Essendon defender Marty Gleeson has signed a two year contract extension keeping him at the Bombers until then end of 2020.

The young defender said he was thrilled to don the sash for a further two years.

“I’m absolutely stoked to sign on for another two years. I love the club, I love the boys and I think we’re going in the right direction, so I can’t wait to see what we can achieve over the next few years,” Gleeson told essendonfc.com.au.

“We’ve got a lot of players around that 22-25 age bracket, so hopefully we can keep working hard together and we can continue to build towards something special.

“Obviously it is hard being injured at the moment but that’s part of footy. I’m just looking forward to hopefully getting back to playing soon.”

Essendon picked up Gleeson with pick 53 in the 2012 draft and he has played 69 games since debuting in round one of 2014.

The 23-year-old is yet to play this year after injuring his ankle in the JLT pre-season series.
Gleeson has solidified his spot in the Bomber's backline over the last few seasons and coach John Worsfold says he is an important player for the club's future.

“Marty’s form last year and during the pre-season was outstanding,” Worsfold told the club's website.

“He has grown into a great young clubman. Marty has inspired many with his attitude towards rehabilitation and is doing everything he can to return to the field.

“He has become an important asset to our backline and we are excited to see what he can achieve at Essendon over the next few years.”