Jason Akermanis to kit up for Tallangatta league team Wahgunyah.
A former Brownlow Medallist and premiership player will play for a struggling country football club this weekend. Find out how the club landed the ex-AFL star.
Former AFL player Jason Akermanis will wear another Lions jersey this Saturday when he takes to the field for Wahgunyah in the Tallangatta league.
The former Brisbane Bears, Lions and Western Bulldogs star will play against Thurgoona after agreeing to the one-off match.
The Brownlow Medallist and premiership player will kit up for a fourth team this season in Victoria after playing for Werrimull in the Millewa league and Warrack Eagles in the Wimmera league in country footy.
He also played for South Mornington in the Southern league.
He’ll join a club who in recent years has struggled, losing their past 30 matches.
The Lions are also struggling off the field with doubt about their future after a failed merger with Rutherglen recently.
“We’re pretty excited about it,” Wahgunyah president Darryl Hore said.
“It was all through the work of our coach Chris Willis, he set out to try and get (him).
“It’s our past players day and Chris just wanted to give something back to the past players on the day who see us get belted each week.”
Hore said it was also a reward for the players who had stuck with the club during the season.
“The players have stuck with us and done the hard yard, it’s a thanks to them to be able to play with a Brownlow Medallist,” Hore said.
“It’s a big buzz for our playing group.”
Hore was realistic about the clubs chances of winning with the addition of Aker.
He’s hoping it would be a good day out regardless.
“We’re saying to the group, let’s just be competitive,” Hore said.
“If a win comes out of it, fantastic, but we don’t to build the guys up to a point where they are thinking ‘we’re going to win, we’re going to win’.
“At the end of the day let’s be competitive and put on a show.”
The game might be a one-off but Hore said the focus was making sure Akermanis and others might come back in the future.
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Following the game, there will be an opportunity for people to bid on merchandise Akermanis is bringing.
“If we can make an impression on him for he day and he sees what we are trying to achieve, we might see him back at the club one day,” he said.
The game starts at 2.15pm a Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve.
Originally published as Jason Akermanis to kit up for Tallangatta league team Wahgunyah.