NTFA Premier: Who are the Kangaroos' gun recruits for the 2024 season?

The Kangaroos, who finished seventh, have re-signed coach Nathan Lowe for a third season while recruiting a slew of former TSL players.

Brothers Josh and Brad Rickard as well as Ryan Berne have made the switch from North Launceston after playing in this year's D-League losing grand final team.

Ben Atkins has also made the move from Launceston Blues' D-League side.

"In preparation for the TSL not being around in 2025, we need to try and get as many local players back playing at home and that's what we've aimed for this year, to try and start that process," Lowe said.

The coach said all four recruits could play forward/midfield.

"We weren't looking so much for backline players, I think our backline is one of the best in the comp and they're pretty well settled now, we just needed mid-forwards."

Josh, who played six senior matches for the Bombers this year, won the Rodney Eade Medal as the D-League's best and fairest after playing just eight home-and-away games.

The 18-year-old polled in six matches with three best on grounds.

The young gun also won his club's best and fairest award.

"He's a physical player with good speed and good knowledge of the game for such a young age," Lowe said.

His older brother Brad, 20, is renowned as a tackling machine.

"He's got good ball skills and a good attitude towards the game," Lowe said.

"He played at a higher level in Melbourne. He had an injury-riddled year in 2022 but had a really good year this year for North.

"He will add that speed and power through the midfield."

Berne, another young player who booted 22 goals this year, returns to Deloraine for the first time since 2018 after spending five years with the Bombers.

"Even though he's a young player, he's had that higher experience and knows what is needed to hold the ball in our forward half," Lowe said.

Atkins, 18, who played 14 matches for the Blues this year, is also returning home.

In a major blow, reigning club best and fairest Lochie Dornauf will miss next season due to moving overseas for 12 months.

Lowe said Dornauf, who coached the NTFA representative side this year, would be sorely missed.

"He definitely knows the game and has been an invaluable member of the team over the last few years," he said.

"He coached and has been captain, he'll be missed but it opens up the opportunity for a young guy coming through."

Lowe said Dornauf and the retiring Damon Howe were the only confirmed departures and the Roos had otherwise retained their senior list.

The club has already announced Logan Howe, Liam Ryan, Laiden Bloomfield, captain Kye Chilcott, Deacon Bloomfield, Liam Taylor, reigning under-18 best and fairest Darcy Huett, Coby Cook and Jayden Last have re-signed.

Lowe said he wanted to go around again to keep working with the young players the club had developed in the past two years.

"They're mature and ready to play a good brand of senior football," he said.

Deloraine went from one win in 2022 to five victories last season.

They had narrow losses, including a one-point defeat to Bridgenorth and a two-goal loss to Bracknell, which has Lowe thinking "they're not too far off".

"There were some games where played the better teams and we had more inside-50s but we just couldn't score goals so I think we're on the right path," he said.