After announcing Ryan Eyers’ re-signing yesterday, Werribee will get a first look at its exciting key defensive partnership in 2026, with Emerson Jeka putting pen to paper for the upcoming VFL season.

Jeka was unveiled as a Werribee signing in May this year. An injury suffered while playing local football for Altona in the Western Football Netball League delayed his start, ruling him out for much of the first half of the season. He eventually made his Werribee debut in Round 16 against Casey at Whitten Oval.

Jeka made an immediate impact, racking up 10 disposals in the opening quarter before finishing with 22 touches and seven marks in a standout debut performance in the black and gold.

A concussion in the penultimate round brought his season to an early end, but not before he managed four senior games. Playing in defence, Jeka impressed throughout, averaging 21.8 disposals (including 18 kicks and 6.8 rebound 50s), eight marks and six intercepts per game, all career highs.

Jeka spoke about his decision to re-sign, saying:

“I really enjoyed my first year with the club and the group we’ve got here. It was an easy decision to go again. There’s a strong belief in what we’re building, and I’m excited to keep improving alongside the boys next season.”

Football Manager Kyle Hartigan spoke about the excitement of having a fully fit Emerson Jeka back in the side in 2026.

“We got a taste of what Jeka can bring to our team when he came in late this season. It’ll be great to get a strong pre-season into him so he can attack 2026. He showed the quality he possesses, and we’re looking forward to seeing him back at his best."

He added, "Ryan Eyers and Emerson Jeka haven’t played together in the same side here at Werribee yet, so it’s an exciting prospect to have the two of them in the one team.”

Jeka arrived at Werribee as the club’s most AFL-experienced player, having spent time with both Hawthorn and Geelong during his career.

Hawthorn drafted the 198cm key position player with its first pick in the 2019 Rookie Draft. Once considered a potential first-round selection, a knee injury during his draft year saw him slide to the rookie list. After developing through scratch matches in the COVID-impacted 2020 season, he made his AFL debut in Round 7, 2021. Jeka went on to play four AFL games that year, including a two-goal performance against Fremantle in just his third match. He also enjoyed a strong VFL campaign, booting 23 goals.

While primarily used as a forward early in his career, Jeka was swung into defence in 2022, where he featured in three AFL games. In 2024, he joined Geelong through the rookie draft and became a key player for their VFL side, playing 19 games and averaging 18 disposals and six marks across the season.

Heading into 2026, Jeka has played 56 VFL games.