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NEW Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong captain-coach Jayden Kotzur has arrived in Wagga and is ready for business.
Kotzur made the move from Melbourne last week and has not wasted any time settling in as he prepares to kick off the Lions' campaign tomorrow night at Ganmain Sportsground.
GGGM will kick off its pre-season with the added good news that Lions junior Ben Walsh has signed with the club and will return each week from Canberra.
Walsh spent the past few seasons with Queanbeyan but has decided to return to GGGM where he will hold down either centre-half-forward or centre-half-back.
"We're pretty happy about that," Kotzur said yesterday.
"Benny will play a key position for us, at this stage it could be at either end of the ground.
"We'll sling a few around during pre-season and see where everyone is best suited."
In further good news, the club is confident of retaining the services of experienced midfielder Luke Kohlhagen.
Kotzur yesterday rated Kohlhagen a 95 per cent chance of returning to the Lions, while the club also expects fellow midfielder Lachlan Steward to remain at GGGM despite speculation linking him at a rival RFL team.
The acquisition of Walsh is the third new face to join GGGM for next season following the arrival of Kotzur and Sam Gosbell.
The Lions also have one further signing they are unable to announce at this stage, while experienced trio Nathan McPherson, Mitch Steele and Jarrod Conway will return from a year off.
GGGM is hopeful those additions will offset the departures of Clint Taylor, Matt Rava and Mitch Carroll, along with the retirement of Christen McPherson.
Kotzur added that the club was still in talks with prospective recruits.
“(Positions) will depend on how we go with others. We’ve still got a couple of blokes in the pipeline,” Kotzur said.
“We’re still hopeful but whatever happens, we’re really happy with what we’ve got at this stage.”
Pre-season training will get under way at 6pm tomorrow at Ganmain Sportsground.
Kotzur, a premiership player at Culcairn and Albury Tigers, arrives at GGGM after a season with Maribyrnong Park in the Essendon and District Football League.