THERE has been significant excitement surrounding the changes to Geelong’s AFL list following the 2015 season, but the Bendigo Bank VFL list has also been very active in preparation for season 2016.

Along with a major change in the coaching box that has seen Shane O’Bree replace Paul Hood as VFL Coach, the Bankers’ list is set to have an abundance of fresh talent added for the upcoming season.

“The 2016 VFL recruiting process has been a work in progress over the past six months or so,” VFL and Academy Manager Troy Selwood said.

“We have identified a number of ‘needs’ via other state league programs and the deep local talent pool within the AFL Barwon and AFL South West regions.”

Whilst the preseason squad sees numerous new faces to the VFL system, the Cats have added some experienced talent to bolster its list.

Former Collingwood midfielder Luke Rounds, who has played 61 VFL games for the Magpies and Port Melbourne, joins the preseason squad after a solid year in the Geelong Football League with Bell Park.

Rounds will be training with both Geelong and an alternative VFL program in the lead up to the AFL National and Rookie Draft.

Rounds played his junior football in Geelong, as did James Tsitas, who comes to the Bankers following a successful two seasons at North Ballarat where he played 29 senior matches.

Tsitas represented Vic Country and the AFL Academy as a junior and is a product of the Geelong Falcons.

James Tsitas in action during Cats VFL training. Picture: Arj Giese

The addition of former Falcons with VFL experience continues with St. Joseph’s utility Alex Hickey joining the preseason squad after a successful 2015 season.

Hickey has 12 games of VFL experience with Essendon and played in St. Joseph’s 2015 GFL premiership.

He won the Geelong Falcons Best and Fairest award in 2013, whilst also captaining the side to a successful campaign in the TAC Cup.

One of Hickey’s former Falcons teammates Harry Kol also joins the Bankers’ squad as a 19-year-old making the move into the VFL ranks.

Kol was a talented junior with St. Mary’s and won the 2015 Geelong Falcons Best & Fairest. He is the son of former Geelong footballer Michael Kol, who played 63 games for the Cats.

Other notable former Falcons training with the VFL squad are Jordan Keras (Footscray VFL) and Sam Russell (former Port Adelaide rookie).

The preseason squad, whilst still to be cut down, has numerous players who will be looking to claim a spot in the final squad and get their first chance at VFL level.

Some of the GFL’s finest players from 2015 have also been added to the preseason squad. Grovedale’s Ryan Abbott was one of the most improved players in the GFL in 2015 and was the premier ruckman of the competition.

Also joining the squad is South Barwon defender Tom Stewart and Colac midfielder Kane Leersen, who both had outstanding years at GFL level in 2015.

Stewart is a two-time GFL premiership player with South Barwon and played at interleague level as a defender in 2014 and 2015.

Leersen is also an experienced GFL interleague player and played a pivotal role in Colac claiming the GFL premiership in 2014.

He also played in the Northern Territory Football League in 2014 with St. Mary’s and claimed best on ground in the Saints’ 30^th NTFL premiership.

The squad also contains a vast number of players from the Bellarine Football League following another strong season for the competition.

Spearheading the list of BFL players is Geelong Amateur key forward Mitch Day, following his dominant first season up forward at Ammos.

The forward, who has spent time at Werribee and Lara in his career, kicked nine or more goals on six occasions in 2015, his first season at Queens Park.

Day was pivotal in the Amateurs claiming their second straight BFL premiership as he kicked 114 goals for the season and took out the BFL Best & Fairest.

Day’s premiership teammate, midfielder Richard Kangars, also joins the VFL preseason squad after a strong season at Ammos.

Kangars boasts elite endurance and is the brother of former Geelong rookie Chris Kangars

Queenscliff also has three players training with the Bankers in Brock Thompson, Che Durran and Jake Hedley, whilst Torquay boast duo David Allitt and Billy Barnes.

While a lot of the talent in the squad is localised within the Geelong area, the Hampden Football League talent pool has also been accessed through Sam McLachlan and Sam Dobson.

McLachlan, a North Warrnambool product, was a Victorian Country Football League Under 19s player who was named in the best against the Victorian Amateur Football Association in 2015.

McLachlan can play midfield and forward and is a senior best and fairest winner with the North Warrnambool Eagles. 

Dobson is a key forward for the Koroit Football Club and played interleague for the Hampden Football League in 2015.

He has also had previous VFL experience with one game for North Ballarat in 2011.

Although there are plenty of new names in the squad, there will be some familiar faces, with key players returning from the 2015 season.

2015 Best & Fairest winner Tom Ruggles has returned to the squad along with Sandy Robinson, Simon Close, Kieran Paliouras, Ryan Williams and Matthew Farrelly.

VFL stalwarts Jackson Hollmer and Ben Raidme have also returned, as have talented youngsters Brenton Rees, Fraser Fort, Tom Atkins and Cameron Tudor.

“We have invested a lot of time and resources into our 2015 VFL listed players, and believe they are developing really well. We look forward to helping these players take their football to the next level,” Selwood said.

“There are 19 players from our 2015 VFL List returning for the 2016 pre season which is fantastic.”

With the extensive list of new players, numerous players have also left the Bankers for season 2016.

Former Cat Jackson Sheringham, VFL stalwarts Mitch Herbison and Tom Maas, pacey duo Dane McFarlane and Daniel Gibbs and talented youngster Nick Dixon are among the notable outs for the Bankers.

The squad will be cut down to 24 players with the addition of 3-4 development squad players before the 2016 season.

“There is plenty of work to be done between now and VFL Round One. Our players look extremely fit and motivated so we have a great amount of optimism for the upcoming season,” Selwood said.

New Cats VFL coach Shane O'Bree. Picture: Arj Giese