Mee joins Pies' nest

FOOTBALL

07 Dec, 2010 01:00 AM

DEVONPORT'S late season recruitment drive continues with Baldock Medal runner-up and Ulverstone premiership player Tim Mee signing for the 2011 season.Mee was one of the best players in the NTFL last season and is a big loss for the Robins.Mee joins Justin Rodman as the second player recruited from Ulverstone by new Devonport coach Glen Lutwyche."It was a big call, I have played all my footy at Ulverstone," Mee said."I just thought I needed to challenge myself."Mee said that Ulverstone was very supportive of his decision to leave the club."I spoke to Scott Blair, the new Ulverstone coach, before I spoke to anyone else, and his reasoning, which is probably the Ulverstone way, was that they were not going to hold anybody back from playing at a higher level."Lutwyche was pleased to have Mee on board."He (Tim) has been away all week but came to training on Friday and has agreed to play with us next season," Lutwyche said.

"I spoke to Tim about the possibility of coming across and I suppose he is a bit like junior (Justin Rodman, former Ulverstone forward) and thought we better give this state league thing a crack."

Mee will be a huge asset to the Devonport side after the loss of running defender Brad McDonald to Penguin.The versatile defender was confident he would have no trouble making the step up to the state league level."I'm not worried at all (about the step up), I'm very keen," Mee said.His new coach agreed."I have no doubts that he will be able to step up to the level," Lutwyche said.Mee played most of his football with Ulverstone in defence and was a vital part of the team's attack as he rebounded the ball effectively.."He is a running sort of a player and is able to play a number of positions around the ground, so when it gets closer to the start of the season we will sit down and see what is best for the team," Lutwyche said