Denmark-Walpole have flagged their premiership ambitions by landing two prized recruits on the eve of their round five clash in the Great Southern Football League on Saturday.
The Magpies have confirmed that homegrown ruckman and former Brisbane-listed player Kalin Lane will return to the club for the remainder of the 2026 season.
That news comes alongside the club’s signing of star country midfielder Zak Pretty, who is also set to be in Pies’ colours for the rest of this year.
Lane was a mid-season rookie draftee and spent a couple of seasons on the Lions list but never played an AFL game, tearing his ACL in 2024 and getting delisted later that year.
The Denmark-Walpole junior returned home to WA and signed with Claremont in a bid to earn another chance at AFL level.
However the towering 206cm ruck only managed one league game with the Tigers last year, playing in the losing reserves grand final team.
Lane has featured in five reserves games this season, averaging 15.6 disposals and 33.2 hitouts per game.
The 24-year-old has strong family ties in the Great Southern and had a desire to return to where his journey began.
The Magpies have been in desperate need for a genuine ruckman in the early part of the season, an area of concern in their one-win campaign so far.
Stewart Davies has played just one game leaving midfielder Bailey Bennett to the bulk of the ruck duties.
Pretty played for the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup as a youngster before coming to WA, where he spent 2022 with Peel Thunder in the WAFL.
He has played for Upper Great Southern Football League powerhouse Boddington for the last three years, guiding the Eagles to the 2024 flag with a dominant three-goal midfield display to help beat Wickepin on their home turf.
Both Lane and Pretty will run out for the Magpies in their huge clash with Royals at Retravision Stadium on Saturday.
The Lions are third on the ladder with a 3-1 win loss record under new coach James Culleton while the Magpies are fourth having been more than competitive in losses to Albany and Railways but only have a win against bottom side North Albany to their name so far.
