The Grasshoppers have added 12 senior quality players since playing their last game - the losing 2019 grand final to North Bendigo - with coach Julian Bull having secured a mix of defenders, forwards and midfielders in the club's push for its first flag since 2008.

The Grasshoppers' defence will feature the returning Daniel Hill and Ben Barton who are both quality ball-users, while down the other end the forward line has new talent in Jed Brain, Clint Shields and Nash Fitzgerald.

Adding to the midfield brigade is the inclusions of Joel Sacco, Darcy Booth, Logan and Laine Fitzgerald, while Jason Turnbull and Charlie Ryan, who is back from Rochester's under-18s, are wingmen.

A key arrival is also the return of gun ruckman Lochlan Sirett following five years at Birchip-Watchem.

Since their last game departures from the club include forwards Ryan Hon and Daniel Connors, Will Morrow, Chris Horsley, Matt McEvoy and Xavier Walsh.

Star twins Cooper and Hugh Hamilton remain on the Grasshoppers' list, but are on scholarships at Caulfield Grammar.

"Having had no season last year, I think it has given us a breath of fresh air. Obviously, our list is reasonably old and we have a lot of guys who only have one or two seasons left in them," Bull said.

"So having that year off could have gone either way for us... it could have finished them off or given them the edge to go again and that seems to be what it does.

"The entire group is really hungry and I think the uptake in guys wanting to play football in December, January and February has been a lot higher than I'd normally see, so that's really positive."

Bull said his recruiting focus started with securing a pair of tall marking half-backs, which he ticked off with Barton and Hill, before shifting his focus to adding some more forward firepower given the losses of Connors and Hon.

"We knew we'd need some more goalkicking. Shieldsy has won eight club goalkicking awards in his career and Jed Brain has won a league goalkicking and medal (Picola District north-west division), so we've been able to add a couple of dynamic players there, as well as Fridge (Sirett), who can play ruck/forward," Bull said.

Round 1 - v Elmore (a)

Round 2 - v LBU (a)

Round 3 - v Huntly (h)

Round 4 - v Leitchville-Gunbower (a)

Round 5 - v White Hills (h)

Round 6 - v North Bendigo (a)

Round 7 - v Heathcote (h)

Round 8 - Bye

Round 9 - v Mount Pleasant (a)

Round 10 - v Elmore (h)

Round 11 - v LBU (h)

Round 12 - v Huntly (a)

Round 13 - v Leitchville-Gunbower (h)

Round 14 - v White Hills (a)

Round 15 - v North Bendigo (h)

Round 16 - v Heathcote (a)

Round 17 - Bye

Round 18 - v Mount Pleasant (h)

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