South Melbourne’s pre-season recruit Andy Brennan will only enjoy a short stint in the NPL Victoria, as A-League side Newcastle Jets confirmed the signing of the versatile forward for the next two seasons.
The former South Hobart star has spent time over the last fortnight trialling at the Jets, with coach Phil Stubbins making the trip south to watch his new recruit in action against the Melbourne Knights.
Ironically, that’ll be Brennan’s final match-up in the blue of South Melbourne, as he confirmed he’ll be jetting off after their FFA Cup matchup on the 5th of June to join Newcastle on their first day of pre-season.
Brennan has scored five competitive goals so far this campaign – two in the league, two in the FFA Cup and one in the Community Shield – but admits that the step up to the A-League is a whole other level.
“It’s pretty amazing to think how far I have come in such a short period of time,” Brennan said in a press release.
“But this is a challenge that I welcome and I am really looking forward to getting started in Newcastle.
“Obviously the Hyundai A-League is another level, but given I will be playing with some high-class players that should only help me to improve my game.”
New coach Phil Stubbins has revealed his admiration for his new man, admitting he has the right attributes to make an impact on the A-League next season.
“He [Brennan] is a player that we’ve identified could turn into a very good player in the Hyundai A-League,” Stubbins said.
“He was best on ground when I watched him against Melbourne Knights a few weeks ago, he’s six foot two, very quick, and has scored a heck of a lot of goals at state level.”