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READ MORE - Bendigo Pioneer recovers from meningitis scare
MOUNT Pleasant has added further strength to its 2021 midfield brigade with the addition of former Bendigo Pioneers' captain and Kangaroo Flat best and fairest winner Liam Collins.
The 23-year-old was born the same year his father, Murray Collins, coached Mount Pleasant to the 1997 Heathcote District league premiership.
"There's a family connection at the club with Muz having coached a flag at Mounts. A lot of the people that we grew up with out there are still there, so it will be nice to go back out there and play some footy," Collins said on Tuesday.
The recruiting of Collins, who won Kangaroo Flat's best and fairest in 2018, comes hot on the heels of the Blues' signing reigning Bendigo league Michelsen medallist Adam Baird from Golden Square a fortnight ago.
As well as the signings last October of multiple Golden Square premiership players Travis Baird and Brayden Dorrington for this season that was cancelled, plus Dale Young, James Walsh and the former Kyneton quartet of star forward Ben Weightman, Billy Mahony, Dan Davie and Bryce Hinneberg, the Blues now have 10 former BFNL regular senior players on their list since Darren Walsh took over as coach in 2018.
"Liam gives us a lot more depth in our midfield and is a player who has good footy smarts, he's a leader and uses the ball really well," Walsh said.
"We're really pleased to have been able to add in Liam and Adam (Baird) to the midfield, and we'll also have Joey Whiting coming back from a knee injury.
"With Billy Mahony, Tommy Pontell, Ben Weightman, who can go on-ball as well, we think we've got a lot of midfield options now.
"In terms of recruiting high-end talent, we're finished now and we'll shift our focus to getting a couple of one-point players back to the club to keep building that depth.
"We think we've got a good mix now of youth and experience."
The Blues were coming off a preliminary final appearance last year and have made massive inroads under Walsh, who took over as coach off the back of the club claiming the wooden spoon in 2017.
The Blues are the Heathcote District league's most successful club with 19 senior flags, but haven't won one since 2006.
50 MOST DOMINANT FLAG SEASONS IN BFL, HDFL, LVFL SINCE 1990 - THE LIST SO FAR
No. 14 & 13 - Leitchville-Gunbower 2017; South Bendigo 1991
No. 16 & 15 - Colbinabbin 1999; Mount Pleasant 1995
No. 18 & 17 - YCW 1997; Bridgewater 2015
No. 20 & 19 - Mount Pleasant 1997; Mount Pleasant 1993
No. 22 & 21 - Bridgewater 2010; Bridgewater 2011
No. 24 & 23 - LBU 2011; Colbinabbin 1998
No. 26 & 25 - Gisborne 2003; LBU 2013
No. 28 & 27 - Gisborne 2002; Colbinabbin 1991
No. 30 & 29 - Maryborough 1998; Gisborne 2005
No. 32 & 31 - South Bendigo 1994; Golden Square 2009
No. 34 & 33 - Castlemaine 1992; South Bendigo 1990
No. 36 & 35 - Mitiamo 1999; Sandhurst 2016
No. 38 & 37 - North Bendigo 2019; Leitchville-Gunbower 2018
No. 40 & 39 - Bridgewater 1991; Calivil United 2017
No. 42 & 41 - Heathcote 1992, Sandhurst 2004
No. 44 & 43 - Eaglehawk 2008, Elmore 2007
No. 46 & 45 - Mount Pleasant 1990, Newbridge 2018
No. 48 & 47 - Gisborne 2006, Calivil United 1990
No. 50 & 49 - Calivil United 2003, Eaglehawk 2018
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