Former Melbourne pair James Strauss and Michael Evans sign on with Old Scotch in VAFA

LOCAL FOOTY FIRST: Two former Melbourne footballers have joined Old Scotch in a major coup for the VAFA club.

Melbourne v Gold Coast,MCG, James Strauss tackled by AAron Hall,

TWO former Melbourne footballers have joined Old Scotch in a major coup for the VAFA club.

James Stauss and Michael Evans — who were both delisted by the Demons at the end of last season — put pen to paper with the club today.

Stauss, 24, played 24 AFL games with Melbourne between 2010 and 2014 after being recruited from Oakleigh Chargers with Pick 19 in the 2008 National Draft.

Evans, 22, had four seasons with the Demons in which he managed 16 matches after being snapped up in the 2011 Rookie Draft.

Old Scotch co-president Peter Warner confirmed the signings this afternoon, saying the pair were good friends who wanted to play together again this year.

Stauss spent his teenage years at Scotch College, where he played with many players who are still at Old Scotch.

“Evans is a great mate of Strauss and Strauss is a great mate of a lot of our players being a Scotch boy,” Warner said.

“He (Strauss) is forming a new business and he just wanted to play with his mates. He’ll be very good in the ammos.”

Evans will miss some of the club’s early matches this season due to a pre-planned overseas holiday but Stauss is expected to line up in Round 1.

Old Scotch finished the 2014 season in third spot on the Premier section ladder before being knocked out of the premiership race after a semi-final loss to Collegians.

The side will face reigning premier University Blacks in the opening round of the new season on April 11.