While it is still unknown whether or not football will be played this year, Bungaree has further boosted its stocks by signing a past Toohey Medal winner from the Wimmera league.
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Former Ararat star Alan Batchelor has put pen to paper to join the Demons, which are preparing under first-year coach Ryan Waight.
While somewhat unknown in Ballarat circles, Batchelor is highly-regarded in his old home town of Ararat.
The small onballer played more than 200 games for the Rats after starting in 2001 with the under-14 team.
He won multiple club best and fairest awards as well as the league's senior medal in 2008.
Batchelor is also a past captain and life member of Ararat.
Waight was pleased to finally have Batchelor locked in and said that if season 2020 didn't begin because of COVID-19, his star recruit would be right to go the following year.
"He obviously brings leadership, no doubt. The nights that he trains, especially our younger guys, they can really see the way he took the guys under (his) wings and just explained drills, explained skills and explained game plan," Waight told The Courier.
"He captained (Ararat) for a long time so he's got those leadership skills within him.
"He brings that and then obviously brings a bit of class as well."
Waight said while Batchelor hadn't played for a few years, he still displayed great skills on the track.
"One thing I really wanted to do on the back of last year into this year is put some smart people around the footy and guys who can use the footy well by foot. And he obviously can do that," Waight said.
Under coach Heath Pyke, Bungaree finished the 2019 season in 10th spot on the Central Highlands Football League ladder.
Clearances have just reopened across AFL Victoria leagues, allowing clubs to add players to their list in the event a season kicks off at some point in 2020.