Edenhope-Apsley has wasted no time in strengthening their football side ahead of 2022, adding some talented names headlined by a trio of siblings.
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Ben, Tim and Allan McIntyre will all return to their roots and pull on the Saints guernsey next season, as the Saints look to bounce back from an 11th place finish in the Horsham District Football Netball League.
Midfielders Ben and Tim have both spent the last three years with Minyip-Murtoa in the Wimmera Football Netball League where their dominance was imperative for the club's success.
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Both brothers played in the club's 2019 premiership, with Ben winning the Toohey Medal for the WFNL's best and fairest that same year.
Ben who has spent time with Box Hill in the VFL and Glenelg in the SANFL also took out the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League's best and fairest in 2014, while Tim won the same award in 2018.
Allan has come across from Penola in the KNTFL where he kicked 17 goals from 11 games in 2021. In 2019 he recorded an impressive 45 goals, including seven in his side's grand final win.
Edenhope-Apsley coach Guy Smith said the club went into this offseason aiming to attract local players back to the club.
"The town has got exceptionally talented football players that come from the area but they were all playing in other leagues and our focus was on getting as many talented blokes as we could," Smith said.
"Thankfully a lot of them have decided to come back which was good."
Aside from the McIntyre brothers, the side will also be welcoming home former residents including Daniel Obst, Tanner Robertson and Charlie Campbell.
"Daniel Obst had been playing for Padthaway and he's a super talented ruckman," Smith said.
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"He's been the interleague ruckman and the ruckman of the year for the last couple of years over in that league.
"Tanner Robertson has played key position forward/ruckman for Wendouree in the Ballarat Football League. He's exceptionally talented.
"(And) Charlie Campbell had a bit of experience with Donald this last season gone."
The club has also poached promising, 18-year-old midfielder Codi Kenny from Taylors Lake.
According to Smith, the signatures of the McIntyre brothers were "key" in luring players to a club that lost significant talent because of COVID-19 restrictions.
"That was the key to everything because once everyone knew they were going to be on board they knew that we were going to be a pretty good team," he said.
"We literally had to recruit nearly a senior side. But we've been able to do it thank god.
"She's a totally different Edenhope-Apsley for season 2022, that's for sure.
"I'm hoping for a top-two finish."
The Saints recruiting isn't over yet with more signings expected to be announced as the season nears.
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