Fiorini to don the sash

Essendon is thrilled to welcome Brayden Fiorini to the Club after finalising a trade with the Gold Coast SUNS on Tuesday afternoon.

A crafty winger who’s also shown his capability as an inside midfielder, Fiorini established himself as a consistent performer on the Gold Coast over 10 seasons and 123 games, averaging 20 touches from 18 appearances this year.

The 28-year-old winger officially nominated Essendon as his new home at the opening of the Continental Tyres Trade Period this week, with the Dons exchanging a future 2026 third round selection for his signature.

Although Fiorini entered this off-season as an unrestricted free agent, the Dons opted to secure his services via trade, as to hold onto their compensation pick from Sam Draper’s departure.

Selected with pick No. 20 in the 2015 National Draft, the former Greensborough talent is keen to return to Victoria to officially join the Bombers for 2026 and the years ahead.

“I’m super excited to be joining the Bombers, and to join such a big Club with a rich history is really special to me,” Fiorini said.

“Having been in the system for 10 years I feel I can bring leadership and experience to the young and exciting group, both on and off the field. I want to bring my high work rate, footy IQ and help support the Club’s direction.

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, and it’s great to be moving closer to home and to be joining a Club that is hungry for success. I can’t wait to be a part of that.”

Fiorini appeared in each of the SUNS’ first two finals in Club history this year, cementing his spot in the side once again through a blistering run of form in the second half of the campaign.

His dominant 32-touch, one-goal effort against eventual premiers Brisbane in the round 20 QClash was a standout effort in a season that ranked among his best to date.

Essendon’s General Manager – List and Recruiting Matt Rosa is excited to bring Fiorini aboard.

“We are extremely excited to have Brayden, Molly and son William join the club. We see a clear role for Brayden on the wing, it's a role-specific target we were after leading into this period. Brayden has great leadership qualities, is a high-end character and has great footy IQ. There's no doubt he'll complement our midfield mix,” Rosa said.

“He provides us with reliable, immediate impact on and off-field and is the calibre of character we want driving standards at the Essendon Football Club.”

The Club is excited to welcome Brayden, Molly and their son William to the Bombers.

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