Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
FORMER Sunraysia inter-league player and Wentworth captain Lachlan Murdoch is among three recruits Sandhurst has landed ahead of the 2022 Bendigo Football-Netball League season.
While Murdoch is new to the club, their two other recruits are familiar faces at the Dragons - Jake Wilkinson and Zach Pallpratt.
Murdoch will be injected into the midfield and joins Sandhurst off the back of the Dragons' 10-2 record and third-placed finish this year.
"Lachlan has been a really versatile player at his home club Wentworth where he has captained for a couple of years," Sandhurst coach Ashley Connick said on Thursday.
"Playing as a big-bodied midfielder is probably his best position, but he has also played centre half-forward and centre half-back.
"We'll probably look to play him through the midfield and he will bring some really good leadership as well.
"He moves really well and was as fit a player as they had at Wentworth, so we think he's going to be fantastic for us and he'll fit in really well at the club."
Defender Wilkinson previously played for the Dragons from 2010-12 and 2018-19 in 88 senior games and is rejoining the club after playing at Nyah Nyah West United in the Central Murray league this year.
"Jake played some outstanding footy at Nyah and he adds some flexibility for us as well," Connick said.
"He has predominantly played backline in Bendigo, but he played a lot through the midfield for Nyah and could potentially play a number of roles for us... it could allow us to free up Sean O'Farrell (full-back) at times, or he could play further up the ground.
"Along with Lachlan, Jake gives us another big body that we felt we needed."
Pallpratt returns to the Dragons from Benalla having previously played with Sandhurst in 2018 and 2019.
"Zach is going to be a really important player for us and we're rapt to have him back," Connick said.
"Zach had a great season this year at Benalla as a starting midfielder. He is in his prime now and we think his best years of footy are going to be his next two to three.
"He's over his knee issues and he's got himself really fit and worked a lot on his game and we think we're going to get the best of him over the next couple of years.
"We rate him really high and look forward to seeing what he can do for us next year."
While Pallpratt is back at the Dragons, his older brother, Jake Pallpratt, who won Sandhurst's best and fairest in 2018 and coached Benalla this year but has stepped down, won't be.
"At this stage Jake is going to go back and play with Benalla again. A couple of his really good mates who made the effort to play under him at Benalla are now coaching (Will Martinello and Mark McKenzie) and he wants to repay them," Connick said.
"Benalla is his family club, so he'll play for Benalla in 2022 and we'll then see what happens after that."
Meanwhile, Connick is hopeful the hamstring injuries that restricted Jeremy Rodi to only two games this year will be put behind him and he can be unleashed in 2022 alongside Murdoch, Pallpratt and co through the midfield.
"We really believe if Jeremy can get a good run at it then he's an inter-league standard midfielder without any doubt," Connick said.
"He's a star and will add a lot to us with the way he goes about his footy and be just like a recruit given he only played two games this year."
Rodi will coach the Dragons' under-18s next season.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Join us on Facebook
- Follow us on Google News