Weekly Times | KOROIT Football Club will have no fewer than four Hampden Football League best-and-fairest winners in its squad when the competition resumes next week.
Two-time Maskell medallist Simon O’Keefe has returned to Koroit this season from Panmure in the Warrnambool and District Football League, where he was coach the past three seasons.
O’Keefe won the medal with the Saints in 2007, and was also a joint winner in 2011.
Koroit players have taken home the Hampden league’s best-and-fairest award in the past two seasons. Isaac Templeton’s win last year followed Ben Goodall’s win in 2013.
This year Joe McLaren will mark a decade since he took home the individual honour.
Panmure won the Warrnambool and District league premiership in 2012 and 2013 under O’Keefe, but was thwarted in its attempt for a third straight win by Merrivale last year.
O’Keefe said he always planned to return to Koroit, and is assistant coach this year under Adam Dowie.
“They were probably a bit of an underdog last year. This year we’ve recruited a few but Warrnambool is still the most dangerous side,” O’Keefe said.
“We’re aiming to make it to the finals and then it’s up to a bit of luck and how things turn out that time of year.”
Koroit’s opening match is at home against Warrnambool on April 18.
