Eleven players from the 2015 Footscray Bulldogs list have re-committed with the Club for the upcoming season, as list consolidation continues to be high on the agenda for VFL coach Ashley Hansen.

The VFL’s team’s leadership remains secure with last season’s co-captains Mark Austin and Jordan Russell returning again for the pair’s third year on the Bulldogs list.

Hansen said holding on to players of the calibre of Austin and Russell was vital to the side’s ongoing development.

“(It’s) integral that a guy like Jordan Russell who is a development coach as well, who will lead the team with Mark Austin.

“It’s going to be really exciting because both of those guys have had high level AFL experience.”

Austin and Russell are joined by Nick Jamieson, Alex Greenwood, brothers Will and JD Hayes, Liam Nash, Mitch Hannan, Josh Wallis, Anthony Barry and Tom Sharp as players committed to the VFL team.

Hansen said re-signing such a large group over the summer would allow for consistency as the stand alone side enters its third season.

“We’ve been gradually signing them over the summer and some of them were offered contracts before the pre-season started.

“It gives us really good stability among the group, just over 50 per cent of our squad from last year will be with us this year which will be good for the team and good for the club to build on the foundations we set last year.”

Austin, Russell, Greenwood and Will Hayes were all members of the Club’s 2014 premiership side, while Jamieson, JD Hayes and Barry are also heading into their third seasons.

“We’re starting to get a nice balance, having our third year in the VFL system, we’re starting to get some experienced VFL players which will benefit us.

“I think those guys that won the premiership know what it takes to have success at VFL level and to be a really good VFL player.

“We certainly want to create an environment at VFL level where AFL guys can flourish and they can prepare themselves to play their best possible football at the next level being AFL.

“I think an important part of development is success and I think we’ve got a balance over our previous two seasons of combining the development of individuals with the collective culture of winning which as I said before is pretty important.”