Duo add depth to Lambton Jaffas double NPL title defence

The Jaffas beat Broadmeadow 2-1 in the grand final on Saturday night after edging them by a point in the premiership race.

The club had announced the signing of Manly defender and captain James Oates for 2024 before the finals and coach David Tanchevski confirmed on Tuesday the additions of Buettner and Pratt.

Buettner is a former Jets Youth player who was at Weston briefly in 2022. The 21-year-old was with NPL NSW 1 club Sydney Olympic this year.

Pratt played with Newcastle Olympic then Maitland after coming to the Northern NSW NPL from the Central Coast Mariners in 2017.

The recruits will bolster a Jaffas squad which will lose mid-season addition Michael Finlayson and potentially others.

Tanchevski expected a few fringe players to chase opportunities at other clubs but said the addition of Oates, Buettner and Pratt would improve his squad.

"[Buettner] plays as a right-back or right midfielder, so that just adds a bit of depth to the squad," Tanchevski said.

"Obviously we struggled at right-back this year until Hooley [Matt Hoole] got on a run of form after getting over an injury. Jimmy Oates plays as a centre-back or centre midfielder and Pratty gives us options as well."

The loss of Pratt for Maitland follows Rhys Cooper's exit back to Olympic and Tom Davies' decision not to play next year.

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