McGough to play for GNFL

Former East Fremantle skipper Mark McGough is set to play for the Great Northern Football League at the Landmark Country Week Championships next week.

The announcement comes just days after he agreed to play out the 2015 season with Brigades, after retiring from East Fremantle.

McGough played his last game for the Sharks last weekend in their loss to Claremont, and while he will not play on Saturday against Northampton, will debut for the Hawks in their round 11 clash with Towns on July 18.

He will bring a wealth of experience to the Hawks and GNFL sides, having played 49 AFL games with Collingwood and St Kilda and winning the coveted Anzac Day medal in 2002 as a 17-year-old.

McGough has been with East Fremantle since 2010, playing 103 games, and Brigades president Jason O’Brien is ecstatic to have him on board.

“He’s obviously a very experienced footballer, he will bring plenty of leadership and we’re very happy to have him at Brigades,” O’Brien said.

It is believed McGough had planned to join Brigades at the start of the season, but East Fremantle convinced him to stay.

“He was umming and ahhing whether he would play WAFL or come to Brigades — he’s been saying for a couple of years that he’s keen to jump on board,” Brigades captain Leith Teakle said.

“After the stuff with the coach and his ageing body with a few niggling injuries, he’s decided to pull the pin on the WAFL and come and enjoy his footy here.”

McGough missed the first few games of the season after getting married and then sustaining injuries, and was unable to recapture his best form on returning, though in his farewell match last weekend he collected 28 disposals and was the Sharks’ best in the 68-point hiding.

“Probably by his own admission, his form dropped a bit and he thought it may be starting to get past him; he proved on the weekend that it’s not, but for his own body and lifestyle it’s probably the right call,” Teakle added.

McGough is the third former WAFL player to join the Hawks this season, after they secured Nick Chidgzey and Justin Monaco at the start of the season.

“He’s not going to win it for us — we need to get our best 27, 28 players all on board to have the ultimate success,” Teakle said.