NICK PETERS
PREMIERSHIP players Nick Peters and Derick Micallef have walked away from VFL careers with North Ballarat.
The injury-burdened Peters is moving to Western Australia, while Micallef will play with North Ballarat City in the Ballarat Football League.
Selkirk Roosters head coach Gerard FitzGerald said it was disappointing to lose Peters and Micallef.
He said each was in the prime of their football careers and still had a lot to offer at VFL level.
Peters is relocating to Kalgoorlie after an injury-riddled few seasons.
Micallef’s move follows his controversial decision midway through last year to switch his nominated home clubs from Redan to fellow Ballarat Football League team North Ballarat City.
The Roosters recruited Micallef from Redan in 2007, but it was not until 2010 that he established himself in the senior line-up – playing with Peters in a premiership team.
Micallef had been expected to return to Redan when his VFL career was over until his switch.
Redan president Darryl Blomeley expressed shock at the time, saying Micallef’s decision to change BFL clubs had “come out of the blue”.
Despite being disappointed with the move Redan cleared Micallef, who had started at the club as a junior.
Blomeley stated: “We weren’t naive enough to think North Ballarat City wouldn’t put pressure on players when they’re coming back from the VFL. You’d like to think this is an isolated incident. You have to promote young players to the highest level and if you do the right thing they would come back to us.”
Micallef, 26, played 54 senior VFL games – 52 of them in the past three seasons.
Peters, 23, managed 31 senior games with the Roosters.
Like Micallef, 2010 was his break-out year for the North Ballarat Rebels best and fairest when he played 17 senior games.
Originally from Warracknabeal in the Wimmera, he was restricted to just 10 in 2011 and one last year owing to a back-related thigh strain.
He was courted fiercely by Port Adelaide in SANFL ahead of the 2012 season, but was persuaded to stay in Ballarat.
Other departures for North Ballarat include fringe senior utility Chris Lynch, who has been Geelong based.
North Ballarat resumed pre-season training this week and will have its annual training camp at Lorne on February 8-9-10.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au
