With a relatively new playing list compared with 2019, they weren't helped by COVID-19 border restrictions between South Australia and Victoria.

In 2022 however, they are set to give the competition a shake after a huge offseason of recruitment.

"I'm going to be lying to you if I said I'm not there to win," Edenhope coach Guy Smith said.

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"I want to be a premiership side. And that's what Edenhope-Apsley locals need and want because they haven't won a flag at Senior level in the league since they've joined."

The Saints have lost quite a few players from 2021 but have boosted their depth across every line, with their headline signings including brothers Tim and Ben McIntyre.

Both brothers played in Minyip-Murtoa's 2019 premiership, with Ben winning the Toohey Medal for the WFNL's best and fairest that same year.

Other notable signings include two-time Dellar Medallist (while at the Saints) Brent Christie, Joshua Roman from Milawa FNC and former Saint and Geelong District Football League star Dave McLeish.

Perhaps the biggest signing of them all, is former Hawthorn AFL midfielder and VFL Liston Medallist Alex Woodward.

Woodward retired from football in 2019 at 26 after a series of ACL injuries hampered his career; however through his friendship with McLeish he is set to make a comeback with the Saints.

"His duties will be to us after the AFLW because he's a midfield coach at St Kilda," Smith said.

"As far as recruiting's concerned, it's probably the best I've been involved in it's been fantastic."

Although it's only early days, Smith has been impressed by what he's seen at pre-season training.

"(It's been) real successful at the moment," he said.

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"Attendances locally have been above average which is really good."

"The travelling players that are living and working away have been sending their training reports and schedules in a couple of times a week which has been really good.

"So they're all pretty disciplined. From a coaching point of view it's all positive."

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