Visitors Corowa-Rutherglen will unveil one of the most exciting recruits in James Lawton against Wangaratta on Saturday.
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Lawton returns from a career-threatening suspension in the Riverina Football League last year.
The Roos have racked up 26 straight losses but suddenly have a potent forward line in Lawton, former O and M rep James Svarc, who’s back from VFL outfit Coburg, and emerging gun Will Robinson.
“It just gives everyone more energy,” coach Terry Burgess said.
“You reckon it could double the goal tally for us.
“We’re only averaging 50 points, so if we can get up around 80, 90, 100, some weeks, you’re going to be a chance.”
The issue, of course, will be whether the Roos’ midfield can get the ball to that forward line, led by Lawton.
“I’m definitely jumping out of my skin, it’s been a fair while watching,” he said.
Lawton, considered the best player in the Riverina, has opened up about his ban.
He is currently sitting on a 15-game suspension total, meaning any ban will take him to the point where he’s deregistered and outed for life.
“I’d probably changed my ways a little bit before that (recent suspension),” Lawton said.
“I just had to reel in the aggression a little bit and try and have a bit more steeliness and focus out there, rather than getting distracted by that side of the game.
“I have found players do bait me and clubs will try to bait me, but it’s nothing I don’t feel I can handle now.
“I’m a lot more mature now than I was three, four or five years ago.
“I like playing footy, I’d rather be playing footy than thrashing it out with some bloke over a smart alec comment that he might say to me.”
The Roos will also unveil former Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong team-mate Adam Cullen, who was also banned following that same quarter-time brawl against Leeton-Whitton.
“He’s as fit as I’ve seen, he’s raring to go,” Lawton said.
“He’s very athletic and very skilled, I don’t think he’ll have any trouble stepping up to this standard.”
The 197-centimetre Lawton, who played seniors at both SANFL powerhouse Central District and VFL outfit Coburg, is determined to help the Roos recover from their greatest low.
“I just want to be a part of the club’s rebuild,” he said.
“I want to give back to the club because they’ve made me feel very comfortable down here, they’ve gone out of their way to make sure everything in my life’s heading in the right direction .. I want to steer this club on the right track.”