Lots is occurring at Nangwarry Soccer Membership. They’ve new clubrooms, a win underneath their belt, and now they’ve Dane Swan.
The 258-gamer for Collingwood has signed on for the Nangwarry Saints season opener on April 15, after an opportunity encounter between his supervisor and a participant for Nangwarry.
The 505-person city on South Australia’s Limestone Coast has endured rather a lot lately, shedding its most important employer, the timber mill, simply earlier than Christmas in 2018.
A yr later, their social hub — the soccer membership — was destroyed in a suspicious hearth.
Within the midst of all of it, the membership lastly broke an eight-year win drought in June 2022.
Securing premiership midfielder Swan is, as membership president Shane Ploenges put it, icing on the cake.
“We have had loads of native legends by means of the membership however no-one of that calibre, that is for certain,” Mr Ploenges mentioned.
“It is actually thrilling. That first sport of the yr is the 30-year reunion of our first premiership, too. That will likely be a big day for these guys.”
Nangwarry has supervisor Ricky Nixon to thank for the sudden recruit.
“[He’d] arrange an Airbnb in Mount Gambier final yr and it was a few homes down from one in every of our gamers. And so they obtained chatting and Ricky enquired whether or not we would be fascinated about having Dane Swan come out for a sport,” Mr Ploenges mentioned.
“It is a very probability assembly, it is come out of nowhere.”
The place the Brownlow and Anzac Day medallist will play towards the Mount Burr Mozzies remains to be up within the air.
“I am certain [coach] Shane Raymond will discover a appropriate spot for him. I feel typically he’ll play a little bit of halfback to get a really feel of the crew, and a little bit of a stint within the center and up ahead,” Mr Ploenges mentioned.
“So you may in all probability see him in just a few positions I’d think about.”
Mr Plonges mentioned final yr’s win has boosted recruitment for 2023.
“They’ll see that we’re on the right track and wish to leap onboard and assist out,” Mr Ploenges mentioned.
“Everybody’s fairly excited for what this yr holds. And that was even earlier than the signing of Dane. In order that simply provides the icing to the cake.”
