon had some AFL interest in 2017 and given he was already moving over to Melbourne to live with a family member. We are more than happy to continue on with his football development. We definitely don’t feel that a player that played for his state at under 18 level in 2017 should only be playing local football so we’ve offered him an opportunity to develop further in our environment.”
Having moved to Melbourne in the new year, Cramer cannot wait to see what 2018 brings.
“I’m mostly just looking forward to the challenge of playing in a more physical competiton compared to the WAFL, which I think will help me develop parts of my game that I think needs some work. Playing against AFL listed players most weeks will be an awesome challenge as well,” said Cramer.
Lachlan Mitchell won the Peel Thunder Colts Best & Fairest in 2017, and represented Western Australia at the 2017 championships. The 182cm midfielder boasts outstanding levels of endurance and a strong overall athletic ability, and is a composed user by foot. He was close to making a WAFL debut in 2017, however was held out due to the Dockers alignment.
Spagnuolo was also pleased to have secured the signature of another youngster from Rockingham for 2018.
“Lachie is coming over with Damon from WA and they will be living with eachother locally. He also had a fantastic year at Colts level in 2017 and will be looking to get some VFL football in 2018. He’s a hard worker who’s definitely up for the challenge”
Mitchell is also excited to see what 2018 brings having also made the trip from across the Nullarbor.
“I’m excited to sign on with Coburg and get stuck into it over here, meeting the boys and all. But I’m also keen to see what the footy is like here and the similarities and differences to the footy back in WA, plus the chance to play against AFL Aligned clubs most weeks is exciting, but is also a good challenge,” said Mitchell.
Coburg continue to recruit from the Eastern Football League competition with the signing of Adam Swierzbiolek, also joining the club for 2018 from Waverley Blues. Coming from a Soccer background and having only beginning his football in 2013, Swierzbiolek had a breakout year in Division Two of the EFL where he managed to be named in the best 11 times from eighteen games, and finishing second in his club’s Best & Fairest. A Ruckman with strong hands, he can play at either end of the ground. When not selected for Coburg, he will also play with East Ringwood.
Spagnuolo has been delighted with the way the 198cm big man has been fairing this preseason and is looking forward to see him progressing throughout the season.
“He deserves alot of credit for his own short term transformation really. From where he was on day 1 of preseason to where he is right now is testament to the hard work and effort that he’s put in. Adam knew that he’d be jumping into the program a little behind the 8 ball, so has been doing extras before and after training sessions regardless of the temperature, such was his determination to earn a spot on our list. As a club we believe that when he gets his opportunity, at 198cm and 100kg, he’s a player that has the right physical attributes to hold him in great stead for the future“
Having been training hard since November, Swierzbiolek is looking forward to the challenges of the VFL & further improving himself. ” I’m looking forward to learning off Tom Goodwin, & the coaching staff, as well as playing the best footy I can wherever that takes me,” he said.
Welcome all three to the club!
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