READ MORE – Loddon Valley league 2018 season review
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MAIDEN Gully YCW has boosted its key position playing stocks with the addition of three recruits from BFNL clubs.
Joining the Eagles in the Loddon Valley league next season are Kangaroo Flat’s Alex Pearson and the Sandhurst duo of Matt Gray and Darby Graham.
Pearson first played senior football with Kangaroo Flat in 2013 and has been earmarked for a key role in defence by Eagles coach Wayne Mitrovic.
“He’s going to be a very handy addition for us. He played a bit at both ends during his time at Kangaroo Flat and he can also pinch hit in the ruck as well,” Mitrovic said on Friday.
While Pearson will play a defensive role for the Eagles, Gray will slot into the forward line.
The move to the Eagles will provide Gray with the opportunity to play regular senior footy.
The most senior games in a season Gray played during his time at Sandhurst was 12 in 2017.
“He’s a traditional lead-up key forward, but he has played in the ruck, up on the wing and in various positions,” Mitrovic said.
“We were competing a bit for spots when I was at Sandhurst in 2017… if the senior team needed another forward it tended to be out of us two.
“It’s obviously a bit of a step-up in becoming a regular senior player when you have a bit more pressure on you. Instead of fighting for a spot you’re expected to be one of the frontrunners, so that will be a good challenge for him.”
The signing of Graham gives the Eagles another ruckman.
Graham was the winner of the BFNL’s Symons Medal as the under-18 best and fairest in 2017.
Graham played two senior games with the Dragons this year.
“From all reports when he got his senior chance he competed really well,” Mitrovic said.
“The three players we’ve picked up have all got height, which is what we need.”
The rapid rise of the Eagles was one of the key storylines of the Loddon Valley season in 2018.
Having not previously played finals since 2011, the Eagles ended the home and away season in second position and then defeated Pyramid Hill in the qualifying final.
That set up two cracks for the Eagles to win their way into the grand final, but they lost the second semi-final to eventual premier Newbridge and the preliminary final to Mitiamo.
The standout player for the Eagles was wingman Nick Waterson, who won their best and fairest, with Ryan Walker and Nate McLaren joint runners-up.
Mitrovic expects the Eagles will begin pre-season training in early December.
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