Duane Sykes has returned to New Zealand to be closer to family after playing in the blue and white for the past two seasons.

However, experienced heads Richie Bamblett and Josh Curphey will return to the fold.

Also, Tamatatai Miratana looks set to return from a neck injury that kept him out for the majority of the 2016 Group 20 season.

“Tama’s back so we’re down a half but we pick one up as well,” Yenda Blueheelers secretary Sam Panarello told The Area News on Wednesday.

“Duane was a good kicker but Tama will be a different type of half – he’s more of a working half.

“Josh and Richie are back in, too. They’re quality players.”

Panarello was also in talks with players to join the club but nothing had been set in stone as of yet.

“We’re still looking around. I may have another player coming, it all depends on his circumstances,” he said.

The Blueheelers will be out to lift off the bottom of the Group 20 ladder in 2017 under new coach Michael Mogliotti.

Yenda finished in last place last year, four points behind the Hay Magpies.

2016 coach Tom Sellars has stuck with the club and has filled the role as Mogliotti’s assistant.

Panarello said early signs showed the move was paying dividends for the club.

“Sellars has never looked better, Mog’s been pretty popular and our numbers are good,” Panarello said.

“Our under 18s side, that won the comp last year, has some really handy footballers in there.

“We don’t want to push them too early but in the next year or two we’ll ease them in.

“Mog can only go up. I mean we’re not going to make any mad predictions. We’ll just take it a step at a time.”

It was so close, yet so far a lot of the time for Yenda in 2016.

The side lost seven out of 14 games by four points or less.

Panarello said the close games would only make the players better.

“We lost a lot of games by two points last year. Winning those sort of games will come with experience,” he said.