They leave after just one season with the Lions.

Redfern is returning to his former club Coolamon in the Riverina league, while McInneny is stepping away from football because of work commitments.

Redfern, who was a former GWS Giants rookie, and McInneny were part of a vigorous recruiting campaign by then coach Rick Horwood for 2016 which catapulted Sunbury into the grand final, which it lost to Bacchus Marsh.

Their exit is another setback for new coach Ben Jordan, who also has the task of replacing BFL team of the year small forward and Lions leading goalkicker Jack Landt (Essendon Doutta Stars) and versatile tall forward Josh Burgess (Sunbury Kangaroos).

As a late appointment, Jordan is aware Sunbury is behind other clubs in the hunt for recruits, but is confident it will secure the right type of players to meet its needs.

Finding key position players to replace Redfern, McInneny and Burgess, as well as provide cover when Grant Valles is away are the priorities.

Jordan said Valles, who also joined Sunbury this year and earned selection in the BFL team of the year, was staying with the club, but was planning to spend part of next season travelling.

Redfern and McInneny, who each played various roles during the season, were linchpins in Sunbury’s finals campaign.

The Albury-based Redfern played down the spine in defence, while McInneny stepped into the first ruck in the grand final after David Kovacevic had surgery to repair a finger tendon.

Jordan said given the impact that the injury had had on Sunbury’s grand final hopes, it would need to come up with some support for Kovacevic in the off-season.

It is not all bad news for Jordan and Lions. They have secured mobile midfielder and potential small forward Mitch Trimboli from Sunbury Kangaroos in the Riddell District league.

Trimboli represented RDFNL at under-19 level before moving into senior ranks in the past few seasons.