Brent ‘Nipper’ Marshall discusses his Bundoora departure and signing for Mernda

The Marshall name is synonymous with Bundoora, so it came as quite a shock when former captain Brent decided to leave Yulong Reserve and join Mernda.

The Marshall name is synonymous with Bundoora.

So it may have come as a shock to some when Mernda announced it had signed Bulls great Brent Marshall for 2024.

However, ‘Nipper’ revealed there were plenty of reasons by he chose to leave Yulong Reserve after 16 years and join the NFNL Division 3 grand finalist.

Teaming up with cousin and Demons’ assistant Jarrod King, a coaching role with an exciting, young list and, simply, a change of scenery were key factors.

“I just thought I’d been at Bundoora for such a long time – I started there in 2007 – I was at a point in time in my career and life I was looking for a change,” Marshall said.

“I spoke to Mernda last year but my goal was to have another year at Bundoora and try to win the flag but unfortunately things didn’t go our way.

“It wasn’t an easy decision but I thought while I still can I’d go and give Mernda a chop out and help the young blokes – I’ve got a coaching role there, running the midfield.

“Being back with my cousin Jarrod, that was a big drawing point for me, a couple of years ago he played at Bundoora and I said if there comes a time you’re coaching and I can give you a chop out I will.

“The coaching thing was appealing and the biggest thing was working with the young blokes, they’re got such a good young list.

“If my experience can help the young boys and push them up to higher footy, if they can learn off me, that’s what I get a kick out of.”

Marshall departs Bundoora after 221 senior games, two premierships, one as captain, and club captain for nine years.

He’s a third generation Bull and one of the first to play for a different Northern league club.

“My cousin Steven played at Lalor, he was captain there and Peter, my uncle, played at Bundoora at then Collingwood and Preston and my old man played a lot at Preston in the VFA as well,” Marshall said.

Bundoora celebrates its 2017 NFNL Division 1 premiership. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“Other than that, I’ve made the jump, so it was a little bit of a shock to my mum and dad but they back me with whatever I want to do.

“I’ve been there since 2007, it gets harder on your body to keep showing up and playing Div 1 footy all the time.”

Nipper said he’d already made up his mind before the arrival of new Bundoora coach Heath Scotland.

“It pretty much was (decided), Heath called me on the Monday after he got the job and I hadn’t signed at that stage,” he said.

“Heath was brilliant, he was really good with what he had to say to me, and unfortunately he flew out to America so I didn’t get to catch up with him but prior to that my mind was already made up.

“By the end of the year I felt I needed a change to get the spark back and since I’ve signed with Mernda I’ve got a little bit more of a spark.”

Mernda is looking to go one step further after a heart-breaking grand final loss this season.

The Demons have plenty of exciting young talent and Marshall is looking forward to working alongside Rob Fletcher to try and end the club’s 12-year premiership wait.

Marshall will be joined by Bundoora teammate Jake Bennett, a reserve grade captain, best-and-fairest winner and premiership player.

The Demons have also secured Aydin Kesici from Goulburn Valley club, Tatura.

Kesici is a former captain of Essendon District outfit Essendon Doutta Stars, an EDFL representative player and has also spent time at Craigieburn.

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Marshall was excited by what 2024 could hold.

“There’s a good culture there by the sounds of things and if there’s any leadership I can bring to the place, I’m looking forward to that,” Marshall said.

“I played the majority off half-back at Bundoora but I’ve gone to Mernda doing the midfield coaching and I think they’re keen for me to play more time in the midfield and rest down back.

“I started off my career playing midfield, so to go for a run through there is exciting for me.”