What the RegionalOne Ballarat Football League club found on that search was a new leader and a new game plan.

The Kookaburras returned from a pre-season football camp at Dunkeld last month having completed a course on leadership and a gruelling fitness campaign.

As a result of that camp, 23-year-old key position player Kurt Bruechert was named captain for the first time after being chosen by his teammates, with Chris Wills and James Carroll named joint vice captains.

"It was a bit of a surprise. It is my first year in the leadership group," Bruechert said.

"We had a few put their hand up for (leadership roles), and I enjoyed stepping up (during the leadership program)."

Senior coach Kal Young said the leadership group had been selected as a direct result of the camp.

"We had (consultant) Leading Teams come in to create leadership within the playing group," Young explained.

"We took an analysis of what happened last year and, as a group, set a standard of what we want to achieve.

"Fitness was a focus and I think we've achieved that as a group."

Just one win from 16 matches was not a happy return for Sebastopol last year. Young wouldn't make any brash predictions about how many wins his team would aim for this season but said the club's new style would bring more

victories in the longer term.

"We've got quick players so we need to move the ball quicker," he said. "We don't want to play a keepings-off style of game.

"We're also working on our defensive pressure.

"I think the players are beginning to know what they need to do to win games. That's been the focus of training and, after (the football camp) it seemed to come together as a group."