By MARK HEENAN
OCEAN Grove Football Club’s biggest off-season signing James Linton is excited by his new challenge at the Grubbers in 2016.
The ex-Colac gun midfielder who played in the club’s only senior GFL premiership in 2014, joined his new team-mates at pre-season training this month at Ocean Grove’s new football headquarters at Shell Road.
The 24-year-old Jan Juc resident said playing in the Bellarine was a good fit to compliment his busy life with work and university demands.
“My life is down on the Surf Coast and the Bellarine, I have a fair bit on my plate and just the travel going back to Colac was something I could not do and (commit) to anymore,” Linton told the Voice.
“I weighed up playing for both Torquay and Ocean Grove, with the new facilities (at Shell Road) there is fair bit happening down here (at Ocean Grove).
“It is very exciting.”
Between 2010 and 2015, Linton played 60 senior GFL games for Colac.
Linton, a fomer Victoria Country Football League representative, was named best afield in Geelong Football League’s Interleague clash against the Goulburn Valley Football League in 2013.
He is the son of Wayne Linton, who played 65 VFL games for Fitzroy between 1974 and 1978.
Outside of football, Linton runs his own business delivering organic fresh fruit and vegies and also works as a chef, while completing his final year at university studying naturopathy.
QUICK TIME OUT WITH JAMES LINTON
Current occupation?
Student.
AFL Team supported?
Brisbane Lions.
Favourite drink?
Furphy.
Football highlight?
Winning the GFL premiership for Colac against Leopold in 2014.
Favourite holiday destination?
I always like going somewhere new. I have just come back from Vietnam and was in South America before that.
Favourite football position on the ground?
On ball and inside midfielder.
