Macedon continues to add to its squad in its bid to turn its Riddell District Football League finals fortunes around.
The Cats have made the finals in the last two years, but went out in straight sets both times, with injuries hitting at the wrong times.
Cats coach Jeff Andrews said they were adding players that could step straight into the side to add depth.
Jonathan Barnett and Chris Kilmartin will join from Kyabram District Football League club Merrigum, while Errol McConnell, who has played VFL with Coburg, has also signed on.
Andrews said forward Matt Knox recommended Barnett and Kilmartin to the club.
“Chris is a centre-half forward who has kicked 40 goals in a season and Jonathan was co-captain in a premiership winning year,” Andrews said. “We were in the right place at the right time.
“Errol played with Aaron Christensen jr at Coburg and with Jason Cooke at the Calder Cannons.”
The club will also benefit from having former AFL player Daniel Markworth for the whole season.
Markworth, a former first-round draft pick whose time at St Kilda was injury riddled, returned to the Cats midway through last season.
“Daniel has committed and has been training and looking really fit,” Andrews said.
“The first couple of games back last year he struggled, but he found his pace come finals and no one could catch him.”
The Cats are hoping to add another signature this off-season – that of former AFL player Matthew Dick.
Dick, who spent time at Sydney and Carlton, playing six games for the latter, played his junior football at the Cats.
Andrews said Dick was unsure about his football future, but club was hopeful of signing him.
“He’s deciding what he is doing and whether he wants to play football,” he said. “We’ve spoken with him and would love for him to play with us this year.”
The Cats have lost defender Damian Fitzpatrick, who has retired, while and a couple of players are still deciding their futures.
James Ferry, who played three games in the past two years due to VFL commitments, has returned to his junior club, Gisborne.
Andrews said the situation was a win-win for both parties, with the points cap making it too hard for the club to play Ferry, even when available.
“He’s been in Essendon’s best four or five players,” he said.
Andrews said they were hoping for a change of fortune after two injury plagued finals campaigns.
“We haven’t had much luck, the last couple of years,” he said. “We’re due for some.”
