Essendon Football Club is excited to announce the signing of Jydon Neagle, the son of the late Merv Neagle, for the 2015 VFL season.
After joining the VFL group over the summer, Neagle was awarded with a contract for the season on Thursday night.
VFL General Manager Matt Little was thrilled with the signing, paying credit to the hard work put in by Neagle over the pre-season.
“We’re pretty excited about having him on board.”
“He’s done a whole pre-season, and I think he’s lost some weight– which was important for him– and he looks terrific at the moment.”
Neagle burst onto the scene in 2013 playing for the Murray Bushrangers in the U18 TAC Cup competition, joining the VFL Bombers as the 23rd man.
In 2014, he opted to join the Wodonga Raiders in the Ovens and Murray league, where he unfortunately succumbed to a shoulder complaint resulting in surgery mid-year, before joining the Bombers VFL training squad in November of last year.
Little forecasted that the intelligent forward will become a very valuable weapon for the side throughout the season.
“He adds a different dimension to our forward line, he’s got good pace, he’s extremely courageous, he takes a really good mark and kicks well for goal– so he’s going to be a really good asset for us.”
The signing moves Neagle a step closer to fulfilling his destiny as a father-son selection for the Bombers, which has become a burning desire for the youngster after his father tragically passed away in 2012.
“Having someone like Jydon on our list, there’s always that father-son opportunity– I don’t want to put too much pressure on him at the moment, there’s still a bit to go under the bridge before then,” Little said.
“Obviously it’s exciting for the club to have that option moving forward, and if he continues to improve the way he has, we’re hopeful that he will develop into a good player first and hopefully down the track he has the opportunity to chase his dream and play AFL.
“I think he’s a terrific kid just trying to cut his piece in the VFL and I think we’re going to provide him with a good opportunity to do that.”
