The Ballarat Football League representative joins the Emus as a marquee signing after a season with Monash Blues in the VAFA’s premier B division.

Pitson had a stand-out year with Lakers in 2016 – representing the BFL in the AFL Vic Community Championships and being named in the BFL team of the year.

The strong-marking mobile key forward also kicked 57 goals in the home and away season to finish second in the BFL goalkicking award.

Despite his goalkicking prowess, Pitson will have a midfield role at Skipton.

Emus coach Greg Middleton said Pitson was keen to play through the midfield, in contrast being to a stay at home forward from where he helped Lakers rise to the top of the BFL ladder. 

Middleton said Pitson was the key recruit Skipton had been searching for and hoped his arrival would be a linchpin in getting other top-end recruits.

He said the opportunity get the Melbourne-based Pitson had come by chance through some mates he had at Skipton.

Preparing for his second season with Skipton, Middleton is looking at up to 12 new faces lining up with the Emus next season as their recruiting continues.

He said with the focus in his first year being on getting the off-field structure where he wanted it to be and ensuring the club had a long-term future, he was now looking to build on-field. 

Skipton did not win a game this year in the 17-team competition.

The Emus joined the CHFL in 2011 after the Lexton Plains league folded and won seven games to finish 13^th.

They had their best year in the CHFL in 2013 with eight wins lifting them to 10^th. 

Skipton has won just eight games in the past four years.