WAGGA Tigers quest for a third straight premiership has received a substantial boost with talented midfielder Charlie Bance deciding to stay on for another season.
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Bance's return to Robertson Oval this season was one brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic but he has now elected to stay on for a second year.
Bance's decision to re-sign is a big win for the club after he finished runner up in Tigers' best and fairest this season and was very close to a move to the Ovens and Murray League.
Bance had trained with Albury Tigers during pre-season and had been in discussions with the club for a couple of years.
The 23-year-old ultimately weighed up his new employment in Wagga, along with his love for his junior club, before deciding to re-commit to Tigers.
"I weighed up a move down to Albury," Bance revealed.
"I planned to go to Albury when I was in Melbourne, and have a couple of years there on the way back home but COVID hit and I had to move straight back home from Melbourne and I loved my time here at Tigers.
"Another opportunity came up to work with Jenko (Matt Jenkins) so it's just the perfect opportunity for me this year I think.
"I hadn't committed to Albury but I had been speaking to them for a couple of years and I went down and did training with them this pre-season. I'd been weighing it up for a while but I was pretty comfortable at Tigers."
Bance's re-signing continues a strong off-season for Tigers after the shock decision to part with premiership coach Troy Maiden.
Murray Stephenson arrives as the new-captain coach, Jock Cornell and Brady Morton will also come into the team, while the likes of Bance, Tom Osmotherly, Brendy Myers, Shaun Flanigan, Lahn Shepherd and Reid Gordon have re-committed.
After two seasons in the VFL at Werribee, then another two at Maribyrnong Park, Bance is enjoying being back at Tigers.
"I'm very pumped to be playing with my mates back home after enjoying this year with the Tiges," he said.
"I absolutely loved it. I've always wanted to come back and play. As soon as I went to Melbourne that was always my goal, to come back here and win a flag at the Tiges. It was awesome to get that done this year."
New Wagga Tigers president Paul Lucas was pleased to announce Bance's re-signing.
"Charlie's another junior staying at the club. He's a good honest kid and we're happy to retain him at Wagga Tigers," Lucas said.
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