Collingullie’s Harry Perryman will play his first game for the Collingwood Magpies this weekend. Photo: Collingwood Magpies Instagram.
The Riverina’s own Harry Perryman was one of the most sought-after players during the AFL free agency period last year before landing at the biggest club in the country, The Collingwood Magpies.
The talented half-back played 129 games at the Greater Western Sydney Giants before signing a six-year, $900,000 a year deal with the Pies.
Perryman won’t have to wait long for his reunion with last year’s semi-finalists, with the Magpies travelling to ENGIE Stadium this Sunday.
“I reckon it is good to get it (playing his former team) out of the way first up, I’m sure there will be a few boys giving me a bit of lip,” Perryman said.
“It’ll be good fun, hopefully we can knock them off.”
Perryman was raised in the small town of Collingullie and went to school at the Riverina Anglican College in Wagga. He played his junior football for the Collingullie-Glenfield Park Demons in the Riverina Football Netball League before being placed in Greater Western Sydney’s academy program as a teenager and then drafted by the Giants’ first grade squad.
Collingwood legend and former captain Scott Pendlebury said he was impressed with the new recruit, stating he had become a leader of the club in only a short period of time.
“I played in the midfield with H Perryman, it was good to start building that connection with him and I’ve been super impressed with him at training.
“He just does everything really, really well. He’s such a good kick. He has good hands. He’s a hard worker and plays both sides of the footy really well.
“It really reminded me today in the match play of a Luke Ball who came to us in 2010 and just fit in straight away; ‘Pez’ reminded me of that with how clean he was, he made the easy decision and set players up really well.
“It’s almost death by a thousand cuts with ‘Pez’ because he does a lot of things really well and I love that he goes super hard both ways in attack and defence.
“He’s just a natural footballer and I think we need a few of those in our side. I’m super impressed by him.”
Perryman has already taken to his new side, becoming a popular member of the group already.
“When I found out that Collingwood were interested, it was an opportunity that I had to grab with both hands,” Perryman said.
“You look at our more experienced blokes, they’ve got so much wisdom and have played so much footy. So, to have them out on the footy ground with you is pretty special.”
Perryman is one of two former Giants players from Collingullie, along with Matthew Kennedy, who now plays for the Western Bulldogs.
The GIANTS will host the Magpies this Sunday at 7:40 pm at Sydney Olympic Park’s ENGIE Stadium as part of the AFL’s opening round.
