TRISTAN Cartledge has walked out on North Ballarat City on the eve of the Ballarat Football League season.
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The star ruckman will play for St Bernard’s in the Victorian Amateur Football Association this year, after accepting what North City coach Rob Waters described as an offer that was “too good to refuse”.
Cartledge informed North City of his decision at the weekend after being poached by the club he trained with last year.
Waters believed his club could have fought tooth and nail to retain the ruckman, but instead decided to release him in his best interests.
“We don’t want to force him to stay against his wishes, we aren’t about that,” Waters said.
“Family and work come first and this is what’s best for Tristan. He goes with our blessing.”
Cartledge’s departure just one month before the start of the season leaves the reigning premiers desperately in need of a ruckman.
With no obvious replacements on the horizon for the 2015 season, Waters said he would most likely have to rotate a number of part-timers through the position.
Backup big man Josh McDermott, who filled in for the 2013 finals series and won a flag with the black and white, has already moved to Beaufort in the Central Highlands Football League.
“I imagine it’s too late to find anyone else, but I’ll be walking the streets looking for somebody tall,” Waters said.
“We’ve had other guys who have had a go at the ruck, whether it be Hobbsy (full back Ryan Hobbs), Ryan Luke, Brendan Howard, Marcus Darmody – they’ve all had a crack before.
“It’s tough for us, especially at this time of the year, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
Cartledge first came to North City for the 2012 season after stints at two AFL clubs.
He played seven matches for Essendon between 2002-2007, before going on to play two games for Richmond in 2008.
Waters said Cartledge had trained midweek with St Bernard’s last year while living in Melbourne, pulling on a North City jumper on weekends. His departure signals the loss of at least three North City premiership players from last year.
Defender Jordan Harrison will play for Grovedale, while tough onballer Michael Todd is on the move to Croydon.
North City will this year strive to become the first side to win three consecutive BFL flags since Sunbury in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Their premiership defence campaign will begin against Redan on Anzac Day, as they face the bye in round one.
patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au