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HEATHCOTE District league under-17 Roulston medallist Rhys Deacon is among the latest group of signings for Mount Pleasant in the Heathcote District league.
Deacon is returning to the Blues - importantly, as a one-point player - having played the past two years with Essendon District Football League division one side Taylors Lakes.
Deacon kicked 35 goals for Taylors Lakes last year.
He won the HDFNL's under-17 Roulston Medal in 2014 - the same year he captained Mount Pleasant's thirds premiership and was best-on-ground in the grand final win over White Hills.
"He's very strong bodied and kicked 35 goals as a mid/forward in the Essendon District league in 2019, so it's fantastic to have Rhys back at the club," Mount Pleasant coach Darren Walsh said.
"He'll play forward changing on-ball. He gives us another great target along with Ben Weightman and Dan Davie, and if we decide to play Travis Baird forward as well, that front half is looking really good for us."
The Blues will also have Luke Marchesi back next year.
Marchesi spent 2018 and 2019 at the Blues, but had signed to play with Moulamein in the Golden Rivers league this year.
"Luke has had two hip surgeries in the past three years and that has hurt him a bit, but he's got himself super fit," Walsh said.
"He was tossing up about whether to come back to us or have a crack in Bendigo, so it's a bonus he's coming back because I think he still has so much more upside in him.
"He's got some versatility in that we could play him off half-back or across half-forward next year, but he will play on-ball at times."
The Blues have also regained Nick Edwards, who was among their standout performers in last year's final series.
Edwards had signed to play with Maiden Gully YCW in the Loddon Valley league this year.
"Nick did some really important shut-down roles in our first two finals last year, but his pace also allows him to run off his opponent and create as well," Walsh said.
"He came fifth in our best and fairest last year and has been a core player for a long time, but I still think he's got another level he could go to."
Also heading back to Toolleen next season is teenager Jackson Hufer.
Hufer made his senior debut with the Blues last season, but had headed into South Bendigo this year to play under-18s with the Bloods.
The returns of Deacon, Marchesi, Edwards and Hufer to Mount Pleasant follow the Blues having secured two top midfielders from the Bendigo league in Adam Baird and Liam Collins.
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 Walsh took over as coach in 2018.
THE 50 MOST DOMINANT PREMIERSHIP SEASONS ACROSS THE REGION SINCE 1990 - THE LIST SO FAR
No.6 - Strathfieldsaye 2015
No. 7 - Heathcote 2010
No. 8 - South Bendigo 1993
No. 10 & 9 - Golden Square 2010; Strathfieldsaye 2019
No. 12 & 11 - Castlemaine 2000; Strathfieldsaye 2014
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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