In what has already been a very active off-season, the Panthers are pleased to announce a number of key signings and off-field appointments.

Regular senior players as well as "up and comers" who have committed to the Club for at least the 2009 season include;
Jason Torney, Sam Elliott, Mathew Smith, Denis Iljecsen, Craig Parry, Tarak Redigolo, Josh Thewlis, Peter Rolfe, Ben Warren, James Turner, Michael Handby, Josh Sampson, James Boyd, Dylan Williams, Ben Neagle, Bradley Crabb, Tom Hateley, Nick Murphy, Mitchell Sandery, Tom Carroll, Dale Ellis, Alex Splitt, Jamie Honner, Curtis Perry, Nick Fergusson, Jacob Crate.

On the departure side, Ian Prendergast is returns to Victoria for family reasons with the club's best wishes, while a release from his 2009 contract is being worked through with Travis Baird.

Off the field, the Panthers have appointed ex Sydney, St Kilda and Norwood player Robbie Neill as Head Coach for our Centre of Excellence program which includes coaching the new under 18 team.

In the senior section the club has attracted former Richmond and West Adelaide on-baller Ben Hollands as assistant coach with ex-West Adelaide and Glenelg assistant and former Collingwood player Tony Burgess doing the dual Reserves / League Assistant roles.

Neill Sharpe will commence as Football Manager having managed the Western Jets in the TAC Cup as well as running the Riddell District Football League in country Victoria.

Panther CEO Ben Kavenagh stated, “We’re thrilled to have the vast majority of the emerging 2008 squad commit so quickly to our future. These players believe in the direction we are heading and have really responded to the coaching styles and philosophies Clay Sampson has introduced.”

“Now we know the exact status of our 2008 listed players we can start finalising arrangements with the various players throughout the state and across the border that we have been courting over the last few months. You won’t see a mass-recruiting campaign, but you will see a few quality players introduced to our club with character to match. We believe that we already have the basis of a successful team here now. We’re just looking to top-up on some key areas of deficiency.

« back