The Bears' 2014 NPL player of the year, Connor Evans, has returned after several seasons in Sydney, while they have also secured keeper Gerard Roebuck, Japanese attacker Yuta Konagaya and Dutch defender Alessandro Ouwerkerk. Liam Wilson (Edgeworth) and Mitch Dobson (US college) are also back.

The recruits help fill the void left by retired skipper Nathan Morris and fellow defenders Zac Sneddon and Sam Kamper. Attacking import Moustafa Mohammad is also a loss.

The return of Evans, though, appears the biggest gain for Weston. The livewire midfielder has not played for the club since helping them to second spot and the 2014 grand final, which is also the last time they have featured in the play-offs.

"He's a massive bonus," Weston skipper Chris Hurley said.

"All the boys who have come in are, although we still haven't see Alessandro play for us because he flew in only on Saturday morning. But Yuta, Connor and Gerard, they have all fitted in really well and are going to be a massive plus for us."

The Bears finished eighth last year, eight points outside the top five, after the mid-season exit of coach Leo Bertos, who is now the club's football manager. Kew Jaliens, the coach before Bertos, has returned and Hurley believes he will have a better squad at his disposal.

"We probably are going to be a stronger squad than last year," he said. "We've definitely got more depth in terms of first-grade players.

"The thing that probably cost us last year was inconsistency ... winning big games against top teams, then dropping silly points when you shouldn't be. But I know I'd definitely be putting us in the top five this year."

Weston are away to Broadmeadow in round one on Friday night.

Roebuck is a Lithgow product who has played for Sutherland in Sydney and US college soccer for St Mary's University in San Antonio.

Konagaya has played in the Sydney and Melbourne NPL, and in Greece for APS Zakynthos.

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