The brothers, who had planned to play in the VFL with Frankston this season, will move to the Border to study physiotherapy at Charles Sturt University.

Raiders coach Daryn Cresswell said the pair arrived at Birallee Park on the recommendation of Sydney Swans recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson.

Beatson was close to selecting the Rouse brothers in the rookie draft, where he opted for Sam Murray on the back of his hot season with the Raiders.

The 195cm twins, the sons of former Melbourne Tigers NBL player Ian, are junior basketball and athletics champions and ran 16.6 in the beep test at the draft combine.

“The Swans were very keen on them as rookies,” Cresswell said.

​“Kinnear rates them very highly and was keen for them to come to us so we can keep an eye on them.

“It could be another Sam Murray but they’ve still got a bit of development to do because they’ve only been playing football for a short period of time.

“They’ve both got great skill sets in terms of the modern game, they can run, 195cm tall.

“They’re exactly what we want, we’re rapt to get them.”

Stingrays talent manager Mark Wheeler said the pair impressed in the TAC Cup after only playing football for the first time less than two years ago.

“In terms of what they can do athletically, they’re ahead of AFL players already,” he said.

“They’re two of the most loyal, most coachable kids.”

The Rouse signings come as ruckman Luke Visser departs for Goulburn Valley outfit Euroa.

Visser was set to return after a serious ankle injury and joins Sam and Matt Murray, Jake Goldsmith, Matt Derrick and Jethro Calma-Holt in departing the Raiders.

“We’ve had to move players on,” Cresswell said.

“We recruited really well last year but there’s guys like Matty Murray and Jethro Calma-Holt who we wanted to keep at the club but they cost you so many points and it makes it really hard to retain all your list.”