Taylors Lakes has again focused on bringing back former players to the club as it aims to take the next step in the Essendon District Football League division 1 competition.
For much of this year the Lions were on track to make finals in their return to division 1 before fading in the back half of the year.
The Lions signed five new players ahead of next season while a number of players who didn’t have much impact this year also set to return to the field.
Coach Steve Burns said they were pretty happy with how things were sitting.
“The boys started back last [Monday] night,” he said.
“We had pretty good numbers and everyone was up and about.
“We’ve got some good one pointers back which is really good. We think we’re pretty close to being done.
“We’re looking at a couple of kids, who are 18-19, as that is where we fall down.”
James Vistarini, Jake Brown and Daniel Sargent are all returning to the Lions.
Vistarini is a club legend having won league best and fairests with the club.
Burns said his footy IQ is what sets him apart.
Sargent returns from Keilor where Burns said he had taken his game to another level having locked down a spot in the Blues side.
Brown also returns having played with Diggers Rest most recently.
“We think we will get the best out of him,” Burns said. “He showed some good leadership on the track already.”
The biggest name signing for the Lions is Brandon Coletta, who crosses from St Albans.
The star defender reunites with Burns, who coached him at Hillside.
He has played with Jack Burns and Lachie Rayner at both the Sharks and East Keilor.
“Their [Rayner and Coletta] dads are best mates of mine, it’s nice to have the families back together.”
While Coletta was a forward under Burns at Hillside, he said he would remain in the backline where he had become one of the premier defenders in the competition.
Korey Flavel-Wood is the other signing for the Lions and who Burns said will bring good skills and footy IQ.
Burns, who has re-signed until the end of 2027, said he was also excited to see the likes of Mitch Jones, Samuel Kosmak and Tomi Ibarra back fit and firing.
He said after a year of learning and seeing where they sit, the group is determined to step it up this year.
“We got as high as equal second and fell away in the second half of the year which was really disappointing,” he said.
“We were set up to play finals so as a coach I see it as a failure.
“The playing group got everything out of themselves.
“We want to go up another level and play finals. It won’t be easy with the competition set to go up another level.
