The reigning premiers will boast the most dangerous forward line in the competition next season with Buchanan joining Marc Geppert and coach Luke Gestier in a star-studded attack.

Buchanan joined Ovens and Murray League powerhouse Albury Tigers this year but injured his knee in the opening game of the season.

On the comeback from a knee reconstruction, Buchanan decided to return to the Riverina League and his strong friendship with Gestier saw him sign at Collingullie-GP.

The pair live on neighbouring farms and have only ever played one game together in under 18s at Wagga Tigers.

“Luke and I being best mates ever since we were young fellas. That’s a big attraction really. We’ve kicked around together since we were little kids,” Buchanan said.

“I’m really looking forward to it. New club, new people, it’s exciting. Everyone has been pretty welcoming.”

Buchanan, 26, is a premiership player at Wagga Tigers and kicked 191 goals in three seasons for the club from 2015 to 2017.

His arrival will add another dimension to the Demons’ forward line, that has been boosted by the re-signing of Geppert.

Gestier believes all three can function fluently up forward.

“It’s good on paper and that’s about where it’s at, at the moment, on paper,” Gestier said.

“We’ll make it work. Not only just with us three, but there’s obviously another three guys in the forward line that have got to function and I thought towards the back end of last year we really made our forward line function to it’s best and the result was the premiership.

“It’s good. It’s good to have John on board.”

Buchanan did not want to try and crack the Ovens and Murray League coming back from a knee reconstruction.

“I wanted to have year back here with my knee. I probably didn’t feel confident enough playing O&M. And the travel. An hour and a half down there two or three times a week. That’s probably too hard,” he said.

Buchanan is confident he will be right for round one.

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