Bacchus Marsh lures home trio from CHFL clubs

Baiden Cracknell and Josh Calvitto are returning from Dunnstown, while Sam Crea has ended a short stay with neighbouring Ballan.

Cracknell and Calvitto are significant losses for the Towners..

Cracknell is going back to Bacchus Marsh after moving to the CHFL club midway through an abbreviated 2021 season and filling some key roles for the Towners.

The tall defender missed just one senior game in his two full seasons at Dunnstown, which included two finals campaigns and a preliminary final appearance in 2022.

He will provide added options for the Cobras' backline for new coach Dennis Armfield and returns a much more mature player.

Cracknell made only a handful of senior appearances before moving to Dunnstown, but the CHFL experience should have ready to make an impact.

Calvitto is returning after one season with Dunnstown

Like Cracknell, he will be eager to make his presence felt under a new regime at Maddingley Park.

Calvitto has played a mixed of senior and reserves with Bacchus Marsh since 2015, outside spending 2019 with Melton Centrals in the Riddell District league and this year with Duinnstown.

Crea has had just the one season with Bacchus Marsh, when he played 14 games in 2022. He had previously primarily played with Glen Orden in the Western Region league.

The signing of Cracknell, Calvitto and Crea is all about adding depth, with Bacchus Marsh looking to build on six wins and eighth place in 2023.

In addition to Armfield, the Cobras' biggest recruit has been former Carklton, Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs AFL player Andrejs Everitt.

The Cobras won their last four games last seasons, including a two-point victory Sunbury with ultimately cost the Lions a place in the top six and finals campaign.

They last made the finals in 2018, when they won 10 games for fifth position. That came after Bacchus Marsh's first premiership flag in 2016 and a grand final loss to Darley in 2017.