Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions have looked to add some more experience as it aims to return to the Ballarat Football League top six.
After losing a number of close games last season, which proved costly, the Lions have looked to reinforce their squad.
Lions coach Travis Hodgson said they believed they would have a stronger squad in 2023.
“We were a little bit inexperienced in that area and we’ve targeted that,” he said. “We lost five of our games in close ones, which was the story of our season.
“We had a couple of players around 30-odd and then a big gap. We didn’t have many in the mid-20s range.
“We’ve looked to find a better balance.”
The Lions have already announced three full-time signings with Victorian Football League experience as of Thursday, while have signed another former VFL player signing full time that they’re yet to announce.
Hodgson said they were hopeful of signing another player as well, who fits in the age demographic they’re looking to fill.
While excited about all the signings, that of former Essendon AFL listed player Cody Brand is the big signing.
The Sunbury Lions junior, who made his senior debut for the club before being drafted, is returning full time after being delisted.
“Cody Brand is a good get,” Hodgson said. “There’s not too many 195 centimetre key position players running around in local footy.
“He’s a point of difference whether he plays back or forward and is quite unique. He’s playing Sunbury this year and whether you’ll look to pursue another track later on, I’m not sure but he wanted to play local footy this year.”
Another with an Essendon connection is Josiah Garisto, who has been on the Bombers’ VFL list.
He joins the Lions from Avondale Heights.
Hodgson said Garisto would add some more flexibility in the back line.
“He played at Essendon with Jake Sutton a couple of seasons ago,” he said. “He has been at Avondale Heights the last two years and will now be at Sunbury full time.
“He ticks a lot of boxes at 27. We see him at half back and allows us to release [Harrison] Minton-Connell, which we couldn’t do that year.
Rivva Karpany is the other signing already announced by the Lions. Hodgson said Karpany was someone that could play all over the ground.
“He’s a really exciting player and an elite kick,” he said. “We’ll likely use him and Brand forward.
“Our defence was strong, but we weren’t able to score enough.
The Lions have lost skipper Daniel Toman and ruck Jayden Eales.
Hodgson said they believed they were strong in the ruck department and would be able to cover Eales departure.
He said Toman had been a very good player for them but understood him wanting to return to his home club for the back end of his career.
Hodgson said they had managed to keep everyone else.
