By Tara Murray
Twelve months under the belt together has Roxburgh Park primed to attack the Essendon District Football League division 1 season.
The Magpies finished last season in ninth in the side’s first season under Ross Terranova, just two points clear of the relegation zone.
Terranova said it had been a really good off season as they look to improve.
“Around July last year we got everyone on the list signed,” he said. “We needed to put in a lot of hard work in the background.
“It’s been a good off field process so far. We have an understanding of the group and we could see what we needed.
“I’ve been able to see what the senior guys have been able to do and we were able to give the young guys some opportunities.
“It helps with the program and development.”
Terranova said they looked to add some experience to the list, along with trying to bring some players back to the club.
Luke Smith, who won Westmeadows best and fairest last season, is back at the Magpies with a lot of football ahead of him.
He won five straight junior best and fairests at the Magpies before heading to Westmeadows.
Dylan Exposto has also returned to the club.
A former Magpies junior, he has spent the past nine years at Pascoe Vale having made his senior premier division debut in 2019.
“It’s good to have Luke back,” he said. “We started talking to him in May last year.
“It’s good to finally have him back. Daniel, we started talking before finals. It’s good to get some home grown players back.
“It’s fantastic to get these players back.”
Other signings announced are Brad Coulson who has more than 70 games of South Australia National Football League experience.
Lucas Repic joins from Greenvale where he has played all his football, including playing premier division.
James Tasiyan joins from St Kilda City where he represented the Southern Football League.
Gavesh Siriwardana is a utility, who played at Strathmore as a junior before stepping away in 2022.
Terranova said that the new guys that had got in were really driving the standards at training and have that understanding what it takes at senior level.
But the future of former skipper Harley Short remains unclear.
He has requested a clearance to Wallan, but has yet to be cleared.
Terranova said he would leave that up the club
The Magpies will kick off their season on April 5, against Taylors Lakes.
Terranova said he was expecting another close competition.
“She is a tough competition and no different this year,” he said. “It’s hard to work out teams.
“You just don’t know, everyone is keeping cards close to their chests and until round nine and we have played everyone we won’t have a fair understanding.”
