LADDER leaders Wentworth have landed a coup on the eve of Saturday’s SFNL seniors’ game against South Mildura, with a favourite son returning from the AFL/VFL ranks for a one-off appearance.
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, the joint 2016 McLeod Medallist when last playing for the Roos, has had a release from Collingwood to line up at George Gordon Oval this afternoon against the bottom-placed Bulldogs.
The SFNL approved the transfer on Thursday, giving playing coach Wade Hancock a welcome boost after losing several players to illness, among other things, earlier in the week.
It comes after the unbeaten Roos lost captain Kaine Behr to a season-ending serious groin injury last month.
The 24-year-old Eggmolesse-Smith played nine games for Richmond between 2019-2021, before linking up with the Magpies at the end of last season.
“Derek will most likely only be here for one game. At the moment, he’s still trying to play VFL for Collingwood,” Hancock said.
“He wasn’t on the radar until Tuesday, when he touched base letting us know he was returning to the area to visit family this weekend.
“We’d obviously love to have him stay on, and I’ll certainly be talking with him about it.”
He said Eggmolesse-Smith would play off the back flank, as well as getting some game time in the midfield.
“We’ve got about eight out this weekend, so it’s great to have Derek back,” Hancock said.
“We’ll have some first-gamers (including Oliver Clay), and it will be a good test of the depth at our club.”
