BARNAWARTHA has lured former coach Mitch Exton back to the club.
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In a major boost to this years grand finalists remaining a premiership threat, the Tigers have also signed Ben Kunkel and Glenrowan midfielder Jordan Hansted.
Exton coached the Tigers in 2016-17 with the Tigers losing the preliminary final in his first year in charge.
Kunkel was an assistant coach under Exton with the pair both playing for Benalla this season.
While Hansted is regarded among the premier midfielders in the Ovens and King league.
He has spent the past four seasons with Glenrowan but was on the lookout for a new club after the Tigers announced they would be going into recess next year.
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Peter Cook, who will coach Barnawartha for a third successive season, said the Tigers will boast a significantly stronger list next season.
"All three of the recruits are fairly versatile," Cook said.
"Mitch especially is a bit of a utility.
"He won our goalkicking a couple of years ago but could play in defence or the midfield depending on who else we pick up.
"Ben Kunkel will slot into our defence and help replace Seamus Quinn who has crossed to Henty.
"Jordan will add to our midfield rotations.
"When Glenrowan announced it was going into recess we done a bit of homework on their players and besides Karl Norman, Jordy is the pick of them.
"We will certainly have a stronger list than this year."
Quinn alongside Ryan Lempa are the two confirmed departures from Tigerland.
Cook felt there was still plenty of upside in the Tigers.
"Obviously after losing a grand final there is plenty motivation to go one better," he said.
"Our recruits will add plenty of depth.
"Matt McNamara only played three senior matches and will be like a recruit.
"We have got some talented kids running around in the thirds that were exposed to senior football this year.
"Bailey Dixon has shown the most promise and I would be surprised if he wasn't a senior regular next year."
Cook said he was still at a loss to explain how the Tigers lost the grand final by more than 10 goals after trailing by five points at the main break.
"Obviously when you lose the grand final in that manner, as a coach you ask yourself a lot of questions," he said.
"Was it my fault and what could have we done better?
"The answer I have come up with is that we played 44 senior players throughout the season.
"When that happens, you just have no consistency.
"If you are going to go deep into September, you need your best team on the park.
"I think that only happened once throughout the year."
