Former Western Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong will play local footy in 2022

Retired Western Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong will play suburban footy in 2022, landing at a Northern league premiership contender.

Lin Jong in action for the Western Bulldogs.

Montmorency has landed the recruit of the Northern Football League off-season so far.

Western Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong will wear black and white in 2022, bolstering an already formidable Magpies midfield.

Jong, 28, arrives at Montmorency Park with nine years and 65 games of AFL experience.

The tough onballer won two VFL premierships with Footscray – 2014 and 2016 – winning the Norm Goss Medal for best-on-ground in the latter.

A shoulder injury sustained in the 2016 elimination final denied him a chance to be part of the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking AFL premiership win.

Jong played only one AFL game this season, suffering a serious hamstring injury in the Round 6 win over GWS and announced his retirement in August.

Montmorency coach Garry Ramsay said Jong would have a massive influence on the club on and off the field.

“We’re excited by his character more so than the footballer. I think he’s going to be a really good role model for our younger players,” Ramsay said.

“Our expectations aren’t to be our best player, there’s no pressure on to win a best-and-fairest or anything, we want him to enjoy his footy and lead our young fellas with the right behaviours.

“The entire Montmorency Football Club will benefit from having him down there and seeing the way he goes about things.”

Jong is the second ex-Bulldog to join the NFL Division 1 in as many years, following old teammate Sam Lloyd’s arrival at Bundoora this season.

He’ll slot into Montmorency’s midfield, which already boasts Jesse Donaldson, Sam Binion, Will Golds and Billy Jenkin.

The Magpies have already secured star ruckman Liam Buxton from Eastern league power Vermont, to further enhance their premiership credentials.

Lin Jong battles Marcus Bontempelli for the ball.

After taking the coaching reins in 2019, Ramsay’s plan was to challenge for the top three in three years.

The Magpies finished fifth in his first season and slipped to sixth this year, winning six games in a COVID-shortened 12-game campaign.

The respected coach said Jong’s arrival would hopefully take his new teammates to a new level and fast-track the club’s jump up the ladder.

“Hopefully we’ll see some quicker improvement from our younger players by having a strong body around the footy,” Ramsay said.

“Seeing the level he trains at and seeing what it takes to reach the level he has, hopefully to takes our boys to another level as well.

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“The aim will be to finish top three and then challenge for a premiership.

“The key is, we need to be the hardest working group.

“We’ve got a talented list and then it’s a matter of being the hardest working group, that’s what we’ve got to get to.”

Newly appointed playing coach Donaldson, star forward Pat Fitzgerald, new co-captains Sam Binion and Stef Uzelac, Jai Robinson, recently elevated vice-captain Connor Dalgleish, Steve McCallum, Carlton VFL-listed Will Golds and Bullants VFL-listed Ryan Gardner have all signed on.