Jaxon Prior will be an Essendon player in 2025.

The Bombers signed the 23-year-old via the supplemental selection period on Monday afternoon, following 39 games over five seasons in a strong Brisbane Lions outfit.

At 188cm tall, Prior’s capability going head-to-head with small forwards and as an intercepting presence has been evident in the early stages of his career, notably in the 2021 campaign where he notched up 18 games at AFL level.

Prior also excelled at VFL level over the past two seasons in his efforts to break into the Lions’ defence, finishing equal third in the club’s reserves best and fairest this year while adding a further four AFL games to his career tally.

The WA-born Prior has family ties to the club, with his father Michael playing 81 games for the Bombers between 1994-2000.

Prior adds a versatile option to Essendon’s on-field stocks next season, coming after the club’s selection of seven new talents via the Telstra AFL National Draft and Rookie Draft.

He begins training with the rest of the Bombers’ squad when the full crop return for pre-season training on Monday morning.