NORTH Ballarat Roosters premiership player Nick Peters will play at Lake Wendouree this season.
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The experienced midfielder has signed a one-year deal with the Ballarat Football League club in a full-time capacity.
Peters leaves the Roosters after reaching the 100-game milestone last season in his final appearance for the club.
The 26-year-old told The Courier he wanted to start a new chapter in his football career.
"I had accomplished everything I had set out to do," Peters said.
"I probably realised I wanted a change around the end of last season. I was looking for an extended break over the off-season, and then I wasn't keen to get back into things at the start of November.
"I've still got a lot of mates at the Roosters, but I just didn't have the determination and desire anymore. It was time to move on."
Peters spent seven years at the Roosters after making his debut in 2008, following two seasons at the North Ballarat Rebels.
The Warracknabeal product took a year off in 2013 to work in the mines in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, but returned to the Roosters for a brilliant 2014 season, in which he won the club's best-and-fairest award.
He joins the Lakers after an injury-plagued 2015 campaign, which restricted him to just 10 games.
Peters said a close relationship with former Roosters team mate Lucas Anderson, now an assistant coach at the Lakers, was a key factor in his decision.
"I got involved in a few social functions at the end of the 2014 season and got to know the people at the club," Peters said.
"I found it to be a really good place and I thought it could be a goer in the future.
"I haven't played country footy since I was about 15 or 16, so it's definitely exciting."
Renowned for his unyielding approach to the contest, Peters said he hoped to provide experience to the group and assist the club’s younger brigade in their development.
Lake Wendouree coach Gavin Webb said he was excited about what Peters could bring.
“He’ll play a major role through the midfield,” Webb said.
“He’ll also add a lot of experience and leadership, playing at a higher level. He’ll have that on-field voice and it’s important to have those sort of players in the key moments, where experience seems to come to the fore.
“And then there’s obviously just his training standards and his fitness levels.”
The acquisition of Peters caps off a rather fruitful off-season for the Lakers, having already secured returning club champion Ben Taylor and premiership defender Tom Littore from St Joseph’s in the Geelong Football League.
Webb said the recruits would all play a key role, but admitted the club could not afford to pin its hopes on the talented trio.
“We had a real focus at the end of last year to add experience, so we’ve filled that deficiency,” Webb said.
“They will help, but they’re still only three players. We still need a lot of improvement to compete with the top sides.
“All other clubs are picking up players as well. We’re confident we’ll improve, but we’re well aware every other club is looking to do the same thing.”