For the first time in three seasons, it won’t be a complete unknown for Old Paradians as they enter the Northern Football League season.
The Raiders’ two seasons ago were preparing for their first in the division 3 competition and after winning the premiership were straight up into division 2.
Having done enough to stay up in division 2, the Raiders have the opportunity to build on what they’ve done the past couple of years.
“We learned a lot in division 2,” coach Ben Turner said. “The group was capable and we might be able to fast track that with the type of guys we were keen to get in front of and secure.
“Both seasons were great unknowns but we start the season with familiarly with 95 per cent of them.
“We start the season in a better position than last year and hopefully we’re a chance to be competitive at the back of the year, which we were this year.”
The Raiders have been one of the biggest movers in the off season with a number of key signings.
Turner said they could have never imagined the signings falling into place like they have when they first started talking to players.
“It’s been a pretty productive off season,” he said.
“There were some players that we were targeting but I don’t any of us anticipated it would fall into place.
“One of the things we wanted to target was experience.”
The coaching group leant into the big network of Parade College and went from there.
Turner said while you don’t have to have gone to the college, it was a good starting point for them.
And it paid off.
Former Victorian Football League player Josh Iacobaccio joins the club from West Preston. He captained the Parade school football team in the past and is now a teacher at the school.
Jesse and Mitch Kane cross from Heidelberg.
Both have played in different 1 premierships and bring plenty of experience.
Adam and Daniel Valeri, are also former Parade students.
Adam joins the Raiders from West Preston Lakeside where he is a two-time premiership player.
Connor McDonald joins the club from Tooleybuc-Manangatang in the Central Murray league, where he captained the club and has managed to take home back-to-back league best and fairests.
Ben Bisset joins from Pyramid Hill where he kicked 74 goals from centre half forward this year.
Turner said they were yet to set expectations for next year and would let things take shape before getting to that point.
“At this stage we’re hoping to be better than 2026.”
