Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes have rocketed into premiership calculations with the return of Harry and Matt Collins.
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The Collins brothers have agreed to return to the Goannas with elder brother Jack to join them in travelling from Sydney.
Harry has spent the past two seasons with UNSW Eastern Suburbs where he has helped them to back-to-back AFL Sydney premierships.
Matt joined him at the club last year and played seven premier division games but missed the premiership.
The pair were two of the Goannas' most important players before their departure and MCUE coach Jeremy Rowe is delighted to have them back at the club.
"It's a massive bit of positive news for us coming into the new year," Rowe said.
"I guess when you're assessing potential recruits, there is not too many that tick as many boxes as the trio of the Collins lads do.
"The way the points system is these days, continuing to develop your juniors and keep them within your club and then reengaging former players and bringing them back to your club is a huge thing and I don't think there's anything really too more exciting within a club then when some of your favourite sons come back.
"We've definitely set ourselves to reengage a number of players at the footy club this year and I guess now you could say we've achieved that to a certain degree."
The Collins boys are the latest recruits on the back of Tom Keogh's return to MCUE, as well as the arrival of Zac Wiencke (GGGM), Kieran Shea (Temora), Mitch Sykes (Turvey Park) and Will Murray (CSU).
They have lost Tim Smith and Blake Chapman, while George Kendall has joined Canberra Demons but could still play a part in MCUE's campaign due to a new NEAFL Player Interchange Agreement.
Both Harry and Matt are Riverina League representatives.
Harry was among the competition's elite midfielders when he departed to Sydney and is a two-time club best and fairest.
Matt is a talented key position player, whose best football has been in defence, while Rowe is equally excited about having Jack back, describing him as one of the Goannas' 'most consistent' footballers last year.
"We've obviously lost two really strong key backs from last year and Matt comes in with the ability to fit into those boys' shoes but has obviously played some terrific footy with Mango over the years and is spoken of incredibly highly within the ranks of his fellow teammates," Rowe said.
"Then you've got Harry who departed the competition as one of the best midfielders in the competition and has won a couple of flags up in Sydney since which has no doubt only continued to move his footy forward.
"I guess as a recruiting coup, as I suppose you'd put it, it ticks as many boxes as you'd ever like to."
MCUE won their first final last year but lost to eventual premier Wagga Tigers in the first semi-final.
The Goannas will kick off their new campaign on January 28.
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