By Nick Creely
The Rowville Hawks are truly buzzing down at Seebeck Oval with an extremely busy off-season putting them in prime position to claim their maiden Division 1 premiership.
Current Eastern Football League Division 1 Chandler Medallist Cameron Manuel has put pen to paper for the Hawks once again, while classy midfielder Mat Suckling, originally from Norwood in the SANFL, will also turn out.
The club welcomes seven former VFL players to the club in 2017 with Michael Sikora, James Wilsen, Jake Dermott, Jordan Bastinac, Jake Kidd, Jackson Anderson and Jayden Cyster signing on.
Hawks Football Director Mark Hamilton said that the signings were exciting for the football club, with all of the new recruits set to lift the standards of the playing group.
“Last year we felt we are as good as anybody, but we also felt that on the big stage we were light physically and needed more maturity on our list – we feel that these additions will add these qualities,” he told the Journal.
“We have brought in some bigger bodies and some good ball-users, but we also expect other guys at the club to step up.”
Sikora, 28, in particular, is a massive signing for the club, literally, with the 206cm ruckman set to add vital experience after successful stints at VFL level with Frankston and Williamstown.
Star player Jay Kinder returns to the club after a year away from the game, with the club expected to announce further signings in the coming weeks.
