DEPARTING LIONS UPDATE

The Coburg Football Club wishes to advise its members of recent changes to its Men’s playing list as the club prepares for the 2022 VFL season.

Whilst many players have re-committed to the club as per the recent and frequent social media posts that have promoted those stories, there are also players that won’t be with the club in 2022 and the club wishes to thank those players for their service, commitment and efforts whilst they were part of the Coburg Football Club playing group.

Headlining the list of departing players are both of our 2018 joint Jim Sullivan Medallists Marcus Lentini and Lochie Dickson.   

Lentini leaves with 46 games and as a three time VFL team of the year player and Dickson with 44 games and both leave Coburg FC to begin a new chapter in their football careers and they leave with our best wishes and aware that they’ll always be much loved, welcomed, and respected members of our club.

When asked about the departing players, Coburg FC General Manager Sebastian Spagnuolo said: “The VFL and its requirements can definitely challenge semi-professional players to compete against full time AFL players both physically and mentally, the requirements and standards are a step up for most players when comparing to anything they’ve done prior, so any player that makes a VFL list can hold their head up high that they’ve been rewarded for their hard work, commitment to getting better and ambition to play at the highest level possible.

So, at the other end when players leave our club, it’s always sad to say goodbye to young men that move on regardless of the reason, but with the players departing our club this year, each of them has shown great commitment at a really tough time with the way that the 2020 and 2021 seasons have gone from a covid, lockdown and week to week uncertainty point of view.

For some players it was their decision to depart the Coburg Football Club, which we respect and support, for others, the club has had to make some really tough decisions in the interests of the club’s ongoing list improvement and development needs.

We thank each departing player and their families for being part of our club and each player will always be welcome back.”

The following players will not be contracted for 2022 (number of total club games in brackets):

Lochlan Dickson (44), Athan Tsialtas (2), Dinny Cleary (2), Tye Browning (5), Jackson McDonald (24), Nelson Lane (0), Tyson Old (5), Sam Binion (21), Nathan Mullenger-McHugh (10), Jackson Davies (2), Bailey Thompson (0), Josh Guthrie (34), Sam Clohesy (0), Marcus Lentini (46) and Kyle Galloway (2).

We wish all departing players and their families all the very best and thank them for being part of the Coburg Football Club.

The club will make new player signing announcements in the coming weeks.

#WeAreCoburg