Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis to play in Southern league

Brownlow Medal-winning AFL legend Jason Akermanis will pull on the boots with an emerging Southern Football league club.

Jason Akermanis celebrates a goal for Brisbane. He will play with South Mornington on June 3.

Aker magic is coming to the Southern Football Netball League.

Former Brisbane Lions superstar Jason Akermanis will play a one-off game with Division 4 outfit South Mornington under lights on Saturday, June 3.

The Tigers host Lyndale as part of Pride Round and they’re hoping Aker shines as bright as the lights at Citation Reserve.

“All the young blokes are jumping out of their skin to play with him,” South Mornington coach Justin McCleary said.

McCleary said South Mornington president Lachlan Bell-Towers approached Akermanis, who lives in Queensland, on Instagram asking if he’d be interested in playing.

“He said, ‘yep, no worries’,” he said.

“He’s flying down for it.

“He looks fit…I think he’s 45 now but he’s keeping himself fit.”

Jason Akermanis will play for South Mornington.

McCleary said his instructions to Akermanis for the game would be simple and straightforward.

“Probably, ‘do what you want to do, mate, just play wherever you want to play’,” McCleary said.

“It’s just mainly for all our blokes to learn.

“When I spoke to him I said, ‘it’s all about bringing the young blokes through’.

“He actually asked, ‘what’s the age of the team?’, and I said, ‘I’m 32 and I’m one of the oldest’. He goes, ‘that’s awesome’. He’s willing to work.”

Akermanis was an elite on-baller in the AFL, known for his speed, two-sided skills, and brilliant goalkicking.

He won the Brownlow Medal in 2001 and played in three premierships with the Lions.

South Mornington made the Southern league Division 4 finals last season and is setting itself for a shot at the title after securing an impressive collection of recruits.

Chris Baker.

Dean Warry.

Former Mornington captain Chris Baker, ex-Crib Point and Red Hill midfielder Dean Warry, Cora Lynn three-time premiership forward Anthony Giuliano, ex-Mornington player Paul Dadds and the returning Trav French and Zac Kurts headline the Tigers signings.

McCleary said South Mornington was determined to have success.

“I can’t wait, the buzz down there at the moment is unbelievable especially with the players we’ve got coming in,” he said.

“The want and the people putting in at the club, it’s unbelievable.”

South Mornington faces Lyndale, away, in the season-opener on Saturday, April 15.