A refreshed Paddy Dowling is ready to hit the second half of his GFNL career full of running after spending 2024 with Bellarine club Geelong Amateur.
As K rock Football revealed last (Tuesday) night, Dowling will return to St Mary’s to add to his 86 games and 147 goals in the navy blue and green.
“Being at St Mary’s since I was junior, I got back to enjoying my footy and (got) a freshen-up,” Dowling said after a season that yielded 51 goals and Bellarine Team of the Year selection.
“It was always going to be probably short-term at Ammos, even though it was a really hard decision.
“The freshen-up has really helped.”
At his best, Dowling is one of the most dynamic forwards in the region, highlighted by his 47 goals in St Mary’s most recent premiership year of 2022, where he was named in the GFNL Team of the Year.
And the 26-year-old’s excited about returning to the region’s premier competition as the Saints transition into a new era.
“I was watching our (St Mary’s) reserves on Simonds (GMHBA Stadium), and I was like, ‘Yeah. I miss this a little bit’,” he said.
“The ultimate reason I’m coming back is to play finals.
“And the change (in the list); it’s similar to 2019 and 2022 a little bit.
“We’ve had a little bit of cleanout, which is not the best, but it can be a positive, I believe.”
Dowling, the grandson of local football icon and St Mary’s immortal Don Mathieson, also looks forward to the opportunity to play alongside brother Nick.
“He’s come up through the (under-)18’s, and he played a few ressies games last year,” Dowling said.
“Hopefully, he can have a crack at the seniors.
“That’s one of the ultimate reasons I went back.”
X: @krockfootball
