Lavington's Michael Oates and Albury's Kolby Heiner-Hennessy both signed with the Brookers this week.

In a further bonus, Lavington premiership defender Brad Carman has moved back to the border from Wollongong.

Carman won the Brookers' best and fairest in 2017 and is set to play full-time for his home club next year.

Both Oates and Heiner-Hennessy played reserves this season but boast senior experience in the Ovens and Murray.

Oates played a handful of senior matches for the Panthers in 2018-19.

While Heiner-Hennessy played four matches in 2019 under Peter German's brief stint as coach at the sportsground.

Sharp said the pair of recruits would prove to be handy acquisitions in the Hume league.

"Michael is a tall defender which will release some of our undersized guys who have had to play on much taller opponents on occasions," Sharp said.

"Korby will play forward and booted 33 goals from 11 matches this year in the reserves and will add a bit more firepower.

"They have both got a couple of mates at the club which was how we were able to sign them.

"I just said to both of them, that there is no reason why you can't go back to the O&M at some stage.

"They are both young and will be good O&M players in the future if they want to go down that path."

ALSO IN SPORT

The Brookers also lured Andrew Mackinlay back to the club as assistant coach last month.

Sharp is confident the Brookers have narrowed the gap on Osborne who will once again start the season as a raging flag favourite.

"The scoreboard indicated we were 10 goals inferior to Osborne this year," he said.

"But internally we know we are a lot closer than that at full-strength.

"Osborne were the best home and away side during the year.

"But we all know finals is a different ball game."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: