Young big men and Neagle brothers join Central District for 2019 SANFL season

Central District has bolstered its list with the signing of two young ruckman along with a trio of brothers – the sons of an Essendon premiership player.

Jydon Neagle under pressure while playing in the Northern Territory Football League.

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Central District has turned to youth to fill the void left by Darcy Fort with the signing of two young ruckmen.

Tasmanian ruckman Tim Auckland, 18, joined the Bulldogs last week, along with 21-year-old Jonathan Marsh from NEAFL club Sydney University.

The Dogs have also secured a trio of brothers from country Victoria – Jydon, Matthew and Jaxon Neagle, the sons of Essendon premiership player Merv Neagle.

Tim Auckland gets a kick away while playing for Launceston. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Marsh, who stands at 203cm, is a mobile big man and will take up the ruck mantle at Central after Fort’s move to Geelong last month via the AFL draft.

Auckland played two SANFL matches as a top-up player for the Crows’ reserves in 2018.

Central chief executive Kris Grant said Auckland was a longer-term project.

“He was looking to move out of Tassie to further his footy and his name was thrown up to us,” Grant said.

“He was invited over by the Crows and his two games were against Sturt and Norwood, so he was going up against two of the better ruckmen in (Jack) Osborn and (Sam) Baulderstone, and rucked quite well against them.

“He runs well and kicks the ball well, so we think he will make a good mobile tall.”

THREE BROTHERS JOIN THE DOGS The Club has secured the services of three brothers to our playing ranks from the Wodonga...

Posted by Central District Football Club on Tuesday, 4 December 2018

The Neagle brothers join from Wodonga in the Ovens & Murray League in Victoria’s northeast.

Their father, Merv, played more than 200 VFL games and won the 1984 flag with the Bombers.

The Bulldogs initially aimed to sign Jydon, the most experienced of the trio at 24 years of age.

He has played with Essendon’s VFL side and won three best and fairests at Wodonga.

Matthew, 20, had draft interest this year as a father-son option for the Bombers before a gruesome compound arm fracture in August derailed his season.

Merv Neagle with coach Kevin Sheedy during Essendon training in 1983.

The Bulldogs believe he will be ready to play round one.

Jaxon is the youngest brother at 18 and, like Matthew, plays across half-back and the wing.

The trio will arrive at Central for pre-season in the new year.

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