Southcity's focus on bringing back junior players in 2023 has already seen Mitch Bennett return to the club.
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Bennett made the move to Brothers last year, after following Connor McCauley to their crosstown rivals following a season together at the Bulls.
However the 25-year-old centre is looking forward to making his return to his junior club.
"I've played there for so long, it's my junior club and I just missed it a little bit," Bennett said.
"And I missed the boys I used to play with a bit as well.
"I just wanted to head back as it is my junior club and I've played there for so long.
"I've gone somewhere else but now know where I want to be."
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It was a tough season for both Wagga clubs with Southcity only scoring the one win while Brothers won three, two of those coming against the Bulls.
It added to Bennett's desire to return.
"It wasn't really the season I expected last year but it is what it is," he said.
Southcity-coach Kyle McCarthy is pleased to have Bennett back on board.
He's hoping he can bring some experience to what is set to be a young back line again in 2023.
"He's a good get, he knows what it is all about and it's an old head for me to use," McCarthy said.
It's something Bennett wants to do as well.
"I'll try my best to try to lead them forward," he said.
"There's a lot of young boys coming up at Southcity so I will try to do my best to teach them the right ways.
"The ways Doc (McCarthy), Skin (Nick Skinner) and all those boys taught me."
McCarthy has returned as the Bulls captain-coach despite initially looking to take a step back.
He sees plenty of similarities between the club's situation now and when he was coming through the ranks.
The playmaker hopes it can be the start of another big period for the club, who played in seven grand finals between 2011 and 2019, winning three premierships.
"It was an enjoyable year even though it wasn't winning," McCarthy said.
"We changed a few things from the past and all that crew is coming back.
"We're hoping to get a few more and it will be something to build off.
"With a lot of the older crew who were successful going we had a younger crew coming in trying to forge their own path.
"A lot of times when blokes were coming into grade they were coming into a pretty red hot team but it's a bit different now.
"They have to do it the hard way, like blokes like myself did when we came into grade.
"It builds a bit of character for them."
McCarthy doesn't expect there to be a great amount of player turnover this season.
However the Bulls are hoping to bring some more familiar faces back to the club.
"The whole point of the points system is trying to keep your local juniors around and build your club off the back of them," McCarthy said.
"That is probably why we weren't as good last year, we lost quite a lot of them and it's been the plan to try to get them all back.
"We had a run of four years straight where we had 18s teams in grand finals and as of last year I think it was only Brody Tracey and Jacob Levy left out of all those teams.
"It is not a good way to work into the future.
"From that little era we want to try to get those blokes back."
Bennett is one of those.
After a couple of casual get togethers late last year, the Bulls will begin pre-season training on Thursday.
Southcity will start their pre-season with a trip to the West Wyalong Knockout in February.
McCarthy is looking forward to the event's return.
"It's always a good way to start the year," he said.
"It's been a pain over the last couple of years not having as then you have to find extra trials."
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