Harrow-Balmoral Kangaroos eyeing a spot in the HDFNL grand final

"We're in a good window at the moment with the squad."

"We'd be disappointed not to be playing finals," said Thompson.

In 2022 Harrow-Balmoral finished third on the Horsham District Football Netball League ladder and fell just short of the grand final when they lost to Kalkee in the preliminary round.

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Thompson is hoping a strong focus on fitness, with the help of a new sports science physio, will help the team remain fit and stave off injury as the HDFNL season rolls on.

"Watching a couple games late in (2022), the fitness of players and the injuries they were getting towards the back end of the year was something that I really wanted to try and touch on," said Thompson.

"(The physio) put a program together for us to make sure we were getting fitter down at the baseline and building through all pre season without overdoing it, and also being able to try and stay as injury-free as possible."

"Obviously those things happen, but you want to do everything you can to stop it from happening," said Thompson.

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Coming from Leopold in the Geelong Football League, Thompson is new to the Southern Roos for 2023, however, he does bring an air of familiarity with him.

"My Dad actually grew up in Balmoral, his parents played for Balmoral," said Thompson.

"My grandfather played there, a lot of my uncles played there as well, back when they were the Bombers."

The Wimmera holds a special place in Thompson's heart.

"I never actually lived in Balmoral, but we used to visit all the time... I spent a lot of time there as a kid, we used to go camping," Thompson said.

"It's a bit of a homecoming for me, it feels like home anyway."

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Thompson is not the only new face heading to Harrow-Balmoral for 2023.

Code-hoping Brait Headon, who represented New South Wales in rugby League, is also a new addition to the blue and white.

Headon comes to the Roos from the Golden Rivers Football League Club, Hay, where he has played since 2017, and last season held a key back role in the senior squad.

Josh Dawson also joins the club from Dunkeld in the Mininera and District Football League, and Noah Hildebrand will add his size to the team as a possible second ruck.

Thompson also hopes to see the team's senior group - former coach Nick Pekin, Simon Close, and 2022 club best-and-fairest, Michael Close - play a strong role this year.

"They're the ones you expect to lead the group ... you want them showing what they can do and trying to push others along," said Thompson.

Harrow-Balmoral's 2023 season starts on Saturday, April 15, when they take on last year's runners-up, Kalkee.