Former Carlton defender Michael Jamison has joined East Point for the remainder of the Ballarat Football League season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jamison, 31, is a huge signing for the Kangaroos and one of the biggest in the BFL this year.
He retired at Carlton in August last season after a 150-game AFL career.
Linking up with East Point marks a homecoming for Jamison, who is originally from Newlyn and played with North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup under-18 competition and North Ballarat Roosters in the VFL.
Carlton recruited him with pick 17 in the rookie draft going into the 2007 season, when he made his AFL debut.
East Point vice-president Gary Wilson said getting Jamison on board had been a work in progress for most of the year.
He said securing him was big for the club – on and off the ground.
Wilson said having a player of Jamison’s experience and physical stature was exciting for what was such a young group.
Roos coach Jake Bridges said he had known Jamison for sometime and initiated talks early in the year.
He said getting him to sign had been assisted by a series of unrelated chance meetings by various people linked with the club.
Bridges said he was unsure when Jamison would debut for East Point.
He said he expected him to train with the Roos for the first time next week, leading into a bye.
Bridges said this would give Jamison and the club time to familiarise themselves with each other.
Bridges said he and Jamison discussed a mentoring role.
He said young players would benefit greatly from working with a player straight out of the AFL – something that did not happen too often in Ballarat football these days.
Jamison’s arrival could not be more timely with the Roos building momentum with two wins and a draw (with reigning premier Bacchus Marsh) in their past three outings.
East Point meets Melton at Melton’s MacPherson Reserve on Saturday in a match which is likely to determine which of the rivals will press hardest for a finals berth.
