All three players come across from Goulburn Valley League clubs, with Pfieffer and Barolli following Osborne from Shepparton Swans — while Gillespie comes from Shepparton United having coached the Demons’ reserves this season.
Gearing up for his first year at the helm with Shepparton East, Osborne said it was fantastic to see the trio return to the Eagles.
“It is really good to see these guys sign with the club for next year, David and Nathan are probably in the twilight of their careers and past that higher level and Ryan is just born and bred at Shepparton East, so it was pretty easy to convince them to come back,” Osborne said.
“David has won three flags at Shepparton East, Nathan has won one and Ryan has won a couple in the juniors and one in the seniors, so they bring plenty of experience to the group, and having played footy with all of them over the years they are fantastic blokes and I am pumped to have them back in an Eagles jumper next year.”
After finishing ninth on the Kyabram District League ladder in 2021, he said the trio would bring a lot to the club on and off the field as it hopes to shoot back up the ladder.
“First and foremost they are just quality people and they all have GVL football experience now,” Osborne said.
“David has played a lot of footy over his years and played at really high standards having a run in the VFL when he was real young and playing a lot in Melbourne as well GVL, so having him there as a quality defender will sort that area out, while Nathan is very similar and will play in defence and provide help for the guys down there, which in turn will take a lot of pressure off me.
“Ryan on the other hand has been in the GVL for a few years now and is starting to hit his peak in footy age, he knows what the go is and will be a great addition to our forward line as we hope to develop a few young guys down there next year.”
Affectionately known as “Ozzie”, Osborne enjoyed a decorated career at Shepparton East playing in multiple premiership teams and winning the club’s best-and-fairest twice.
He said he was thrilled to be returning to the Eagles’ nest as he hoped to continue his development as a coach after stints with Tallygaroopna and Shepparton Swans.
“It is good to be back, I have played 10 years of footy with the Eagles over my career and it is almost like a second home to me,” he said.
“Having played a similar amount of time with the Shepparton Swans as well, over both juniors and then coming back in my mid 20s to see the higher level, it was certainly a hard decision for me to leave, but we have a good bunch of kids here at the Eagles and throw in some of these more mature bodies as well and I am excited to see what we can do.”
Now looking ahead to the 2022 season, Osborne said he did not want to put any limits on what his team could accomplish.
“For us it is about getting a good quality group together while building a strong culture and fitness base that will set us up for a good year,” he said.
“I have been away from the club for a few years, so I am not going to place any expectations on the guys, I think we have a great group of players and I am excited to see what we can do.”
