Tisdale has been lured back to play with the Bulldogs from Victorian Amateur Football Association side West Brunswick, where he played in a division four premiership in 2014.

Daylesford senior coach Marcus Goonan said Tisdale will prove a great option around the ground for the team, particularly in attack and in the ruck.

“I think he probably becomes one of the premier running tall men in the league,” Goonan said.

Tisdale’s recruitment follows that of former VAFA players Luke Carland, Ricky Costanzo and Jake Nicholson and the departure of star midfielder/forward Michael Cummings to Casterton-Sandhurst.

The Bulldogs will be looking to better their 2016 preliminary final loss to Gordon, where Goonan’s charges proved themselves to be the surprise package of the league.  The previous season Daylesford had struggled to make an impact in the senior competition, finishing 14^th. 

Goonan said he believed the list for 2017 was stronger than that which won two finals in 2016, and said he hoped the club would be able to add further talent to the roster before the start of the season in less than two months time.  

“I think we’re in a much better position than last year and I think we’ve added a bit of maturity and size which will help us,” Goonan said.  

“We’ve been able to be really specific in looking for the likes of a tall forward and another midfielder while at the same time bring back some of our old juniors because part of the philosophy is to bring back ex-juniors so they have a connection to the club.” 

Daylesford will take on Beaufort in round one of the new season on April 1.