By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions have looked to add some more flexibility to its side for next year’s Ballarat Football League season.
Having finished equal top after the regular season, the Lions were among the contenders come finals time.
But having finished fourth, the Lions had to play in an elimination final and were made to pay for one bad quarter against Melton.
They have quickly looked to reinforcements and strengthen the side.
The Lions have signed Mathew Medcraft and Haydn Ross, while VFL player Tyson Lever has aligned with the club.
Lions coach Travis Hodgson said they were thrilled to get Medcraft back to the club.
Medcraft has played most of his football at the Lions including being part of the 2012 premiership. He last played for them full time in 2016.
“Medcraft can be dangerous if you get him in the right spots,” he said.
“You have to keep an eye on him.
“He won a best and fairest at Sunbury in 2015 and finished third in the Henderson Medal”
Hodgson said Ross could play forward, in the middle or on half back.
Ross won the Riddell District Football League goal kicking in 2018 with 74 goals.
“He won the best and fairest at Riddell this year,” he said.
“He’s been a really good player at Riddell for a fair while. He’ll bring leadership and he wants to try himself at the higher level.
“He can hit the scoreboard.”
Hodgson said they know they were unlikely to see a lot of Lever the next couple of years due to his VFL commitments.
Lever re-signed at Coburg for next season having finished third in their best and fairest.
Lever, the brother of Melbourne defender Jake Lever, played his junior football at Romsey, before playing with the Calder Cannons, before moving to the SANFL.
He then moved back to Victoria and joined Coburg.
Picture Shawn Smits.
“He’s still at Coburg,” Hodgson said,
“He was at Glenroy [as his local club] for the last couple of years and he played a few games for them.
“Hopefully he can play a few games for us. It will be good when we can get a hold of him.
“He’s a half back but at this level we think he could play in the midfield.”
The Lions are hoping to announce a couple more signings in the next few weeks.
The Lions though have lost Daylan Kempster who has moved to the other side of the city for work.
Hodgson said Kempster had been good for them down back in the second half of the season.
