Former Essendon high draft pick Elliott Kavanagh has found his way to Melton in the Ballarat Football League.
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For the 24-year-old, it is a return to where he started his junior football.
Kavanagh is moving to the Bloods after one season with Doncaster in the Eastern Football League.
Melton football manager Brad Jamison said he had been unaware of Kavanagh’s links with the Bloods until after approaching him.
Jamison said he heard Kavanagh was looking to play closer to his home base in the Keilor area and made the call.
Kavanagh played his early junior football alongside the likes of fellow Bloods recruit Denham, who has moved from Bacchus Marsh, Ryan Davis and Jack Walker.
Jamison said it was a significant bonus for Melton, which had gone into the off-season with a focus on bolstering its midfield.
Essendon recruited Kavanagh via the Western Jets in the TAC under-18 competition with selection 19 in the 2011 AFL national draft
He made his AFL debut in 2012 and went on to play 12 games before being delisted in 2015.
Kavanagh was quickly lured by Central Districts in the SANFL and was runner-up in the club’s best and fairest.
Jamison said as well as plenty of experience, Kavanagh was at the age where he still had his best football ahead of him. “He has much to offer.”
While Melton has not picked up a wealth of recruits for new coach Aaron Tymms to work with, the Bloods will importantly have the likes of Brock Kennedy, Jordyn Cotter and Billy Crofts back full-time after breaking ties with Werribee in the VFL.
In addition, Coburg VFL-listed Nick Dodge has chosen Melton as his home club – switching from North Shore.
The 20-year-old is from Tasmania, where he represented the state and captained the Tassie Devils in the TAC Cup.
Doncaster has been a lucrative recruiting ground for BFL clubs over the past few years, with Darley premiership coach Heath Scotland, Jay Pearson (Darley) and Jayden Hooper (Lake Wendouree) joining the competition last year.