To soften the blow of the loss of representative fullback Lachie Day, who scored all 26 points in their grand final win, is a big blow, the Wagga club have welcomed back a couple of familiar faces.

After spending the last six seasons in Canberra, playmaker Tom Hallam has returned to the club.

Sam Carwardine is also back after three years with Ag College.

Hallam was still in high school when he helped Waratahs to the 2017 grand final while Carwardine first arrived at Waratahs in 2020 before heading to their university rivals.

Coach Nick McCarthy believes they can play an important role for the premiers this year.

"Tom Hallam is back and he covers our goal kicking shortfall with Lachie leaving," McCarthy said.

"He's a very talented halfback and goal kicker who played plenty of first grade and second grade in Canberra.

"Sam Carwardine has come back from Ag College and will help us in the midfield, where we will miss out on Jayden Stanton's skills, and we're still working with a couple of other guys after talk they will be moving to town for work."

Carwardine was part of Ag College's run to the preliminary final before falling short against Waratahs.

McCarthy is confident both can help soften the blow of the loss of Day.

"It's just one of those things and we will have to try to fill that gap as best we can," he said.

"With some of our existing players and our new recruits we will be able to cover a lot of his game.

"There are parts obviously we won't be able to and it's just going to result in us refining what we do a little bit."

McCarthy believes the club's depth was one of the keys to moving back to the top of Southern Inland, especially after heading into the grand final without captain Harry Tyson, who went on to win the player's player award, best and fairest winner Calum Marr and Josh Allen.

He will also look to rely on that with neither Marr or Allen will return in 2024 after being transferred with the army.

However Waratahs have picked up another defence recruit in Matt Todd.

Todd has captained the Brumbies Provincial Team previously and is set to bring some more experience for the premiers.

"He gives us a good like-for-like replacement on the back row for Calum," McCarthy said.