KANGAROO Flat has announced the first major signing of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League off-season by securing former Metricon Bendigo Bomber Shannon Geary.

Geary has spent the past three seasons with the Bombers, in which he played 19 senior VFL games.

He will strengthen the midfield for the Roos, who improved from no wins in 2007 to seven this year under coach Darryl Wilson, who has been reappointed for next season.

“Our main aim has been to target an extra midfielder, so we’re very pleased to have signed Shannon because he’s a quality player,’’ Wilson said yesterday.

“Shannon has proved himself at VFL level, where he has played some really good football, but injuries have probably cost him a little consistency-wise.

“He’s hard at it, he wins the ball and is a very level-headed player.

“We think a lot of the games we lost this year were attributed to our midfield late in the games, so what we needed to do was get more rotations through there, which Eaglehawk showed the importance of during the finals.’’

Geary, also an ex-Bendigo Pioneer who has spent time with Eaglehawk and Sandhurst as well, played one game for the Roos this year when he was named among their best in their round 13 win against Kyneton when the Bombers had the bye.

As well as signing Geary, the Roos have re-signed boom forward Justin Maddern as an assistant coach.

Maddern only played eight games for Kangaroo Flat this year after joining the Roos mid-season from AFL Queensland club Labrador, but booted 40 goals.

“I really enjoyed playing football in the second half of the season while I was at Kangaroo Flat,’’ Maddern said.

“It has been a couple of years since I enjoyed playing footy, but Kangaroo Flat was a great place to be around and I have already made some really good mates.’

’As for the added responsibility of assistant coach next year: “It’s not going to affect the way I play, it’s more going to be through the week because game day is up to Darryl.