A big-bodied midfielder with VFL experience would have been high on the Christmas wishlist for the majority of BFNL coaches.
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South Bendigo coach Nathan Horbury got the present he wanted with Liam Byrne returning to the Bloods for next season.
Byrne was a South Bendigo junior, made his senior debut for the Bloods as a teenager, represented the Bendigo Pioneers and started his VFL career with the Bendigo Gold.
"(After leaving Bendigo) he played with Essendon VFL for a while, then went to Bundoora and most recently he's been playing for Avondale Heights,'' Horbury said of Byrne.
"Liam will be a very handy pickup for us. Adding Liam and Isaiah Miller into our starting midfielder alongside Cooper Leon makes a big difference for us.
"He's played a high level of footy and his experience will help the younger players we have coming through."
Byrne signed with the club on Christmas Eve, while the Bloods have also recently recruited former South junior Bailey Hall and Kyabram's Sam Langley.
That trio comes on the back of Isaiah Miller returning to the Bloods from Rochester.
Horbury said there was a positive vibe at the club during its six-week training block prior to Christmas.
Much of that was thanks to the youth around the club.
Read more: Flashback - Bendigo sport in December, 2006
The Bloods have struggled to field under-18 teams the past couple of years, but it looks like playing stocks have improved dramatically under new coach Shaun Leech.
"Leechy has done a fantastic job,'' Horbury said.
"I think he said he already has 18 players committed, with a few more lined up as well.
"Considering this time last year we only had five under-18 players, we're in a much better position.
"Some of those under-18 boys have been training with the seniors as well, which has been great."
Fitness was one of the Bloods' strengths in the COVID-19 interrupted 2021 season and Horbury said the playing group had built a strong fitness base prior to Christmas.
"We've kept the pre-season format exactly the same,'' Horbury said.
"We've got Fit Republic doing our running and gym program again. We thought over the past two years that our fitness has probably got us over the line in a few games, particularly early this year against Eaglehawk.
"Even against Gisborne we thought we were running on top of the ground.
Read more: South Bendigo remembers premiership great
"We do a fitness testing session before Christmas and one after Christmas out at the athletics track. The players know they can't slacken off because, if they do, they'll be left behind."
Horbury said the signs were good that the strong crop of players aged between 20-23 can help the Bloods push towards the top three in 2022.
"Sam Maher had an interrupted year last year with his knee, but when he came in he played some really good footy,'' Horbury said.
"Andy Van Heumen is having a really good pre-season and he'll play down back for us.
"Will Keck has done everything right so far in his recovery from his knee injury. He's put in the work and he's in great condition. I don't think I've ever seen a player commit to his rehab like he has...he's been brilliant.
"Brayden Torpey, Brock Harvey and Tom Brereton are other players in that age bracket that are ready to have big seasons.
"Hopefully those younger guys, now that they've got 50 to 60 senior games under their belt, can take another step in their development."
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