This time last year the Bloods were widely tipped to be one of the big sliders of the competition after losing the bulk of their grand final team from 2010.

However, after a 2011 season in which South Bendigo defied the odds and again made the finals for the seventh-time in a row with a new-look team of kids, followed by some strong recruiting, the Bloods are now being talked about as perhaps the greatest threat to Golden Square’s bid for a premiership four-peat.

“We simply look at it in the way that we feel we’ve improved and strengthened up our list,” Bloods coach Rick Coburn said yesterday.

“We only had 46 on our senior list last year, which really hurt us in the second half of the season when the injuries came. But at the moment we’ve g ot 60-plus training.

“As far as recruiting, we feel we’ve done as much as we could during the off-season, and now it’s all about the practice matches to see how it comes together.”

Among the recruits the Bloods have secured are two players from the strong Goulburn Valley Football League. Midfielder Adrian Crawford joins the Bloods from the Shepparton Bears, where he won a best and fairest in 2010.

And Brook Martyn, who can play key position at either end, has been recruited from Benalla.

The club will also have three players on the Bendigo Football Club’s list in Justin Maddern, Steven Stroobants and Brad Collins.

However, the club has missed out on luring Brad Rohde back, with the Loddon Valley Football League’s leading goalkicker last year to now stay at Bridgewater.

The Bloods start their practice matches against reigning Geelong Football League premier Bell Park in Geelong next month.

They will then play Moama, before meeting Balwyn on March 31 at the QEO in what will be the Shaun Bergin Memorial match.