Who is Sam Gilbert? 37-year-old makes shock VFL return for the remainder of the 2024 season

Former St Kilda defender Sam Gilbert is reportedly back in the Victorian Football League for the rest of this season. He would be a part of the standalone club, the Northern Bullants, ahead of the 2024 season’s 10th Round.

In 2019, a year after the Saints delisted him, Gilbert played eight games at the state league level with the Sandringham. He has since featured for Victorian local league sides Bonbeach, Old Haileybury, and Bairnsdale.

Having played 208 games within his 13 years of AFL experience for the Saints, 37-year-old Sam Gilbert has joined the Zebras in the 2024 campaign. Ahead of their game against Carlton on Sunday, June 2, the club confirmed Gilbert's signing on Friday (May 31).

Having started his AFL career in 2006, the defender played in all three of St Kilda’s grand finals from 2009 to 2010 under former coach Ross Lyon during what is arguably the club's 21st-century peak.

The Northern Bullants sit at the bottom of the VFL ladder after eight matches, with only one win this season so far. They will be hosting the Blues, who currently hold the 20th position, at Genis Steel Oval this Sunday at 2:05 pm.

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Mid-Season Draft: VFL Draftees named by new clubs ft. Sam Gilbert

VFL Rd 13 - Port Melbourne v Sandringham

Campbell Gray (at Pick No. 16) and Jacob Blight (at Pick No. 2) will line up against the Geelong Cats in their AFL debut at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday for the Richmond Tigers.

Geelong has named Rhys Stanley, AFL premiership ruckman, Jed Bews and Joe Furphy, a 202cm basketball convert.

197cm key forward Jasper Scaife, Hawthorn’s newest key forward makes his debut for Box Hill Hawks against Essendon alongside Nick Watson.

Saad El Hawli, Will Setterfield, and Ryan Brodie join the Essendon Bombers, with Jye Menzie named in the AFL team and Archie Roberts and Nick Bryan named AFL emergencies.

Kaleb Smith will be the 40th AFL Richmond Tiger of the season. The Suns Academy member Zai Millane will make his VFL debut. Former St Kilda defender Sam Gilbert has returned to State League football in an attempt to help resuscitate the Northern Bullants in their northern Derby against Carlton on Sunday. Gilbert, 37, hasn’t lined up at VFL level since 2019.

Ruckman Max Johnson, mid-season drafter Max Hall, and young Will Elliott are the other key inclusions for the Bullants. Port Melbourne recruit Josh May and South Morang’s Davin Cameron debuted for Coburg in its clash with Casey Demons at Piranha Park on Saturday.

All matches would be in the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons.