Former Geelong AFL listed player Jackson Sheringham will return to Simonds Stadium in 2015 after signing on with the VFL Cats.

 While the 2012 VFL premiership player will be a ‘new recruit’ on paper, it is technically the third time the local product has joined the Geelong VFL program.

After playing 17 VFL games in two seasons with the Werribee Tigers, the former Geelong Falcon, crossed over to the Cats with James Podsiadly at the end of the 2008 VFL season and went onto play 9 games during 2009.

In 2010 Sheringham had a ‘gap year’ from VFL footy due to study commitments, but still found time to represent the GFL Interleague, the VCFL representative side and win a GFL premiership with the Bell Park Dragons.

After that standout season he returned to the second-tier Cats in 2011 to play a further 11 matches.

His performances throughout that period were enough for the Cats to select him with pick 36 in the 2012 Rookie Draft.

The popular clubman then went onto to make his AFL debut, play 12 AFL matches and a further 33 VFL games in the blue and white hoops before being delisted at the end of last season.

The 26 year-old utility will add a great deal of leadership and versatility to what is expected to be a very inexperienced Geelong VFL line up next season.

The VFL Cats have also agreed to terms with Leopold Lions forward Simon Close. The 23-year-old brother of Brisbane Lions forward Michael, booted 45 goals last season and was named in the 2014 GFL Team of the Year.

Close, a former North Ballarat Rebel, spent the 2013 season with the North Ballarat Roosters and played 16 games in the VFL Development League.

The experienced duo are joined on the list of ‘new recruits’ for the 2015 season by three-time SANFL premiership player Ryan Williams (Central Districts), Matthew Farrelly (Bendigo Gold) and Tom Ruggles (Leopold).

While 2014 squad members Jackson Hollmer, Ben Raidme, Tom Maas, Daniel Gibbs, Mitch Herbison, Dane McFarlane, Kieren Paliouras, Cameron Tudor, Fraser Fort, Tom Atkins and Zak Sherman will all return next season.

The VFL preseason training squad will have their final training session for the year on Wednesday before recommencing on the 5^th of January.