'A part of me missing': these two can't wait to be back in familiar colours

They enjoyed their time elsewhere but the pull of a club close to their hearts was too strong for a pair of Hampden league recruits.

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Accomplished footballers Darcy Keast and Felix Jones are both back at North Warrnambool Eagles for 2027 after time away.

Keast, a versatile defender, has made more than 100 senior appearances for the Eagles but hasn't played at his home club since 2019.

Darcy Keast and Felix Jones have returned to North Warrnambool Eagles after time away. Pictures by file and Eddie Guerrero

The 33-year-old spent the 2021 season with Leopold in the Geelong league before relocating to Queensland and playing five seasons with North Cairns in the AFL Cairns competition.

He also had a stint playing for Nightcliff in the Northern Territory in 2021-22.

"It'll be good," Keast said of returning to the Eagles.

"Back to where it all started so I'm very keen to get back in to playing with family and some of my best mates are there as well.

"I've been around a few places now but I'll probably finish up there."

The chance to play alongside family was a big drawcard for Keast, who believed he had a "couple more years left" as a player.

Darcy Keast playing for North Warrnambool Eagles in 2019. File picture

His brother Baillie and cousins Harry and Tom are all established members of the Eagles senior side, which was undefeated before falling in the 2026 decider to Koroit.

The trio were all teenagers in 2019, with Tom the only one Keast has played alongside in an official game.

"Hopefully I can get a few games in with them," he said.

"That's probably the main driving force and mum and dad and everyone are back there too."

Keast, who lives in Geelong with wife Charlotte and their five-month old daughter Lara, enjoyed a successful stint with North Cairns, captaining the side to a drought-breaking premiership in 2025.

The backman previously won a flag with Leopold in 2016 but the ultimate glory has eluded him at the Eagles.

The accountant was one of the Eagles' best in the 2019 grand final, which they lost by just three points to Koroit.

The club has appeared in all five grand finals since, winning one in 2025, to clinch its first Hampden league premiership.

"Hopefully I can squeeze in and get a game and we'll see how we go," Keast said.

"It doesn't look like we're going to lose too many and hopefully there's a couple that are in the works to come back on.

"Obviously the disappointment this year, arguably we should have won it, so hopefully we can do that. I haven't won one there so that'd be special."

Jones, meanwhile, has spent the past two seasons playing for Bell Post Hill in the Geelong and District league after lining up for the Eagles in the 2024 grand final.

The 27-year-old half-forward has played 70-plus games for the club and is "really excited" to return.

"I was nearly going to do it last year," he said.

"Pretty much as soon as I left I just missed it straight away. I came up here to play with my brother and my mates from Portland.

"I wanted to just tick that off because I hadn't done it since I was pretty young.

"I felt like there was a part of me missing as soon as I left the North Warrnambool footy club, so I'm keen as."

Jones joined the Eagles from his home club, Portland, ahead of the 2021 season and quickly became an important part of their system.

Felix Jones playing for North Warrnambool Eagles in 2023. Picture by Eddie Guerrero

He regularly hit the scoreboard and in his final year, 2024, he kicked a career-best 35 goals.

Like Keast, he is hoping to win his first premiership with the Eagles.

"I played in three losing grand finals in a row and the year I left they won their first one," he said.

"I was very happy for the club but also there was a big part of me that was pretty upset - I felt like I needed to be a part of that.

"I'm definitely hungry for it this year and I've already started my pre-season."

Jones is familiar with most of the players still at the club and is looking forward to reuniting with some of the side's veterans, including Matthew Wines and Jarryd Lewis, who were "massive" for his development when he first joined the club.

He is hoping he can provide similar leadership to the younger players, now he is more experienced.

"Especially if they are forwards, it'd be good to try and help them out and make them feel comfortable," he said.

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