TURVEY Park have continued their strong recruitment drive under new coach Mitch Sykes with the signature of Truman Carroll.
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After a season in the Ovens and Murray League with Lavington, Carroll will return home to Turvey Park.
A ferocious midfielder, Carroll will add grunt to the Bulldogs new-look midfield alongside Jeremy Sykes and Josh Ashcroft.
New Turvey Park coach Mitch Sykes is thrilled to get another Bulldogs junior back at Maher Oval.
“He’s an important signing because he brings that grunt,” Sykes said.
“The other thing is just his professionalism, that’s what I’m looking for and he was looking for too, so it fits.
“We’re looking to build on our professionalism and he’s coming from a club that has that, along with the professionalism he brings from everything he’s done with the motorbikes too.”
Carroll is excited about returning to his home club.
“I’m looking forward to it. They’ve been struggling for a fair few years now but coming back to my junior club, it should be good,” he said.
“I had a real good time at Lavington, it was a really high standard of footy and the professionalism, I really thrived on that.
“But in the end with the travel and family, it’s easier to be here.”
Sykes expects Carroll to be an example for younger players.
“I hope they follow his lead,” he said.
“It helps build that culture to have a player like him leading from the front.”
Carroll is the latest of a long list of recruits that the Bulldogs have been able to add to their squad.
Added to the list from this year are the Sykes brothers, Mitch and Jeremy, Andrew Emery, Josh Ashcroft, Clint Shields, Kodie O’Malley, Drew Campton and now Truman Carroll.
Jack Brooks will also be like a new recruit after being restricted to just two games this year due to injury.
With Carroll set to add to the midfield stocks, Sykes is excited by the options at his disposal.
“Truman bolsters (the midfield) and brings depth,” he said.
“It gives us lots of depth and options to run through the midfield.
“Come pre-season we will be able to throw things around and see what works best.”
Carroll will have a delayed start to the Riverina League season after accepting a two-game suspension from the O&M grand final.
Carroll was yellow carded for striking Albury Tigers’ Michael Duncan in the third quarter of the Panthers’ grand final defeat.
The 2016 season was Carroll’s first one back on the paddock for a few years after touring the world with his motocross career.
