The Horsham District league newbies recently announced club legend Ashley Grant had signed on as coach for their inaugural campaign across the border and are deep in conversations with potential Victorian recruits.

Club president Jason Gordon said the Cougars were faring well during a build-up few other football-netball clubs have had to experience before.

"We're trying to crack open a walnut with a very late start at the moment," he said.

"Players have said they wanted to commit (to the club) when we've had players' meetings about changing leagues and a potential merger with Nhill.

"Twenty-five players committed to playing at the club if we stayed as a stand-alone entity.

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"I'm pleased with the evidence of that, with blokes on the training track. We've had over 20 players training before we announced the coach.

"We know we've got a way to go, but we're hoping to be really competitive."

Concerns over the Victorian-South Australian border, and the potential impacts on recruiting players, prompted Kaniva-Leeor to explore its options in the garden state.

Clubs across the competition have had to juggle off-season recruitment with the risk out-of-region signings may be impacted by potential COVID-19 restrictions in the future.

Gordon said although the club was talking to a few players from outside the Wimmera, he was hopeful the Cougars' local brigade would "take the challenge on."

"We've got a lot of blokes from that 2019 preliminary final side, where our average age was around 21-and-a-half," he said.

"We've got a lot of local boys who are in that 40-to-80 game bracket and have experience playing finals both in the juniors and after rolling into senior football.

"I reckon that knowledge of what is required as a senior footballer comes in that 50-plus game bracket. Once you get to 50 games as a senior footballer you know what to expect, and you're more clear on your goals as a player and from a club point of view."

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Gordon said excitement was building out west just two months out from the season.

"It's going to be a big change from crossing the border all the time, but we'll see how we go. We're just happy that we've got somewhere to play," he said.

"The ball is really in our court now we've got our coaches appointed. It's like 'go on fellas, you wanted the job now let's get on it.

Because, I think everyone in Victoria is in the same boat. We didn't play last year so we've got a lot of ground to make up."

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