Happy days: Coolamon open arms to welcome new ruck after long off-season

After a long off-season period, the Rovers have locked in their first new signing, with Belconnen ruck Adian Ledson joining the club for the next two years.

The 27-year-old approached the club late last year, looking to join the Rovers' ranks.

Incoming first grade coach Gavin McMahon said the club would be happy even if Ledson was the only signing for the upcoming season.

"Every footy club in Australia is looking for a ruckman, and to finally jag a 200cm ruck who is a strong physical presence for us in the middle of the ground, it's always a huge help," McMahon said.

"He actually made contact with the footy club, it was through a family acquaintance that lives in the Riverina, he was looking to come play some RFL footy so he got in contact.

"He's looking to be part of that really strong community culture, he was looking potentially overall to be moving this way, and he is sitting behind a couple of very very experienced and high quality ruckmen at Belconnen so from a development point of view, he was keen to try and have an opportunity to grow."

Despite losing 16 players since the end of the 2023 season, McMahon isn't concerned with the talent he has available to him.

"Our number one recruiting priority for the whole off-season was a ruckman," he said.

"In all honestly if that was the only recruit we had for the entire season, we're pretty happy with what we've got, but it's pretty hard to cover the ruck position if you haven't got one.

"We've got a high quality group of young fellas here at the footy club and we're just looking to add high quality people to that."

With a two-year commitment, McMahon is confident Ledson will have a strong impact on the side, both on and off field.

"We say to footballers all the time, you do your homework on football clubs, you do your research on where you want to go and you approach them, too often it's the other way around and players react to contact from footy clubs, and you're letting other footy clubs dictate where you might want to go," he said.

"Here's a fella who clearly knows exactly what he wants and how to do it, and he just gets on and does it."

Ledson played junior football at both Belconnen and in Sale, Victoria, before taking a break to focus on his studies.

Returning to Belconnen in 2022, he won the third division best and fairest count before moving into the reserve grade side that lost the grand final in September.

While still residing in Canberra, Ledson will travel for regular training sessions and games.

With preseason set to begin on January 22, McMahon said he can't wait to see his side having a run.

"It's been a long off-season, and a lot of change, so we're pretty excited to get coming, it can't come quick enough," he said.