Ex-Essendon player joins local club Tullamarine

Jackson Clark Published January 9, 2024 at 11.30am (AWST)

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Jake Long while playing for Essendon. (Image: AFL)

Former Essendon player Jake Long has landed at Essendon District Football League Division One club Tullamarine for the upcoming season.

Long played five games for the Bombers across four seasons on the list between 2016 and 2019 after being selected under the father-son rule in the 2015 AFL Rookie Draft.

Jake is the son of Essendon champion Michael Long, who was a dual premiership player and dual All-Australian across his 190 games for the Bombers.

Tullamarine announced the signing on Facebook almost a fortnight ago.

"We can't wait to see Jake running around in the blue and red in 24," a statement read.

"Jake is a silky midfielder with excellent skills and composure, and has the ability to play behind the ball to create attacking plays with run and dash."

After being aligned with Collingwood's VFL team in 2023, Long is expected to be available full-time for Tullamarine in 2024.

Long played 82 VFL games for the Bombers between 2014 and 2019 and has also produced excellent football in the Cairns competition and the Northern Territory Football League.

*Jake Long produced excellent footy for AFL Cairns club Cairns City Lions. (Image: Brendan Radke/Cairns Post)*

He established himself as one of North Queensland's most damaging players after a couple of brilliant premiership-winning seasons for the Cairns City Lions in 2021 and 2022 before opting to re-join the VFL.

Long has also played excellent football in the Northern Territory Football League competition with his junior club St Marys.

Tullamarine coach David Connell told the Herald Sun that he was introduced to Long on an interstate trip to Darwin as part of the club's recruiting strategy.

"Before Christmas an opportunity appeared where he might be willing to focus just on local footy for next year," Connell told the Herald Sun.

"After he weighed up giving VFL footy another shot, he eventually decided he wanted to play at local level which is a massive boost for us."

Tullamarine will be looking to rebound from a disappointing 2023 campaign and have so far had a strong pre-season on the recruiting front.

After reaching a preliminary final in 2022, the Demons finished 2023 in ninth position with just the six wins for the season.

The club has the bye in the opening round before beginning its season with a clash against Oak Park in Round 2 on April 20.