The 24-year-old was born in Wagga but shortly afterwards, his family moved to South Australia and later to Katherine. But the desire to see the city of his birth, and play for his father's old football club, has finally come to fruition with the midfielder/forward making the move from the Northern Territory to North Wagga.

"Dad's best mate, Dave White, has been ringing me for two or three years telling me to get down here," Hancock said.

"My old man (Warren) played at North Wagga. I was actually born here but they went straight over to Adelaide, so I've always wanted to come to Wagga. The last two years everything escalated with footy but I thought, I want to come back and play where I was born."

Hancock played his junior football in Adelaide. He went to Katherine last year. In April, he headed to the top end, and joined the Darwin Buffaloes, playing seven NT premier league games and one in division one. 

A goalkicker growing up, Hancock, who is just over six feet tall, was made into a midfielder in his time in the Northern Territory but is hoping he can find a role up forward at the Saints. 

North Wagga need firepower after losing leading goalkicker Daniel Jordan (71 goals last year) as well as midfielder-forward Lachie Highfield (21 goals). 

"The forward line is where I like to play," Hancock said.

"I know it's hard, rough footy, that's something that takes you away from the way it is in Darwin, where it's just quick and running.

"Here it's more in and under, harder footy. I'm looking forward to it. There's a lot of good players there, they look like a real good team. They're a good crew, lots of really young blokes and they've been getting around me."

North Wagga have also lost captain Ned Mortimer and ruckman Charles Shaw. But Guy Ward is back at his home club. And so too is Hancock, in a way.

"Dad's absolutely pumped, he loves it. He played all his juniors here. I speak to him every day," he said. 

"I got down here and Dave (White) has put me up at his house. If it wasn't for Dave I wouldn't have got here."

The Farrer League kicks off on April 6 with last year's runners-up at home to Barellan in round one. 

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