With the 2022 VFL season drawing to a close, the Coburg Football Club is now in the position to provide club members with a Mens playing list update.
Co-Captain Peter McEvoy announced his VFL retirement in the leadup to round 21 and finished his Coburg career on 92 VFL games and 121 VFL goals. Read about McEvoy’s retirement, announced in August here: https://coburgfc.com.au/2022/08/12/lions-leader-calls-time-on-vfl-career/
Peter McEvoy, warming up vs Southport, round 22, 2022.
Following the round 22 loss to Southport, Corey Ellis also announced his VFL retirement following his two seasons with Coburg in 2020 and 2021 following his AFL career with Richmond and Gold Coast. Ellis played 18 games and kicked 3 goals for Coburg and battled ongoing ankle injury in his two seasons with the Lions. Ellis was asked for comment and said “Now that footy isn’t my career and whole life, I just felt like it was the right time to step away from professional footy and be able to pursue and enjoy the things I haven’t been able to,” he said.
Ellis added “Looking back on my time, it was such an enjoyable couple of years, and I will look back on it very fondly, as I take with me some great memories. I have no doubt the club will find the success it deserves in the coming years.”
Corey Ellis vs Geelong, round 19, 2022
Fan favourite and Lions star forward of the club since 2017, Sam Lowson has chosen to explore other VFL opportunities and departs the club a 55 game player for the club, kicking 77 goals for the club also. The Coburg Football Club is supportive of Sam’s request to pursue other football opportunities and wishes him all the very best for the next stage of his football journey. When asked for comment on his departure from the Lions, Lowson said “I am forever grateful to Coburg, to my teammates and to the club members who have always supported me. I am sad to be closing this chapter of my football journey but I intend on continuing to follow the fortunes of the club and wish the club nothing but the best wishes.”
Sam Lowson with a tackle against Southport in round 22, 2022.
Leadership group member Jack Maibaum will also be departing the Lions with a move to Western Australia on the cards for Jack and his partner Chloe. Maibaum was second in the club’s 2021 Best and Fairest and was the VFL Team of the Year Centre Half Back in the same year. In 2022 Jack is likely to again feature highly in the club’s Best and Fairest and has once again been named as the Centre Half Back in the VFL’s team of the year. Maibaum said “I am sad to be moving on from Coburg, the move is more of a lifestyle one than a football one and I am excited to begin a new life chapter for myself and my partner in Western Australia. I will forever be appreciative of everything that Coburg and its people have done for me and I have found the love for football again whilst at Coburg. I look forward to following the progress of the club and I believe in the direction that the club is headed in.”
Jack Maibaum vs Werribee, round 16, 2022
The following players have also departed Piranha Park at the conclusion of the 2022 VFL season.
Adam Swierzbiolek (39 Coburg FC games), Daniel Guccione (1), Ben Overman (4), Dylan Thomas (6), Bailey Ryan (0), Liam Whelan (9), Riley Mason (0), Nathan Howard (2) and Macgregor Cameron (0).
Coburg Football Club CEO Sebastian Spagnuolo said of these list changes “We thank all departing players for their dedication, hard work and commitment to the club during their time with us. The club won’t be the same with core senior players like Peter McEvoy, Sam Lowson, Jack Maibaum and Corey Ellis departing but we are supportive of each of them and their reasons for moving on from Coburg.
Even though Adam (Swierzbiolek), Daniel (Guccione), Dylan (Thomas), Ben (Overman), Bailey (Ryan), Riley (Mason), Nathan (Howard) and Macgregor (Cameron) didn’t get to have long and distinguished careers at Coburg, we also thank them for their efforts in trying to get the best out of themselves and wish them well for their football futures and also life away from football.
Liam Whelan is also a player that we wish to single out as he’s someone that has unfortunately suffered his fair share of injury but even though he’s had those challenges he always put the club first whilst he was at Coburg and we’ll forever be grateful for the care and respect that he showed towards the club.”
Stay tuned to the club’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as more list change announcements are made.
