Former North Ballarat Rooster Oliver Tate will continue his Victorian Football League career at Williamstown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tate signed a two-year contract with the Seagulls and will be excited to join former Roosters teammate Lachlan George at his new club.
Ex-Rooster and promising youngster Tom Schnerring has also joined Williamstown over the off-season.
The 26-year old has played 84 VFL senior games with North Ballarat, as well as a stint with Claremont in the Western Australian Football League where he played 25 games across 2015 and the early rounds of 2016.
Tate spent most of his time in the back half for the Roosters, providing experience to an otherwise youthful North Ballarat back six.
The 184cm defender was often called upon to play well above his height and will relish the opportunity at a club with more depth to show-off his talents.
Tate possesses beautiful foot skills, is composed with ball in hand and a creative player off halfback.
Tate was one of North Ballarat's most consistent performers in 2017, being named in his team's best players on seven of 14 occasions. And as a former member of the Roosters' leadership group, he will bring a wealth of state-league experience to the club when he arrives at Burbank Oval for the upcoming pre-season.
Williamstown finished on top of the VFL ladder after the 2017 home and away season before being knocked out in the preliminary final.
The Seagulls are a regular finisher among the top four and tasted premiership success in 2015.
The Roosters senior core continue to dispense across various VFL clubs.
Tough onballer Luke Kiel made his way down the highway to Geelong while former Western Bulldog Andrew Hooper signed on with Werribee.
The Roosters had their VFL licence stripped over governance issues in September, forcing its players to find new homes.
The club is hoping to return to the VFL competition as soon as it can.
It will draw hope from what Frankston has done.
While the two clubs are different cases, both have been booted from the competition in recent years and after just one season out, Frankston will return to the competition in 2019.