Merrivale unveils six new recruits as pre-season preparations heat up

Liam Nagle, Matt Hausler and Brad Bell join Merrivale from Hampden league powerhouse Koroit, while Troy McLaughlin has signed on after a season at South Warrnambool.

Colby Rix crosses from fellow district league club Old Collegians, while Kyden Jarvis will don the yellow and black once again after two years away from the football field.

Jarvis previously played for the Tigers from 2017 to 2019, during which he kicked 98 goals.

He finished runner-up in the league goal-kickers in 2019 with 57 majors, second only to then-teammate Jason Rowan (103).

Senior coach Josh Sobey said the new recruits would help cover some player departures, most notably brothers Tate and Jalen Porter who have signed with Hampden league club North Warrnambool.

"They've got a lot of footy experience and a high IQ, so we think they'll complement our side and we'll complement them in a positive way," he said.

"The balance was there, and they'll continue to drive standards and help our junior program out as well, so we're very fortunate to get them to our club."

The second-year playing coach said he was looking forward to watching the new players grow within the group from week-to-week.

"We all know how talented Kyden is, so we're excited to have him back," Sobey said.

"Matt is a ruck and will complement Manny (Sandow) and 'Boydy' (Michael Boyd), and it just feels like we can create a bit of height and versatility.

"Troy's an inside mid, half-back, and the others are midfielders, it's all very exciting."

McLaughlin, who has also spent time at Hampden club Camperdown, said he was loving his time at his new club.

"It's pretty easy when the club welcomes you in very quickly, it's been great," the 29-year-old said.

"I work with Blair McCutcheon and he really likes it here, so I'd thought I'd come across and have a go. I really like it, it's good fun and 'Sobes' is doing a really good job."

Enjoying the normality of pre-season training, McLaughlin said he was excited to get stuck into the sessions ahead of a big year on the football field.

"We feel really good about the group and feel it's going to be a pretty promising year," he said.

Ahead of Merrivale's season-opener against Timboon on April 2, Sobey said things were just now starting to ramp up.

"It's starting to get to that exciting part of the pre-season," he said ahead of the group's first practice match on March 5. "Being second year now, I'm a little more composed myself, and certainly enjoying it."

Finishing third behind Nirranda and Kolora-Noorat in 2021, Sobey is confident his group is moving in the right direction but isn't looking too far ahead at this stage.

"It was very disappointing we didn't get to finish last year but we're super excited, we feel like we're through that COVID barrier and the season is fast approaching," he said.

"We've just been focusing on us and how we want to play and defend, as well as introducing these guys into the group."

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