A top flight midfielder will be back in Sunbury colours in the Ballarat Football League next year.
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Mathew Medcraft is the Lions' first majior signing of the off-season.
Coach Travis Hodgson said Medcraft was a huge addition - adding another dimension to the Lions' midfield/onball combination.
"He's a clever player with very good goal sense.
"He runs good patterns and has the ability to find himself in the right spots," Hodgson said.
Medcraft returns after a nomadic period in his football career.
A 2012 premiership player with Sunbury, Medcraft left Sunbury after a two games in 2017 and spent the rest of the season with Port Douglas in AFL Cairns,
He returned to his home patch last year and played in a premiership with Diggers Rest in the Riddell District league.
He spent this year with Wangaratta Rovers in the Ovens and Murray league.
A best and fairest with the Lions, Medcraft was among the BFL's elite midfielders, finishing equal third to Darley's Steve Kennedy in the 2015 Henderson Medal and being instrumental in Sunbury reaching the 2016 grand final.
Medcraft is Sunbury's first major signinng and will complement an already star-studded midfield featuring reigning Henderson Medallist Alik Magin and Lachie Bramble, who are among players to have recommitted to another season at Clarke Oval.
Hodgson is looking to build after returning to finals this year, but going straight out in an elimination final loss to Melton.
Sunbury has lost defender Kaylan Dempster.
He is moving on owing to work commitments, but the Lions are uncertain where he will play next season.
Kempster joined Sunbury this year with VFL experience with Frankston and played 15 games.