AFL
6 hours ago
New Bomber names two young standouts from his first few days at the club
By Nic Negrepontis
Jaxon Prior is excited for a fresh start at Essendon, having signed with the club via the Supplemental Selection Period following his Brisbane delisting.
The 23-year-old midfielder played 39 games for the Lions over five years and understands why the club made the call to let him go.
“Unfortunately at the end of the day, Brissy had to make a tough call and let me go, which I totally understood,” Prior told SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“We saw some great opportunities down here in Melbourne and with Essendon. We spoke with them a couple of times over the last few months.
“It was a no-brainer in the end to come down here and get stuck in.”
Prior grew up in Perth, but admits neither WA club was particularly interested in signing him this summer.
“Not so much from (Fremantle), a little bit from West Coast. Never really got to the stage of seriously considering coming back to Perth,” he said.
“When I was delisted you try and talk to as many teams as possible and we definitely did that with the WA teams, but I’m here now and I’m happy with that.”
Prior is confident the young Essendon list can defy expectations and push up the ladder in 2025.
“I think for this club, the sky is the limit. You saw the way they were able to play so well for the majority of the season and sit inside the top four. I don’t think there’s any reason they can’t do that again,” he said.
“It’s such a hungry young group. It’s a dedicated group. Whatever they set their mind towards, they can achieve.”
He points to young duo Nate Caddy and Archie Roberts as players who have impressed him in his first few days at The Hangar.
“I think someone like Archie Roberts is impressive. He came into the side late in the year and is in his second year and he’s been one I’ve gone to over the last couple of days and he seems to be a terrific young fella who works hard,” Prior said.
“I have no doubt he’ll go from strength to strength and impress a few next year.
“I played on him in the VFL in Round 1 and he’s going to be a superstar that guy. He’s just another one of the young fellas at the Bombers who is super hungry to get better.”
Caddy was selected with pick 10 in the 2023 National Draft, playing 10 games and kicking nine goals in his debut season.
Prior’s father Michael played 81 games for Essendon between 1994 and 2000 as well.
