Former Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns AFL star Jared Brennan signs with Park Ridge Pirates

THE Park Ridge Pirates have pulled off a signing coup, snaring the signature of a former AFL star who played 173 games for two clubs.

The Park Ridge Pirates have snared a coup, with former AFL player Jared Brennan playing for the club in 2017. Picture: John Gass

THE Park Ridge Pirates have snared the signature of former AFL star Jared Brennan.

The 32-year-old played 173 AFL games for the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns in an 11-year career after being drafted by the Lions with the third overall pick in the 2002 draft.

Brennan retired from the AFL at the end of the 2013 season and has since played in the Northern Territory Football League.

Park Ridge president Andy Colenso said the club was thrilled to have secured Brennan’s signature.

“He’s got a stepbrother, Brian Watts, that plays with us so we already had that link to him,” Colenso said.

“We’re doing some youth suicide prevention stuff and Jared was keen to get ­involved in that, with the opportunity to kick the ball around with his stepbrother.

“He’s great during the breaks between quarters and he brings so much to the team in terms of live feedback and positional play or individual advice.

“When he speaks, everyone listens.”

Brennan has played three games for the Pirates thus far and has settled into a familiar utility role that features stints of him playing on ball, up forward and down back.

“He reads the game extremely well,” Colenso said.

“He moved back to Brisbane to be closer to his family so we’re just grateful whenever he can play for us.

“He’s signed for the rest of the season and at the moment he’s playing every second week, but we’re just giving him space and we understand how important family is to him.”