But it comes at a cost to AFL Riverina clubs. 

Isaac Walton spent last season with Farrer League club East Wagga-Kooringal, while teenager Jackson Weidemann was at Turvey Park in the Riverina League.

“I just want to better my footy by playing a better brand of footy,” Weidemann said.

“I just want to test myself and test my fitness and see how my skills compare with a higher league.”

The 18-year-old is the nephew of former Adelaide cult figure Wayne Weidemann, while his grandfather is Holbrook stalwart Bert Haynes.

“Jackson will probably fill a couple of roles, we’re looking at that high forward or half-back role,” Hoppers’ coach Isaac Muller said.

The 185cm Weidemann spent two years in the Greater Western Sydney Giants’ Academy.

As well as playing 13 seniors games in 2017, he was part of Turvey Park’s under 17 premiership side.

This year, Weidemann played every senior game with the Bulldogs, including being named in their best five times. 

Walton will look to replace defender Tom Gallaway, who is about to move to West Adelaide.

“Isaac will fill that fullback-half-back role with Mitch Mahady,” Muller said.

“He’s very similar to Mitch in terms of body size and shape.

“Isaac has elite closing space (speed), he’s really quick off the mark and in our top five for fitness trials.

“There’s no reason why we can’t play him key forward, but at the moment he looks like a key back and he’s played back all his life.”

At 83kgs, the lighty-built Walton is hoping to push towards 90.

“I want to give myself the best opportunity I need to play against the bigger guys,” he said.

“I like chasing forwards, I’m happy if the forwards run all day, I’ll probably try and run with them, playing a shutdown role.”

His father John played at North in the late 1980s.

Walton played every game with the Hawks last year, including two finals. Three of his best games were against top teams Marrar and Temora.

His departure is a blow for the Hawks, who already missed out on one key defender with premiership player Tim Smith now to make his return from a knee reconstruction with Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes.

North Albury finished eighth of the 10 teams in the Ovens and Murray League this year, with three wins for the season. 

The Hoppers will open their 2019 season against the Panthers at Lavington on March 30.