It has been a big week for the Goannas, signing former AFL footballer Damian Cupido, as well as lodging clearances for former juniors, Sanbrook and Hunter Lloyd, as well as Lockhart's Jamieson Bouffler.

Sanbrook has not played at MCUE since 2015. He had two seasons back at his home club, in 2014 and 2015, and helped the Goannas to grand final appearances in both seasons.

He won the club's best and fairest award in 2014, as well as taking out the Riverina League Player of the Year award, voted weekly by coaches.

Sanbrook spent 2016 and 2017 at Moe in the Gippsland League, before returning to Leongatha for the past two seasons.

The Goannas had been confident of securing Sanbrook before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"Col's someone we've actually been dealing with since November so by no stretch of the imagination is Col a COVID recruit. We've been staying in very close contact for a good six or seven months now," Rowe said.

"Col had some really difficult decisions to make around work commitments, potentially playing for Leongatha, who is a club he really loves as well, or coming home to have one last throw at the stumps with his home club. I suppose the Gippsland League folding meant the cards fell in our favour.

"When it comes to respected figures around our football club, Col genuinely sits at the top of the tree with a select group of people. People really like being around him, people still talk about the impact that he had in those couple of seasons where he came back not too long ago and we're incredibly excited to have him back both as a player and a person."

MCUE take on North Wagga in a trial on Saturday.

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