{"id":952510,"date":"2026-11-04T16:56:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T16:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/952510\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T16:56:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T16:56:35","slug":"efnl-the-biggest-and-best-eastern-league-recruits-for-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/952510\/","title":{"rendered":"EFNL: The biggest and best Eastern league recruits for 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, from ex-AFL stars to state league talents and more. We\u2019ve named the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED: Every Eastern league off-season signing<\/a><\/p>\n

Aaron Cloke (Chirnside Park)<\/p>\n

Fresh off a 76-goal campaign with Black Rock, the 32-year-old is primed to make a splash in Eastern\u2019s Division 4 as he brings more than 800 majors to Kimberley Reserve. The key forward boasts a powerful lead and an exceptional contested-marking ability.<\/p>\n

Aaron Fenton (Coldstream)<\/p>\n

Following a Division 1 flag with North Ringwood, the experienced midfielder brings 146 senior games\u2019 experience to the Division 3 Cougars. The former Eastern Ranges talent won two best and fairests at North Ringwood alongside two premierships, captaining the club for five years. He\u2019ll serve as a playing assistant coach at Coldstream.<\/p>\n

Adam Treloar (Noble Park)<\/p>\n

Has there been a bigger Eastern league recruit this off-season? Back where it all began after an AFL career which took in 263 games across three clubs, the midfielder won an All-Australian gong in 2024 and a VFL flag with Footscray in \u201825. A sure-fire boost to a Noble Park outfit taking on Division 1 following relegation from the top tier.<\/p>\n

Beau Mitchener (Oakleigh District)<\/p>\n

Long regarded as one of local footy\u2019s best ruckmen, the 10-time Team of the Year hit-out king joins a relegated Oaks outfit<\/a> coming off a one-win campaign. Indomitable in the ruck yet mobile around the ground, he should help the battling club\u2019s cause as it moves into Division 4.<\/p>\n

Callum Brown (Templestowe)<\/p>\n

The midfielder has spent the past two seasons lighting it up for Mansfield in the Goulburn Valley league \u2013 but he\u2019s back at junior club Templestowe<\/a> in an almighty coup for the Division 2 outfit, who\u2019ll count him as a one-pointer. After 70 AFL matches for Collingwood from 2017 to \u201922, he crossed to Box Hill where he won a best and fairest and VFL Team of the Year gong in 2023.<\/p>\n

Jackson Sketcher (Noble Park)<\/p>\n

The star midfielder returns<\/a> after two seasons with Southern league club Springvale Districts. The 34-year-old’s previous stint at Noble reached the dizzying heights of a flag in 2022 and a Chandler Medal as the best and fairest in Premier Division in 2023. Linking up with his great mate Kyle Martin who has been installed as coach, Sketcher says: \u201cThat\u2019s where I played my juniors and most of my senior career was there as well, so it was a bit of a no-brainer \u2013 I\u2019m looking forward to getting back there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaidyn Stephenson (North Ringwood)<\/p>\n

After two years at his junior club Ferntree Gully, the former Collingwood and North Melbourne livewire has crossed to the newly-promoted Premier Division Saints after the club\u2019s rousing Division 1 grand final victory. Stephenson played 122 AFL games from 2018 to 2024 and this year fired in the VFL for Coburg.<\/p>\n

Jake Gasper (Waverley Blues)<\/p>\n

The medium forward is a nice lift to a Blues outfit coming off a preliminary final berth. Gasper has kicked 134 goals from 91 matches since 2021 across state league stints at Port Melbourne, Central District (SANFL) and most recently South Adelaide.<\/p>\n

James Wilsen (Upper Ferntree Gully)<\/p>\n

The triple Premier Division Team of the Year spearhead brings a long and storied CV to Kings Park<\/a> which includes VFL stints with Box Hill and Frankston before stops at Rowville and Montrose. He spent the past six seasons at South Croydon, highlighted by a 73-goal haul in 2022. Set the combine with fellow ex-VFL man Tim Smith in attack for Upper in 2027, the pair will go a long way to addressing the club’s scoring woes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Josh Tovey (Park Orchards) <\/p>\n

The 2025 Chandler Medal-winning midfielder is back where it all began, following a stint with top-division club East Ringwood. Listed with Port Melbourne in the VFL, Tovey has featured as one of the comp\u2019s brightest young talents.<\/p>\n

Kaden Schreiber (North Ringwood)<\/p>\n

The midfielder won Premier Division flags for Balwyn under Brenton Sanderson across 2024 and \u201825. Bringing 45 VFL games\u2019 experience from stints at Collingwood and Northern Bullants, the former state league talent\u2019s phone ran hot among local clubs this off-season. He’s a timely boost for North Ringwood ahead of making the league\u2019s biggest divisional jump.<\/p>\n

Kris Pendlebury (Knox)<\/p>\n

The Falcons have been one of the busiest clubs this off-season \u2013 but Pendlebury\u2019s CV perches him top of the Division 3 club\u2019s list of recruits.<\/a> Brother of AFL games record-holder Scott, Pendlebury carved out a decorated career with Balwyn, winning two flags, and last played in the Eastern league in 2019 before leading MPFNL club Edithvale-Aspendale to glory in 2024 and Gippsland Power to a Talent League premiership in 2026.<\/p>\n

New Knox coach Jimmy House hopes to get between 10 and 12 games out of the champion defender next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The golden-fisted Pendlebury is joined by a raft of Rowville names<\/a> at the Division 3 Falcons, including 2023 premiership heroes Brock Coleclough, Jai Coleclough and Kurtis Flakemore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lynden Dunn (Whitehorse Pioneers)<\/p>\n

The former Melbourne and Collingwood utility reunites with incoming Pioneers senior coach<\/a> Matt Nicholson \u2013 who coached under the 39-year-old as an assistant at VAFA club Caulfield Bears two years ago.<\/p>\n

Dunn played 198 AFL games and kicked 99 goals across a 15-year career following his selection at No. 15 in the 2004 national draft.<\/p>\n

No stranger to Melbourne\u2019s local footy scene, Dunn hung up the boots at AFL level in 2020, linking with West Coburg in the EDFL for 2021 and \u201922 before coaching Caulfield Bears for the next three seasons.<\/p>\n

He helped North Footscray to the Division 2 premiership in the Western Football Netball League this season, kicking 73 goals.<\/p>\n

Michael Fogarty (Warrandyte)<\/p>\n

The former Footscray VFL midfielder crosses to the Bloods after five years at neighbouring club Templestowe where he served as captain. He won two best and fairests in a previous stint with Doncaster and one with Spotswood in the WRFL after featuring in the Bulldogs\u2019 2014 state league premiership.<\/p>\n

Mitch Moschetti (East Ringwood)<\/p>\n

A nice get for the Roos<\/a> following their Premier Division flag, the former Gippsland Power captain crosses from Northern league club Hurstbridge. A midfielder with the ability to play across half-back and half-forward, the 23-year-old has also had state league stops at whose state league stops include Carlton, Port Melbourne, and this year, North Melbourne.<\/p>\n

Taine Barlow (Boronia)<\/p>\n

The 193cm defender played six seasons and 89 matches for the Frankston Dolphins in the VFL, collecting a Team of the Year honour in 2025 in a campaign also yielding a runner-up finish for the club champion award.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe comes with a professional attitude, and he can add to an area we need to get better in \u2026 we were looking for someone who could use the ball well across half-back,\u201d Boronia coach Matt Clark said.<\/a><\/p>\n

Taylor Garner (Ferntree Gully) <\/p>\n

Among a swag of gun signings<\/a> filing into Wally Tew Reserve this off-season, former Kangaroo and South Belgrave star Garner headlines the haul bringing nine years\u2019 AFL experience. He\u2019s joined by brother Damian, and the pair is set to address the Gully\u2019s scoring woes next season according to coach Patty Garrity: \u201cTo get someone of his (Taylor\u2019s) ilk and experience, along with his brother as well, it gives us two key targets to aim for and gives our smalls a chance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tim Smith (Upper Ferntree Gully)<\/p>\n

Back at his junior club, the high-flying centre half-forward will be a one-pointer at Upper<\/a> which contested a preliminary final this season. Smith won an Eastern league best and fairest and captained South Belgrave to two flags following 13 AFL games with Melbourne and a premiership-winning stay at VFL club Casey.<\/p>\n

Trent Bianco (Templestowe)<\/p>\n

Fresh off a VFL premiership with the Box Hill Hawks, the former AFL Magpie links up with close friend Tyler Brown at Porter St<\/a>, who he played state and league football with. Bianco was the Hawks\u2019 vice-captain this season and ran third for the best and fairest. The midfielder played 23 AFL matches for Collingwood from 2020-2023.<\/p>\n

Tyler Brown (Templestowe)<\/p>\n

Straight out of VFL club Box Hill where he spent three seasons and won a flag in 2026, the 26-year-old also brings AFL experience after 27 games for Collingwood from 2018 to \u201922 before adding one more with the Adelaide Crows in \u201923.<\/p>\n

The 188cm talent was aligned to Division 1 club Bayswater in 2026, and just like brother Callum, he\u2019ll be a handy one-pointer for Templestowe as a former club junior. The pair form part of a five-strong group of mates landing at Tempy, which also includes ex-Pie Trent Bianco, former Crow Ayce Taylor and ex-VFL tall Jed Rule.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, 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