New Tiger talent ready to roar in 2026

TORQUAY have loaded up with more star talent as they ready themselves for another crack at a Bellarine Football League premiership.

Fresh off the back of a heartbreaking preliminary final loss to Anglesea, the Tigers have signed 11 players ahead of the 2026 season.

None come bigger than Port Adelaide legend Travis Boak, who returns to his junior club after a star-studded AFL career.

It is yet to be decided how many games the three-time All Australian will play due to work commitments with the Carlton AFL side, but he is expected to play a key role.

The Tigers will be strong in the ruck department after adding former junior players Spencer Meagher and Reef Page, who have spent the last year playing in Melbourne and its surrounds.

Backman Lucas Cook (Melbourne FC), hybrid Hugh Trigg (North Ballarat), Dylan Pascoe (QLD), Liam Rodgers (QLD), Mitch McGrath (Newlyn FC), Ned Turner and Judd Schubert (Geelong West) are among those who coach Dom Gleeson will call upon this year.

But it is young gun Hamish McGowan who Gleeson is particularly excited about ahead of his first season of senior football.

The former Geelong Falcon and son of Tigers premiership star and GFNL Mathieson medallist Jason is “looking settled” and primed for a big year.

“He only played a handful of games last season and actually found his way down to Werribee VFL over the offseason,” Gleeson said.

“I’m just super excited to see him settle. I see lots of kids come out of the Falcons and have had to manage year 12, a job, school footy, under-18 and more. To see him under one coaching group and one playing group will be awesome.

“He’s got some great skills and we are really looking to seeing what he can do for us.”

Gleeson said the club had enjoyed a great pre-season and is excited for its coming practise games against Ararat and Bell Park.

“We started in November with about 12 sessions before Christmas,” he said. “There was a good mix of having 80 or so players on the track, including many of the under-18s and a few under-16s.

“The senior team came back a bit more slowly, but it’s full blast now.

“We plan on having a few scratch matches too in between the practice games to fine tune things.”