AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
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MANGOPLAH-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes assistant coach Nic Casey is confident the recruitment of Col Sanbrook and Andrew Pettigrove can prove the difference for the Goannas next season.
MCUE yesterday unveiled its biggest recruits in some time by announcing gun junior Col Sanbrook will return home to the club next season and be joined by Donvale team mate Andrew Pettigrove.
Sanbrook left Mangoplah as a schoolboy sensation, trained with the Sydney Swans before joining its then feeder club Port Melbourne.
He has since gone on to forge a successful career in suburban Melbourne competitions and country Victorian leagues.
Pettigrove arrives at MCUE as a key position player that has captained Eastern Football League club Donvale in recent seasons.
He won its best and fairest in 2011 and finished runner up this season.
Casey said the Goannas were thrilled to secure the services of Sanbrook and Pettigrove for next season.
"It's exactly what we need," Casey said yesterday.
"We expect that they will teach our young blokes what they need to do."
Not only will it help the Goannas' continue their climb up the RFL ladder, the club is keen on how much it will aid the development of its talented junior base.
"That young group we've got coming through, we don't believe they realise how good they are," Casey said.
"They don't have the belief to realise where they're at.
"With a bit more experience around to help lead the way, that's going to help these boys turn into A graders themselves."
MCUE has already been training for three weeks and had 41 players at Tuesday night's session this week.
The Goannas have lost seven players this off-season but are all predominantly "depth players" and can potentially be filled by a large number of under 17 players coming up.
Along with the signing of Casey from Lancaster months ago, MCUE will now possess a new-look forward line next season.
Casey will start at full-forward with Pettigrove, Andrew Dickins and Scott Purcell all options to be rotated between the ruck and key forward posts.
Andrew Lieschke will also be a more permanent fixture in the Goannas forward line.
"All good sides I've ever played for have three key forwards," Casey said.
"That's the plan."
MCUE will continue pre-season training until next Saturday, when it breaks for Christmas.
It will resume on January 7.