Yarrawonga has signed one of Geelong Football League's best defenders.
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Jye Cross has moved to the region as part of his training for the fire brigade.
Cross spent two years with the Geelong Falcons, representing Victoria Country in his second season, and also spent time with Geelong's VFL outfit.
Knee injuries curtailed his state level stint, but he's carved out a fine career for Leopold.
"He'll be outstanding up there, he's a very good mark and spoils really well, covers off his opponent, he'll make it very hard for any tall forward," Leopold president Richard Hockley praised.
Yarrawonga is the second club, joining Corowa-Rutherglen, to openly admit it has centred some of its recruiting on handling Wangaratta power forwards Ben Reid and Michael Newton.
"Obviously with Leigh Masters down back, it stiffens us right up because the 'Wang' power forwards got hold of us last year and we didn't have a bloke who was capable of going with them," football director Leigh Ramsdale offered.
"Going on last season's form, Albury and 'Wang' are the sides you've got to beat and if you want to beat the best, you've got to at least match up on them, you've got to have at least one gorilla (big player) to go with them."
Ramsdale's honesty is refreshing as some clubs, at all levels, argue they pay little attention to opposition clubs.
The signing of Cross and the earlier addition of ex-Williamstown-listed midfielder Nick Fothergill also fills another void in the leadership.
"Jye is obviously a leader of that club, he's what we're looking for profile, player age wise, he and Nick can help out (coach) Mark (Whiley) with their leadership," he suggested.
The Pigeons have missed the top five the past two seasons and North Albury, Wodonga and Corowa-Rutherglen have shown the longer you are out of finals, the harder it is to return.
But Ramsdale says there's been positives.
"The games we've been able to get into under kids who are under 22, we reckon that group is as strong as we've had in the last 20 years, there's six or seven who've nominated for the (Murray) Bushrangers (junior rep squad), and Benny Woodburn's just won the league (under 18s) medal, there's a massive upside," he explained.
And both his new and old clubs are also raving about Cross, off the field.
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"He'll leave a gaping hole in our club, he drives of lot of KPI's, setting benchmarks for behaviour, he's an absolute gem," Hockley revealed.
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