A classy VFL utility and a returning premiership player among Sunbury's latest signings for the 2022 Ballarat Football Netball League season.
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Mitch Lewis has nominated Sunbury as his home club, having crossed from the Casey Demons to Port Melbourne in the VFL.
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Lewis, 23, played just one game for the Demons last season, kicking a goal and racking up 22 disposals.
"A great new addition to our club, Mitch has been a very good player for the Casey Demons in recent years," he said.
"Now with Port Melbourne, we are rapt he's chose us as his home club when he's available to play locally.
"(He's) versatile, an elite runner, a good ball user and a ripping young man.
"We look forward to seeing him in the Lions jumper."
Signing on alongside Lewis is 2012 premiership player and club best-and-fairest winner Matt Medcraft.
A crafty small forward, Medcraft joins from Port Douglas.
"Whether up the ground or inside 50, his smarts and A Grade running patterns make him a damaging player with ball in hand," Hodgson said.
Veteran Leigh Brennan has also re-signed for next season and will again coach the forward line.
Brennan had a return of five goals from five games in an injury-plagued 2021.
"Leigh provides direction to the club's young forwards but is also still capable of using his smarts and first class finishing skills to hit the scoreboard himself," Hodgson said.
Sunbury has gone about re-signing most of the playing group that led it to finals last season, including BFNL team of the year defender and club best-and-fairest Tyson Lever.
Lever's cousin, Callum, a Lions junior, will join him at the club next year having crossed from East Sunbury where he impressed as a forward with a penchant for the physical side of the game.
Fellow Lions junior graduate Will Wright also joins from East Sunbury having helped the club to a fourth-place finish last season.
"Will can be used anywhere on the ground. A strong runner with genuine pace he will no doubt be suited to his new surrounds," Hodgson said.
Also among the growing number of Lions who have re-committed for next year are forward Jake Sutton, who was a late arrival in 2021, and mid Tom Donoghue.
Classy onballer Daniel Toman and halfback Corey Mobilio are some of last season's other top performers who will return next year.
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