Tara Murray
The Sunbury Kangaroos have received a big boost with Rhys Magin signing for the Essendon District Football League division 2 season.
After being one of the quieter teams in terms of player signings this off season, the Kangaroos announced that they had signed the former AFL player as a playing assistant coach.
Magin, who played four games for Essendon, has been one of the premier players in the Bendigo Football League since joining Kyneton in 2015.
He won four club best and fairests while at the Tigers. Last year he kicked 75 goals and finished fourth in the league best and fairest.
New Kangaroos coach Shanon Carroll said he was still buzzing after Magin put pen to paper.
“It’s not often players like that come along,” he said. “There were a couple of little whispers around the track.
“It was about finding someone who had his phone number and it went from there. He was looking for a fresh start.”
Carroll said they would look to use Magin’s experience as a player and as coach, but were wary of not overloading him.
They said one of his biggest assets would be his voice and helping guide the playing group.
“We want him to be free to play his own game,” he said.
“If he could replicate something like he did at Kyneton last year, we’ll be on the right track.
“He’ll play a mid-forward role similar to what he was playing at Kyneton. We have a very young but quick list, his experience will be vital.”
The Kangaroos have also signed Jack Vivian from Moonee Valley, plus the four Treweek brothers from Riddell and the Sunbury Lions.
Carroll said they were hoping the signing of Magin might lead to a few more players signing on who they were talking to.
Carroll said Vivian is set to play a high forward role, while the Treweek’s would stablise the backline and free some other players up.
The Kangaroos have also been boosted by a number of players who had set to retire, deciding to pull back on the boots this season.
Premiership captain Daniel Gregory has retired, while Tie Cuffe is currently living in Queensland and is unlikely to play this season.
Forwards Nathan Carroll and Cooper Mcpharlane have crossed to Roxburgh Park, with Carroll saying they believed they had covered the departure of those two players.
Carroll said for him, the most exciting thing had been working with the talented group of players who had come up from the under-18s.
“That is the biggest thing to put a smile on my face,” he said. “They’re keen to learn and are wanting to do more running.
“They’ve been playing a bit under duress the last 18 months with the number of injuries and filling holes.”
The Kangaroos will start their season on April 15 against Burnside Heights.
