Jess said that the club's youthful makeup would be a blessing after a year on the sidelines.

"We're gonna be a young side, which is good in a way," he said.

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"We're bringing all the young kids up and giving them experience of senior football."

Young guns such as Dane Stewart and Charlie Penny will be an exciting injection into a side that finished eighth in 2019, missing the finals for the first time since 2015.

Exciting utility Stewart, named the 2019 Wimmera Football League Rising Star, was included in the 2020 Greater Western Victoria Rebels squad in the NAB state league before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The young side is thrilled at the prospect of playing football again after a disrupted 2019 season.

"Probably the last few months there's been a buzz around the club, so which has been really good," Jess said.

Daniel Pearce and Samuel Griffiths, two-thirds of the Donald trio signed by the Eagles before the 2020 season, have returned to Donald, with Caleb Powell being the only player of the three to remain.

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The Eagles have also picked up veteran midfielder Jake O'Donnell from Warrnambool.

O'Donnell will be one of several players who will be travelling back and forth from Melbourne.

"He's gonna be one of the travellers from Melbourne who comes home with them, we've got a carload," Jess said.

Jess said the club intends to play finals this season, and even after a disrupted 2020, noted that reigning premiers Minyip-Murtoa were still the team to beat.

Coach Zach Homes, who was appointed to the end of 2019, will finally get to coach his first game in the WFL after crossing back over from the North Central League.

Holmes spent 11 years as a player for Birchip-Watchem, two of them as a coach.

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