MAFFRA has made early inroads to improve in 2023, after narrowly missing out on Gippsland League finals this year.

The Eagles finished the 2022 season with nine wins, edged out of finals by Morwell who achieved one more win with less percentage.

Since the completion of the 2022 campaign, Maffra has announced the arrival of three recruits.

The first – Nathan Pollard who is coming across from Lindenow South in the Omeo District Football-Netball League. Pollard has spent majority of his playing career at Lindenow South. Aside from The Swampies, Pollard has played at Wy Yung and Stratford in the East Gippsland Football League, winning a premiership at the latter in 2018.

Pollard will bring his football knowledge and skill across half-back and throughout the midfield to the Eagles line-up in 2023.

Pollard has been a consistent player in the ODFNL, winning three league best and fairest awards. His latest coming in 2021, before being leading The Swampies as playing-coach to its first flag since 2016, defeating Swifts Creek by a comfortable 35 points in the Grand Final.

Chance Doultree was the next to be announced as an Eagle. Doultree joins Maffra from the Footscray Bulldogs VFL list.

In his graduate Gippsland Power year just two years ago, Doultree posted big numbers, averaging over 25 disposals per outing, scoring six goals from six games.

During the 2021 season, Doultree played two VFL games and later nominated for the 2021 AFL draft. After missing selection he remained on Footscray’s VFL list for 2022.

Despite only playing a handful of games for the Bulldogs in the VFL, Doultree played most of his football for Old Melburnians in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

He returns to Gippsland with plenty of experience at a high level, hoping to boost Maffra’s hopes of finals football in 2023.

Finally, Maffra’s latest incoming player is Brayden Monk, who arrives from VFL club Williamstown.

While in the NAB League with the Western Jets in his graduate year of 2014, Monk secured the best and fairest award. He was in the Western Jets best 12 out of 15 games, storming home to win the best and fairest award by 27 votes.

Monk polled better than the likes of West Coast Eagles midfielder Liam Duggan, as well as other 2014 draftees: Connor Menadue (Richmond/North Melbourne) and Dillon Viojo-Rainbow (Carlton).

Monk had a taste of VFL football, playing for Williamstown in 2015, (the same year the Seagulls won the flag featuring former Maffra player and current Sale coach Jack Johnstone).

From 2015 to 2017, Monk played the majority of his football in VFL Development, with few appearances at VFL senior level.

Since 2018, Monk has regularly featured for Williamstown, playing over 50 games in three seasons, including a Grand Final in 2019.

This year, he played the majority of the season for the Seagulls, before suffering a knee injury with three games left.