New Bungaree coach Ryan Waight has started assembling the playing squad he hopes will lift the club up the Central Highlands Football League ladder.
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Waight, who has taken over at the helm from Heath Pyke, has secured four "A-graders" in the early stages of the off-season.
Headlining the new faces is former North Ballarat Roosters and Learmonth player Jacob Werts, who has signed after a stint coaching Donald in the North Central competition.
Werts played a handful of senior VFL games for the Roosters and represented the NCFL this year in the AFL Victoria Community Championships clash with the CHFL.
He will add some speed and class to the Demons' defensive stocks.
"He will bring leadership regardless of a title, which will be really good," Waight told The Courier.
Werts' partner is Bungaree A-grade netball coach Kathryn O'Dwyer.
Cousins Will Lovett and Dakin Morris have arrived from Heywood, where they won the South West District league senior flag in 2019.
Lovett, who has history with Sebastopol and Dunnstown, also played in the 2018 premiership with Heywood and was this year named the club's best and fairest.
Morris was rated best on ground in the decider against Tyrendarra in September, while the pair made the league's team of the year for 2019.
Waight expected Lovett and Morris to boost the midfield and forward departments next year.
"They'll bring a level of polish to us for outside and also help us in terms of scoring power, which is what we wanted to work on," he said.
The fourth of the key signings is former Redan footballer Ryan Bell, who arrives following a stint with the Geelong West Giants.
Waight spent time playing with Bell at Redan and has secured him as a playing assistant coach.
"He's a really good communicator, tough as nails and brings a level of professionalism and hardness to the team," Waight said of Bell, who will take charge of the team's defence.
Adding to the Demons' depth is Max Eastman from Hepburn, as well as former North Ballarat City duo Max Lawless and Josh Partington.
Waight is a triple Redan premiership player, past Victoria Country representative and All Australian, who joined Bungaree ahead of the 2018 season.
He arrived at the club as an assistant to Pyke, but injury meant he played just four senior games in 2018 before retiring.
Bungaree finished 10th on the ladder in 2019 with seven wins.
