Essendon winger Nic Martin has been rewarded for his career-best season in 2023, earning a three-year contract extension to remain at Tullamarine until the end of 2027.
Martin, 22, began life as a Bomber after being selected during the 2022 pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP).
And while overlooked by every club on multiple occasions, Martin began with a bang, kicking five goals against eventual premiers Geelong during his debut in Round 1 of the 2022 season.
Since that March afternoon, the Western Australian has gone on to represent the Dons with aplomb, pulling on the club's famous red sash on a further 43 occasions.
Though eye-catching during his debut campaign, Martin took his game to new heights throughout his sophomore season, averaging 22 disposals, 12.4 kicks and 5.4 marks while also contributing 17 goals for Brad Scott's side.
Speaking as the ink dried on his new deal, Martin stated that although Essendon failed to feature in the finals in 2023, he remained excited about the club's future prospects.
“The future is bright at Essendon. It's the potential in our young side and the vision that Brad has for the team that excites me for what is to come,” Martin told Bombers Media.
“Over the past two years, this playing group and the wider club have embraced me, and I feel as though I've grown a lot as a person and a footballer because of them.
“I'm so thankful for Essendon for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream of playing AFL. Now I can't wait to continue to re-pay the faith in the club over the coming years.”
The man responsible for making Martin a Bomber, General Manager of List and Recruiting Adrian Dodoro, explained that it was a simple choice to sign the conduit back on.
“Nic has exceeded expectations since joining the club at the start of last year as an SSP player,” Dodoro expressed.
“His professionalism on and off the field has been outstanding, and it's fantastic to see him getting the rewards after years of hard work.
“Nic has grown to become an extremely important player for us. His ability to read the play and his reliability with the ball in hand are valuable to our team.
“We can't wait to see where Nic's development continues over the coming years.”
