Emerson Jeka Explained

Emerson Jeka
Fullname:Emerson Jeka
Birth Date:18 September 2001
Originalteam:Altona (WRFL)
Western Jets (TAC Cup)
Draftpick:No. 9, 2020 rookie draft
No. 7, 2024 rookie draft
Debutdate:Round 7, 2021
Debutstadium:Marvel Stadium
Height:198 cm
Weight:93 kg
Position:Key Forward
Years1:2020–2023
Games Goals1:7 (2)
Years2:2024
Games Goals2:0 (0)
Games Goalstotal:7 (2)
Statsend:2024

Emerson Jeka (born 18 September 2001) an Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Jeka also spent time on the playing list of the Geelong Football Club, however never played a senior match.

Career

Early career

Jeka played the majority of his NAB League career in the forward line.[1] He suffered a knee injury while representing an Australian under-18 team against Victorian Football League (VFL) club at the MCG in April 2019. He was sidelined for almost two months, but was selected by with Pick 9 in the 2020 AFL rookie draft.[2]

AFL

Jeka first played for Hawthorn's Victorian Football League (VFL) affiliate, showing promise during scratch matches in the COVID-19-affected 2020 season.[3]

Jeka made his AFL debut against at Marvel Stadium in round 7 of the 2023 AFL season. He later kicked 0.7 in a VFL match on 3 July 2021.[4]

He was promoted to Hawthorn's senior list in December 2021 for the 2022 season.[5]

At the end of the 2023 AFL season, Jeka was delisted by Hawthorn. On 14 November 2023, he signed with Essendon's reserves team for the 2024 VFL season,[6] but 12 days later he returned to the AFL and joined .

Jeka was delisted by Geelong at the end of the 2024 AFL season without playing a single senior game for the Cats.[7] He played 19 games for Geelong's reserves team during the 2024 VFL season.[8]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2024 season.[9] |-| 2020 || || 39| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 0|-| 2021 || || 39| 4 || 2 || 2 || 13 || 13 || 26 || 7 || 4 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 3.3 || 3.3 || 6.5 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 0|-| 2022 || || 39| 3 || 0 || 0 || 21 || 13 || 34 || 13 || 3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.0 || 4.3 || 11.3 || 4.3 || 1.0 || 0|-| 2023 || || 39| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 0|-| 2024 || || 43| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 0|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 7 !! 2 !! 2 !! 34 !! 26 !! 60 !! 20 !! 7 !! 0.3 !! 0.3 !! 4.9 !! 3.7 !! 8.6 !! 2.9 !! 1.0 !! 0|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AFL DRAFT WATCH: Emerson Jeka.
  2. Web site: 'I don't want to be mediocre': Draft rollercoaster fails to dent Hawk's ambition.
  3. Web site: Season Spotlight: Emerson Jeka. hawthornfc.com.au.
  4. Web site: He's in! Jeka's purple patch has been rewarded. hawthornfc.com.au.
  5. Web site: 2022 list update: Who's in, who's out, who's new .
  6. Web site: VFL: Jeka becomes a Bomber. Essendon Football Club. 14 November 2023.
  7. Web site: Premiership pair among SEVEN axed by Cats. afl.com.au. 24 September 2024.
  8. Web site: Geelong Cats List Update . Geelong Football Club . 24 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240924063245/https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/1663867/geelong-cats-list-update . 24 September 2024 . 24 September 2024.
  9. Web site: Emerson Jeka Stats. AFL Tables. 1 May 2021.