READ MORE - Brodie Collins headed back to LBU as co-coach

LOCKINGTON-Bamawm United's push to rebound from the disappointing end to its 2019 Heathcote District league season is gathering momentum with the addition of another four players from Eaglehawk.

Having already lured Brodie Collins back to the club from Canterbury Park as co-coach, the Hawks have now signed the quartet of Ben McPhee, Jesse Collins, Trent Bacon and Lachlan Atherton.

McPhee, Collins and Bacon are all Cats' premiership players and return as one-pointers.

McPhee returns to the Cats - where he played in a premiership in 2011 - having won three of Eaglehawk's past four best and fairests, including this year.

McPhee has been one of the Bendigo league's premier midfielder-small forwards during his six years at the Hawks, kicking 126 goals, representing the BFNL at inter-league four times and playing in the Hawks' 2018 premiership.

McPhee's younger brother, James, who has been playing for Rochester, has also signed with the Cats where he's likely to fill a forward role. He slotted 27 goals for the Tigers this season.

Tough on-baller Collins played in the Cats' 2012 and 2013 premiership sides and has spent the past six seasons at the Hawks, including playing in the 2018 flag, while he was one of the Hawks' best players in last month's grand final loss to Strathfieldsaye.

Bacon, a 2013-14 LBU premiership player, joined the Hawks midway through the 2017 season, but luck hasn't been on his side, with injury keeping him out of Eaglehawk's grand final teams this year and in 2018.

Atherton, who has played most of his football at the Hawks in defence, is making the move to the Cats having had his first taste of senior football in 2014.

Like Collins and McPhee, Atherton was also a member of the Hawks' 2018 premiership team.

"It's massive for the club getting these signings and when you look at what we needed to recruit from last season, it's midfielders," LBU co-coach Kahl Oliver said on Friday.

"Our backline is steady and our forward line is probably the best in the competition with its unpredictability, so we needed to add to our midfield.

"To get in some quality midfielders and four of our locals back in Ben, Trent, Jesse and James, as well as having already got Brodie back, ticks all the boxes for us."

The Cats this year wasted a strong home and away season when they finished second on the ladder by bowing out of the finals in straight sets following losses to Colbinabbin and Mount Pleasant.

"Going off the phone calls I've made to the group about who we've recruited, they are stoked that we're getting some A Graders into the side, but more so that they are getting their mates back to the club after going away and playing better footy," Oliver said.

"The hunger and disappointment off the back of last season is huge. We'll go into the pre-season with some top-end talent coming into the mix, but that means that the bar is going to be raised again and for the group it's going to be as simple as either you come along with us or you're going to be missing out.

"We know there will be high expectation next year and hype around us, but we want that... we want to be talked about in the right manner.

"We're happy with what we've done with our recruiting so far and we think we'll have a dangerous 22, but now we have to implement a gameplan that ensures we get the most out of everyone."

The Cats won their last premiership in 2014 and are bound to enter the 2020 season as the raging favourites.

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