By Jonty Ralphsmith
Jake Aarts is an Eagle again.
The former Richmond AFL-listed talent has committed to return to his junior club for the 2025 season as Beaconsfield look to take the next step.
Mick Fogarty’s young side finished fifth in 2024, defeated by Park Orchards in the preliminary finals by a point.
Aarts’ return to Holm Park comes after 42 AFL games between 2020 and 2022 and 39 games and a premiership across two seasons at Dromana.
“I’m not sure you can put a value on what he’ll bring,” senior coach Mick Fogarty said.
“Our young kids will benefit from his ability to teach and direct on the ground, (and) his leadership.
“The sky’s the limit for what our guys will take away from what he brings.
“We’ve got a young group progressing well and the more games they get at the level, the better they’ll be and Jake will just add to that, so we’re rapt to have him on board.
“He’ll set up well at stoppage and go through the midfield group and help us impact forward.
“We’re really excited by what he can bring on field as well and it’s the extra dimension he brings from learning at the highest level which gives our guys the best chance to be better going forward.”
Having coached several former AFL-listed players previously, Fogarty highlighted training standards as an area that sets them apart.
It’s an area Aarts especially will be able to tap into with the young Beaconsfield group, having been overlooked for seven years before finally landing on an AFL list.
“He’ll educate our midfielderss and whole group and we’ll gain a lot from him with training habits,” Fogarty said.
“He’ll develop our young midfielders and Jake’s a perfect example of a player who never gave up his dream.
“He did it the hard way and it’s a real credit to him to achieve what he did.”
Beaconsfield has also picked up athletic ruck Travis Stewart, who played at Crib Point this year after a distinguished career with Nyora in the Ellinbank District Football League.
Emerging hard working midfielder Cooper Brown has also joined from Longwarry as he seeks to take his footy to another level.
Brown was a ball magnet for the Crows this year, propelling them to the preliminary final and has won the past two Arthur Pollard awards as the junior who polls the most votes in the EDFL senior competition.
