MANGOPLAH-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes have continued a magnificent recruitment campaign with the signing of two more accomplished footballers from Canberra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Belconnen 200-game veteran Ryan Turnbull and Queanbeyan wingman Christian Palombi are the latest recruits to join the Goannas under coach Jeremy Rowe.
Turnbull, 31, is among elite company in Belconnen's '200 Club' and joins MCUE as one of the Magpies' and AFL Canberra's most respected footballers.
Palombi, 22, hails from Queanbeyan, where he has represented AFL Canberra and also enjoyed some NEAFL experience at Canberra Demons.
Both will play a role in a new-look midfield at MCUE as the club goes about trying to break the league's longest premiership drought.
The pair join Trent Castles, Chris York, Sam de Sousa, Brayden Ambler, Jonathon Male and Max Hanrahan as new signings and MCUE coach Jeremy Rowe could not be happier.
"I'm happy to admit that we're stoked how our recruitment and retention has gone," Rowe said.
"We look at the competition and, sure, the standard will drop a little bit from last year but we still think it's still going to be a very high standard comp and we think the top five will be incredibly tight, and there are some other good lists out there.
"But as far as what we can control, we can control our list and we think that we've got a really well balanced list now, we think we've added in the areas that we had some minor deficiencies in and we do believe we've assembled a list that will allow us to be absolutely there and prominent when the business end of the season comes.
"Now we're just in a position where we're incredibly excited for the season to roll around."
Turnbull will slot into MCUE's on-ball brigade. He can win the ball on the inside but also has the speed to break lines.
Palombi is classy ball user that is expected to find a home on the wing.
"Both Christian and Ryan bring us leg speed, which I think is something that we've probably lacked a little bit through our midfield third of the ground," Rowe said.
"Ryan's at the point of his career where he is a very versatile type of player. He can go in and win his own footy, he can stay on the outside and break some lines and use his speed. We'll definitely use him on the inside but he's also been an elite half back flanker for portions of his career. He's been a guy whose been very well respected not just at Belconnen but all of AFL Canberra in how he's played his footy over the last 10 or so years.
"Christian gives us some real classy ball use on the outside. He's very good bringing the ball inside 50 and he's one of these guys that runs so hard offensively that he's got that knack of picking up multiple possessions in one passage of play. He runs hard and uses the footy well."
The Goannas, however, have lost Kieran Shea after one season as he returns to Queanbeyan.
READ MORE
