mmg.com.au

Former Melbourne aerialist Russell Robertson will return to Goulburn Valley Football League ranks with Shepparton in its opening round clash against Shepparton United on Good Friday.

Robertson last played in the GVFL in 2010, when he played for Shepparton Swans alongside former Demons teammates Adem Yze, Nathan Brown and Shane Woewodin.

He was a feature of the Swans’ Good Friday opener against the Bears, kicking seven goals in a game best remembered for Swans coach Perry Meka’s run-in with league officials.

Robertson went onto kick 111 goals for the season as the Swans bombed out in a semi-final against Echuca.

He has spent the past two seasons coaching Geelong Football League club St Joseph’s.

Robertson kicked 97 goals in his first season and 83 goals last year.

Shepparton president Paul Heggart confirmed the four-time Demons leading goal-kicker would line up for the Bears in the clash against their Deakin Reserve co-tenant on March 29.

‘‘Robbo has committed to playing for us on Good Friday and then he may play a few more after that as well,’’ Heggart said.

‘‘He has indicated that he is pretty keen, depending on his availability, so we will wait and see what happens there.’’

The Robertson signing comes after the Bears secured former Hawthorn and North Melbourne defender Jonathan Hay earlier this month.

‘‘We will have Robbo up at full-forward and Jonathan Hay at centre half-back,’’ Heggart said.

‘‘It is pretty exciting.’’

Heggart said the Bears had targeted the ex-AFL stars to help guide its developing squad.

‘‘That is certainly what we are wanting to do,’’ he said.

‘‘We wanted to bring in guys with this calibre in the hope that they rub off on some of our younger guys.

‘‘It is a bit of a different approach to doing things, based on development rather than going out and buying a team, and we know our kids will benefit from playing alongside Russell Robertson and Jonathan Hay.’’

He said there was a positive mood at the club.

‘‘We know there has been a lot of talk out there about how everyone has left and this and that,’’ he said.

‘‘But we have got a good group of people, that want to be here and that is what is important to us.

‘‘We will have Jonathan Hay at training on Thursday night before our jumper presentations and then we have our golf day on Sunday, which Shannon Byrnes will be playing in.

‘‘It is all looking very good.’’

Robertson played 228 games for Melbourne and kicked 428 goals.

Hay played 149 games for Hawthorn and eight for North Melbourne.

He was an All-Australian in 2001.