The Horsham District league club has also re-signed the likes of its 2017 best and fairest winner Hugh McMurtrie and 2017 assistant coach and ruckman Zack May. 

President Rodney Weidemann said Musgrove was a natural leader. 

“We brought (the Darwin players, McMurtrie and Musgrove) down mid-year and Jack took a couple of training sessions,” he said. 

“We were looking for someone to take the reins and we can all see the credentials in the young fella.” 

Weidemann said 2017 senior coach Andrew May had mentored Musgrove throughout the season with the promotion in mind.

“May will still be around next year, but behind the scenes, helping the young team out,” he said. 

Musgrove was previously a senior premiership player for St Mary’s in the Northern Territory Football League during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 

He played for the Northern Territory Thunder in the North East Australian Football League and for Stawell Warriors in the Wimmera league in 2016. 

The Panthers enjoyed a gradual improvement throughout the 2017 season and Weidemann said a highlight was witnessing how Musgrove and May conducted themselves among the playing group. 

“It took us until mid-year to start to hit our straps,” he said. 

“This is the first time in five or six years that we are seeing under-17 players move through the ranks… It’s good to see the junior program develop.” 

Rupanyup finished the season in 10^th spot on the Horsham District league ladder, ahead of Taylors Lake and Pimpinio. 

Weidemann said a goal for 2018 was playing finals football. 

“We will look to add to the group and play the same brand of footy we were playing around the end of the year,” he said. 

“You never know in the footy world.”