Ben Davies will play for Ovens and Murray Football League club Wodonga next season. 66861
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
BEN Davies is planning to return to Williamstown after his one-year stint with Ovens and Murray Football League team Wodonga next season.
The dashing midfielder, who this season made the VFL team of the year, recently signed on with the country footy team so he could concentrate on his studies.
Davies will complete his physiotherapy course next year, and had been finding it difficult to balance his study and football commitments this year.
During the footy season, a normal day consisted of a clinical placement from 8.30am to 4.30pm, followed by footy training, and then two hours of homework at night, finishing up at around midnight.
“Just that time commitment, I just couldn’t do it, and uni’s probably the most important thing to me at the moment so I had to make the call,” Davies said.
“I’ve just got to make sure I do well at uni and hopefully set myself up, so that’s the main reason why I’ve left.”
Davies will be joined by fellow Williamstown Football Club life member and great mate Dave Stretton, who has also signed with the Bulldogs.
Davies will train by himself on weekdays, and head up for games on Saturdays. He decided to join Wodonga after speaking to former Williamstown players such as Scott Meyer and Tom Langlands about their positive experiences at the club.
“With my university that just sits perfectly. You get the weekdays to study and I’ve got that Sunday to study,” Davies said.
Davies said if his university studies go according to plan and he secures a job in Melbourne, he plans to come back to Williamstown in 2013, and have a tilt at that elusive premiership.
“We’ve been a long time trying to get that premiership and we just keep falling short so obviously I want to come back. We left on good terms so hopefully they’ll have me back.
“I love Williamstown. I watched them play growing up. I’m always going to love them. It was disappointing year this year in the sense that we didn’t win a premiership, but the way Williamstown conduct themselves it’s always a good club to be around regardless.”
