Border Mail |
JOEL Coombes will make a shock appearance against former club Myrtleford tomorrow after he was selected by Wangaratta Rovers last night.
Coombes, who had given up hope of joining the Hawks before the June 30 deadline due to an ongoing clearance wrangle, was released by East Burwood yesterday.
He was named at half-forward last night and will play the rest of the season with the Hawks, starting with their clash against the Saints this round.
But Coombes, 24, isn’t fazed by the prospect of taking on his old side at McNamara Reserve.
“I’m not worried about anything like that,” Coombes said.
“I’ll just go out there and play footy, like I always do.
“I just can’t wait to get out and play for Rovers.
“I personally didn’t think it would happen this year but vice-president Barry (Sullivan) has been great through the whole thing and all credit goes to him for working it out.
“It’s a new start and new beginning.”
Coombes spent three seasons at Myrtleford, booting 104 goals, before returning to his junior club in Melbourne.
He said the fact he would make his debut for the Hawks against the Saints was purely coincidental.
Coombes, who planned to sit out the rest of the year after negotiations with East Burwood broke down, said he had stayed fit over the past few weeks.
“If I can play a role, that’s all I want to do,” Coombes said.
The livewire forward, who can also play in the midfield, said he “owed” it to the Hawks to stay with the club long term.
“They’re all behind me and have been the whole time,” Coombes said.
“They’ve gone a lot out of their way to do this for me and I owe it to them.
“I owe it to Barry, I owe it to Mick (Caruso) and I owe it to the club, really.”
