Bond has been a key player for the Bendigo Football League strugglers, booting 34 goals last season and 46 during 2014.

Those hauls came while playing for a Magpies side that didn’t win a game last season and managed just five victories the year before.

Lakies president Matt Hines said he was delighted to land a power forward to help Brodrick Campbell in attack.

Campbell has been the senior team’s best goal-kicker in recent years and managed 57 majors in 2015.

Hines said Bond had moved to the Miners Rest region and had been on the club’s radar for some time.

Bond’s brother Nathan has also decided to leave Maryborough and join the Central Highlands league club.

He is expected to be an important addition to the Lakies’ onball stocks after featuring in the Magpies’ best in five of his 11 games last year.

Hines also revealed multiple Cairns Saints premiership player Christian Philpot is on board for the upcoming campaign.

He is set to fill a key defensive role for the Lakies.

Meanwhile, past Learmonth under-18 best and fairest Jamie Powell – the cousin of senior coach Brenton – has returned to the club from SMW Rovers for this season.

The Lakies are looking to return to finals after finishing 11^th in 2015.

Learmonth’s preparation is set to include practice matches at home against Royal Park on March 4, Newlyn on March 10 and Carisbrook on March 18.

It opens the new season with a match against Buninyong on April 9.