WODONGA Raiders have landed star former player Dean Heta and the “best one-on-one defender” Daryn Cresswell has ever coached.

The battling Ovens and Murray club has taken another major stride on the recruiting front since Cresswell took over as coach by signing Heta and Queensland star Matt Derrick.

Derrick played in a premiership under Cresswell at QAFL club Palm Beach-Currumbin, and the Sydney Swans’ great is a massive fan.

“He’s the best one-on-one defender I’ve coached,” Cresswell said.

He’ll be very important for us.

“He can play tall or small and is one of those guys who rarely gets beaten in a one-on-one contest.”

Heta, meanwhile, returns after two seasons away from Birallee Park.

The gun utility left the Ovens and Murray, seemingly at the peak of his powers, at the end of 2012.

But he returns in super touch, having won Old Ivanhoe Grammarians’ best and fairest in the VAFA this season.

“He’s still playing really good footy,” Cresswell said.

“Defensively, the club has been poor over the past couple of years and we are building a side from behind the ball.

“It’s pretty important.

“It generates a bit of excitement around the place.”

Derrick was one of Queensland’s best in its massive loss to the VAFA this year.

Cresswell will meet more potential recruits next week before making the move to the Border later this month.

“We’re starting to build really strong foundations.

“We aren’t going on a spending spree, or anything like that, and the players that will be at the club will be there for the right reasons.

“We’re really looking to change the culture of the place.”