Essendon has locked away another emerging ruckman, Vigo Visentini, to a new deal, signing the 19-year-old for two more seasons.
Visentini, now locked until the end of 2027, joins fellow tall Nick Bryan (2027) as well as Archie Roberts (2028) and Jayden Nguyen (2026) in recommitting to the Bombers this week.
The Xavier College product debuted in Round 15 this year and showed plenty of potential in his two matches before injury and form halted his exposure at the top level.
"The contract extension is super exciting, and I want to repay the club by becoming the best player I can be," Visentini said.
"It's shaping up to be a very exciting future at the Bombers, and I want to continue to be part of it. There are so many young guys who bring so much energy and vibrance, as well as having incredible senior leaders like Zach (Merrett) and Andy (McGrath), so having that balance within the group is really helpful.
"A lot of us younger guys just want to get better every day, there's a serious will to improve and see progress, which is awesome. Learning off ‘Goldy' (Todd Goldstein) has also been amazing, and I owe a lot to him. I'm constantly trying to watch his craft and just take in as much as I can.
"Donning the sash when I made my debut earlier this year was a moment I'll never forget. It's a huge privilege to play for the Essendon Football Club, and I hope to make the fans proud over the next couple of years."
Visentini's re-signing comes at a peculiar time as the Bombers weigh up major list decisions for 2026.
The influx of SSP and MSD players means the club will need to cull more names than usual, while the interest from Adelaide and Brisbane around Sam Draper puts a further spanner in the works.
Veteran midfielder Dylan Shiel is understood to part ways at season's end with Essendon, as a host of other names will be vying for a contract for next year.
"We are really impressed with how Vigo has performed this year, and his contract extension is a well-deserved reward for the effort he has put in," list and recruiting manager Matt Rosa said.
"He has consistently worked hard on and off-field to develop his craft, and he has made the most of every opportunity to learn from those around him, which has been great to see.
"We are really excited to see what he can achieve over the next two years at the Bombers, and fans should be very excited also."
The Bombers will play arch-rivals Carlton at the MCG on Thursday.
