The Saints beat a host of rival clubs to the signature of the former Murray Bushrangers best and fairest winner, who has left Goulburn Valley League club Shepparton United for a spot on the Cats’ list.
Chalcraft will call Anthony Costa Oval (which sits next to GMHBA Stadium in Geelong) home when he is not required at VFL level, a real boost for St Mary’s’ hopes of back-to-back flags.
Saints coach Travis Robertson said he was thrilled to win the services of Chalcraft, who complements the additions of Werribee VFL-listed forward Hudson Garoni and Barwon Heads young gun Charlie Sprague.
“We’re pretty happy to get him on board,” Robertson said of Chalcraft.
“He’s from Shepparton and he’s played the last couple of years in the NAB League for the Murray Bushrangers.
“He’s a fairly nuggety player. He’d be around 170cm (tall), maybe 180cm, so he’s not huge and he’s a small forward/midfielder.
“He plays on the inside and he averaged 4.5 tackles a game last year, so we’d like to see him as a forward who can apply pressure.”
A bulldozing midfielder and pressure forward, Chalcraft was touted as a genuine AFL draft prospect but has now turned to the VFL to keep his dream alive.
Robertson said the Saints had been in regular talks with the Cats when Chalcraft’s name drifted across his desk.
“It was just through our VFL connection,” Robertson said.
“Most clubs would speak to Nathan Tweddle (at Geelong) and find out who's coming and going.
“There’s usually a fair bit of activity around what’s happening in the VFL.”
The Saints will now have five players on Geelong’s VFL list, with Trent McMullan, Jesse Travaglini, Kyle Reid and Patrick Dowling either penning contracts or signing with the Cats.
But Robertson remains uncertain whether Chalcraft will spend much time in a blue and green in 2020.
“I don’t know. It’s a hard one because you just don’t know,” he said.
“It is a big step up for some of these kids going from NAB League even to GFL senior footy and it’s really about list availability at the Cats.
“There were games last year where the Cats would only take four or five local players because they had a high list.
“I know the Cats like him. They have contracted him already and he’s here and he’s a committed Geelong player, so we’re happy to have him.
“The first time we spoke to him he was having a week of training at Geelong and a week at Richmond, so they were keen on him as well. So he comes with a few wraps.”
— Alex Oates/Geelong Advertiser