After announcing his retirement from the AFL, 288-game veteran Liam Shiels will extend his playing career having signed on with local club South Croydon in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL).
Shiels finished his time in the AFL at North Melbourne under head coach Alastair Clarkson, with whom he had previously shared a successful career at Hawthorn, securing three premiership victories for the Hawks.
Shiels went Pick 34 to the Hawks in the 2008 National Draft out of the Eastern Ranges and would go on to debut the following year, notching up a total of 255 games for the club.
As the Hawks were in the midst of a rebuild in 2023, the then 31-year-old found his way to the Kangaroos for a short two-year stint at Arden Street. But with some more fuel left in the tank, South Croydon hope that Shiels can be a useful contributor for them going forward and are happy to have him at the club.
"We are extremely lucky to have Liam on board and know his leadership and experience will be an invaluable asset to our young, emerging, and established players," the club said, via Instagram.
"We welcome Liam, his wife Claire, and their young son Tommy to the South Croydon family."
The South Croydon senior men's team finished fifth in the premier division for season 2024, bowing out to Rowville in the first semi-final.