Footscray VFL top-liner Nick Jamieson joins Tongala
2019 Murray league grand finalist Tongala has made a big signing, landing a former Footscray VFL best and fairest who is keen to ‘go bush’.
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It’s a long way from Footscray to Tongala.
More than two-and-a-half hours, all going well.
Nick Jamieson will be making the trip often next season after leaving the VFL Bulldogs and joining “Tonny’’, a 2019 grand finalist in the Murray league.
Jamieson says he’s always wanted to experience country football, and he’ll do so alongside two friends, Matt Tyler and Andrew Hummerston.
Tyler is a former Tongala player and he also lined up with Jamieson and Hummerston at Old Scotch in the VAFA.
Jamieson is only half-joking when he tells people he’s going to play interstate next year: a few of the Murray league clubs are in NSW.
“It just came to a stage where I wanted a change-up with my footy, to get out of the city and play a bit of country footy, and have some fun,’’ the 28-year-old said.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do and I thought this would be as good a time as any to do it, a perfect opportunity really.
“I met a few of the blokes down there when I stayed at ‘Roofy’s’ farm. They made the grand final last year with a good, young side. Hopefully I can be a bit of cream on top and we can win a flag.’’
“Roofy’’ is Tyler (as in roof tiler!), who played with Girgarre in the Kyabram District Football League last year.
“He’s had a few injuries over the journey but he’s hoping he’ll be able to play in the seniors with a good pre-season under his belt,’’ Jamieson said of his former house mate Tyler.
Tongala has reappointed Jordan Souter as coach.
Souter steered the Blues to the last match of the 2019 season but they fell to Nathalia, which has won the past five premierships.
Jamieson knows little about the Murray league, but he is aware of Nathalia’s standing as its powerhouse and that the competition has some big grounds that should suit his running ability.
He said he was looking forward to playing in “some open space’’.
“I’m hoping I can really get some fitness into my legs before the season and get out on these huge grounds,’’ Jamieson said.
The right-footer has been one of Footscray VFL’s most decorated players in the past few years. He figured in the 2016 flag, and won the best and fairest and was in the VFL team of the year in 2017. He was also a VFL representative player.
But he has played little football in the past two years.
After undergoing a knee reconstruction in 2018, he turned out for Old Scotch (where he was also a best and fairest) in a few matches in the second half of 2019.
He committed to the Bulldogs again in 2020 but COVID-19 cut off the season.
Jamieson will train in Melbourne – a bunch of city-based country players has sessions at Goschs Paddock during the season – and head up to Tongala on Friday night. Hummerston will keep him loyal company for the long haul.
President Darren Maloney said Tongala was chuffed to recruit a player of Jamieson’s standing.
He said the Blues were building nicely and were aiming to reach the standard set by Nathalia, which he described as a model club.
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