Former Collingwood and Sydney player Darren Jolly to join The Block

FORMER Collingwood and Sydney premiership star Darren Jolly is the new kid on The Block, joining the renovation reality show for the next season.

Former AFL player and house renovator Darren Jolly and his wife Deanne are rumoured to be

FORMER Collingwood and Sydney premiership star Darren Jolly is the new kid on The Block.

The retired ruckman and his wife Deanne are one of the four new couples featuring on the next series of the renovation show.

The Herald Sun has seen the couple on site after filming in High St Prahran started two weeks ago, but Channel 9 would not confirm any of the new cast.

Builders and cars have been milling around the new area near trendy Chapel St, with attention turning to the making of this series after record auctions of The Block: Fans v Faves took place in Albert Park last week.

Jolly, 32, was delisted by the Magpies last year and recently renovated his family home in leafy Surrey Hills. Deanne handled the interior design and has a background in fashion.

Jolly told the Herald Sun last month he left behind a kitchen building apprenticeship when he was first signed to the Demons in 2001.

“I was working on my days off any chance I had to gain experience,” Jolly, a father of two, said.

Last year Jolly completed his certificate four in building and construction at night school, and now plans to become a registered builder.

Jolly said it was important to use any skills that crossed over from both careers.

The series in Prahran is the first time contestants have had an office block to turn into apartments.

Host Scott Cam described it as “enormous” and “brutal”. All four apartments on the latest series sold for over $2 million, with the winners, Steve O’Donnell and Chantelle Ford walking away with a whopping $736,000.

Filming will continue for the next few months.