The Power have added 14 players over the offseason for the loss of only Brent Rose, who played 10 games last year and a final.
Leading the list of recruits is former Wangaratta Magpie and Corowa Rutherglen youngster Darcy Melksham, new assistant coach George Sandral, two-time Rutherglen Cats best and fairest Jimmy Hanrahan and reigning Cats best and fairest Jack Andison.
Melksham is expected to lead the group in an onball brigade that will also boast classy veteran Nathan Rhodes.
Also in the recruitment list is Jake Dalgliesh, Taylor Baker, Nathan Morris, Deky Yates, Jake Coats, Seth Dawson and Luke Heagney.
The club has also added returning sons Paddy Lavis, Jordan Lavis, Connor McKinley and Russell Anderson.
“It’s an exciting list. There’s a real youth factor mixed with some experience. We’ve worked our butts off over the offseason,” Power vice-president Paul Rippingale said.
“Selection table each week is going to be very interesting. We think our onball brigade will be matching it with the best.
“But we know Hume League footy is stepping it up every year, we know the Jinderas and the like will be stepping it, so we know we’ve got to dot all the ‘i’s and cross all the ‘t’s to go deep.
“But we will be disappointed if we don’t improve on last year’s one final – this is an exciting young list and there is no guarantee we’ll get a list like this again.”
Kyle Docherty returns as coach after a successful first season at the helm and the club is looking forward to the returning forward pairing of Corey Smith and youngster Ryan Beveridge, who kicked more than 100 goals between them last year.
CDHBU will kick off their season against BB Saints at Burrumbuttock on Saturday, and it will be a good test after going down by 23 points in there only encounter last year.
Meanwhile, the club has recruited injured RWW Giants netballer Kailey Athanitis (knee) to mentor its A Grade and B Grade sides.
And while the club is likely to see only one of its 2023 A Grade side start on Saturday – Shelby Richardson – Athanitis is optimistic about the year ahead.
“Preseason has gone really well. We had a team bonding camp at the end of February and since then they girls have put in a lot of work, they’ve been loving their netball,” she said.
“We’re looking quite handy, to be honest.”
The club lost three players to Corowa-Rutherglen, one to Howlong and one to Lavington but have added locals Niamh Lavis and Tayah Wynne as well as Maddie Phibbs (Rennie), Kristy Schultz (Wahgunyah) and Florence Meier (Riverina league).
Across preseason, Lavis has been a standout as shooter while Richardson has been dominating in midcourt.
“We’re young but we’re quick and I can see us getting into finals,” Athanitis said.
A Grade were around in the top six for extended periods last year but fell away late to finish ninth.
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