EDFL 2019: Brad Murphy and Heath McKerchar headline Hadfield’s recruits

Hadfield is coming from a long way back but the EDFL Division 2 club will be a much more formidable opponent this season, says coach Brett Pitts.

Hadfield’s Harley Ferguson in action last season. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Hadfield is coming from a long way back but the EDFL Division 2 club will be a much more formidable opponent this season, says coach Brett Pitts.

The Hawks have won just three games since their 2015 premiership triumph, underlining the enormity of the challenge, but a fruitful summer has left them confident better times are on the horizon.

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“We are going to be a considerably better side,” said Pitts, who is preparing for his second year at the helm.

“Where that puts us at the moment, I don’t know.

“The competition is getting better. You look around the traps and sides are recruiting well, so it’s a tough competition.

“We won one game last year, so by no stretch of the imagination are we thinking we’re going to go out and win grand finals, but if we won 4-6 games … we’d be rapt with that. But we don’t want to put a ceiling on it.”

Forward Brad Murphy has put pen to paper and is set to be available for about nine matches as he juggles a coaching role at TAC Cup club Calder Cannons, while midfielder Heath McKerchar has returned after a stint at Wallan.

Benalla All Blacks premiership duo Andrew Trende and Ben Pretty have signed and will fill roles as a key defender and centre half-forward respectively.

Brandon McRedmond (Talbot), Matthew Dalpiaz (Roxburgh Park) and Lewis Wetherbee (University Blacks) are other new faces.

The Hawks have added much needed height and boosted the forward half in a bid to stay in games for longer.

“We knew we had to recruit,” Pitts said.

“We had an encouraging second half of the year last year with our young brigade and a lot of those boys come on and they have come on again over the pre-season.

“We really needed to shore up that age bracket between 23 and 28, get some good quality players in with some quality experience. We’ve been able do that, and things are looking really positive.”

Bilal Moustafa, Omar Taleb, Mohammad Saad, Ryan Potter, Josh Potter are the standout young players at Hadfield’s disposal.

Pitts said the quintet took “massive steps” in the second half of last season.

“I really challenged those boys over the off-season to get fitter, rise their standards when it comes to training and that stuff, and to the boys’ credit they have,” he said.

“We’re definitely moving into this year in a lot better position physically.”

The Hawks will tackle Keilor Park in Round 1.