Former South Fremantle star Jacob Dragovich signs with Eaton Boomers but WAFL career not over yet

South Fremantle premiership hero Jacob Dragovich will take his distinguished career to the country this year, but says his time at WAFL level is not over yet. The impending birth of his second child and the “commitment” of State league football led the 25-year-old to sign with South West Football League club Eaton, but the boom recruit — the club’s second major signing this off-season — says his “ultimate plan” is to return to the WAFL powerhouse in 2023. He joins former Fremantle Docker Joel Houghton at the Boomers, who finished last in 2021, after the key forward made the switch from the Collie Eagles. Dragovich said the opportunity came at a perfect time as he gets set to become a father for the second time. “I had been at Souths for a number of seasons and I was just looking for a bit of a change for a year,” Dragovich said. “I have my second child due in February, so with the commitment of WAFL footy and trying to balance everything with work and the little ones and being at home, I decided to play a bit of country footy this year. “I would love to go back to Souths the year after, depending on how it is all going with the little ones and things like that. “Ultimately that would be the plan, but things change so it is hard to say.” Early discussions with returning coach Darren Rigby indicate Dragovich will spend most of his time in the engine room for the Boomers, as they look to a midfield which includes Josh Bowe and Jordan Falco to help turn their fortunes around this season. “I think they envisage me playing a lot of midfield, which I am happy with, I like playing in there,” he said. “I might float forward every now and then for a rest which will be nice too. “It is a really good quality of football and I’m not going to walk in and find it easy, I am going to have to continue to work hard.” The Boomers have also signed Dragovich’s former teammate Brandon Rhodes for this season. Rhodes played six games of colts and two games of reserves for South Fremantle before turning to country football, where he most recently played for Bencubbin in the Central Wheatbelt Football League. South Fremantle chief executive Cameron Britt told The West Australian that Dragovich had indicated post-season he wanted to move on, as the club also deals with the loss of exciting forward Cody Ninyette. “Jacob and Cody indicated postseason that they wanted to downscale their football commitments, and the demands of WAFL footy were becoming difficult due to family and work situations,” he said. “Drago is in his mid-20s and about to have a second child. “Both are premiership players so they are going to be hard to replace but this creates opportunity in a club like ours.”