Bulldogs snap up James Sellar for 2014

SOUTH Fremantle has pulled off a significant recruiting victory signing former Melbourne and Adelaide AFL big man James Sellar for the 2014 season ahead of rival WAFL clubs.

The 24-year-old Sellar will now arrive at Fremantle Oval to play with the Bulldogs in the 2014 WAFL season along with former Swan Districts centre half-forward Josh Pullman while Ashton Hams, Steven Verrier and Haiden Schloithe have all signed on post their time in the AFL system.

Sellar was initially drafted into the AFL by the Adelaide Crows going on to play one game in 2008, 11 in 2009, four in 2010 and then another five in 2011 before moving to Melbourne for the last two seasons.

He played 23 games for the Demons the last two seasons but with new coach Paul Roos arriving, he found himself delisted and now has chosen to firstly move west to continue his football career in the WAFL, and ended up choosing South Fremantle as his destination with several clubs chasing his services.

At 196cm and 98kg to go with 44 games of AFL experience in six years behind him, Sellar brings plenty with him to the Bulldogs with what he has learned from that time at the top level, but also in terms of being able to play a variety of roles.

His most natural role could very well be at centre half-back where he could help out South Fremantle's emerging defenders Dylan Ross, Nick Borovac, Adam McIntosh and Justin Monaco.

However, he also has enough size and athleticism to be able to play in the ruck if required and also can go forward to provide a tall marking option as well.

The signing of the versatile big man is a significant coup for South Fremantle and is one that gives third-year coach Paul Hasleby plenty of options as he looks to try and lead the Bulldogs back to being a WAFL finals contender.

Meanwhile, 2012 Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Saunders, 129-game veteran Paul Mugambwa and the developing Alistair Gillespie will have some help up forward in 2014 as well following South Fremantle's signing of Josh Pullman.

The 24-year-old was a colts premiership captain at Swan Districts in 2007 before going on to play 23 league games for the black-and-whites where he kicked 31 goals.

The hard-leading and powerful key forward kicked seven goals one afternoon for Swans against Peel Thunder in Mandurah so knows where the big sticks are, and he arrives at South Fremantle having spent the last three years playing and living in Queensland.

Those two arrivals who will fill key positions roles for the Bulldogs in 2014 go along with the welcome full-time returns of Hams, Verrier and Schloithe after their time in the AFL.

The 27-year-old Hams has already played 115 games with the Bulldogs including the 2005 and 2009 premierships, and the Simpson Medal from the 2009 grand final, and returns to South Fremantle after he decided to end his AFL career following the end of the 2013 season.

Hams played 39 games with the Eagles over the last four years, but when he has been back playing with South Fremantle he has been a dominant figure both as a small forward and midfielder, and now he will be a valuable player once again for the Bulldogs after signing on for the next two years.

Hams, along with twin brother Kyle, arrived originally at South Fremantle from Busselton and after taking part in the successful colts team of 2003 and reserves of 2004, settled in the league line-up in the premiership year of 2005 and never looked back from there.

Both brothers became permanent members of the defensive unit and were part of the premiership of 2005 and then again in 2009, but by this stage Ashton was moved into the midfield and spent some time up forward also.

He subsequently won the Simpson Medal for his effort in the grand final win of 2009 against Subiaco and that put him on the radar of AFL clubs, and it was the West Coast Eagles who snaffled him up.

Hams still played nine matches with South Fremantle in 2010 and then 11 in 2011 where he had such a marked impact on the Bulldogs that he still finished runner-up in the fairest and best count despite not taking part in nine games.

Hams played 11 AFL games for the Eagles in 2010, four in 2011 and then 16 in 2012 which limited him to just two for South Fremantle last year, but this year he managed just the eight AFL matches and in his nine with South Fremantle, he was simply outstanding.

It included 31 possessions and two goals in the thumping Foundation Derby win over East Fremantle, 35 possessions in Round 18 in the win over eventual premiers West Perth and 31 touches and six goals in the Round 22 win over Peel Thunder.

Hams dominated the competition in the games he played in 2013 for South Fremantle and now the club is delighted to have him on board for the next two years which should see him earn life membership by reaching 150 games, and hopefully add to his growing resume of accomplishments.

Verrier, the brother of 2013 reserves fairest and best winner Brendan, returns to South Fremantle in 2014 after spending the last two seasons with Richmond in the AFL without breaking through for a senior game.

Schloithe was rookie-listed by Fremantle in 2012 and despite an impressive 2013 WAFL season with the Bulldogs largely in the midfield, he found himself delisted by the Dockers and that now becomes South Fremantle's gain for 2014.

The 20-year-old originally from Katanning averaged over 20 possessions a game with the Bulldogs in 2013 including a high of 32 in Round 10.

By Chris Pike