FARRER League club Northern Jets have pulled off the signing of the off-season with Mitch Maguire to return home.
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Maguire will don a Jets jumper for the first time since 2016 after the cancellation of the NEAFL paved the way for a return home to his junior club.
The 22-year-old attracted strong interest from Ovens and Murray, AFL Canberra and Riverina League clubs but his love for the Jets meant he was never going to play anywhere else.
Maguire has established himself as one of the premier midfielders in the NEAFL over the past couple of years, where a breakout 2018 season saw him invited to trial with the Sydney Swans.
He won the 2018 NEAFL Rising Star award, finished fourth in the league's MVP and won Canberra Demons' best and fairest.
Maguire backed that up with a runner up finish at the Demons last year, where he averaged 30 disposals a game.
Maguire is thrilled he will get another chance to play for the Jets.
"I'm bloody stoked," Maguire said.
"As soon as I heard the rumours about the NEAFL not going ahead, I was always pretty keen to get back that way. Four years without doing it, and I've still got memories in my head of when we lost (the preliminary final) in golden point to Coleambally when I was 18.
"Ever since then I always wanted to get back there and with the NEAFL not happening, I thought it's the perfect opportunity to get back, even just have some fun to finish off the year and get back playing footy with all your mates from home. I was stoked."
Maguire's return has an added bonus for the Jets, with his housemate Nick Eynaud also set to join him at the club.
Eynaud managed eight games for the Demons last season after moving from Sydney.
"He's a midfielder, half-back type," Maguire explained.
"He played eight games for us last year, for the Demons, had a year of injuries, and was in and out of the team with that. He's an inside mid type that can also play half-back.
"He's got some talent so he's a good get for us."
The return of Maguire and addition of Eynaud adds to a fruitful off-season for the Jets under new coach Josh Avis.
They have also welcomed home Sam Fisher and added Queanbeyan legend Ryan Quade and Toby Blissett from Griffith.
Talented youngsters Max Tidd and Ben Johnstone also look set to return.
Maguire believes there are promising signs for the shortened season ahead.
"If we can have no injuries, we should be shaping up ok hopefully," he said.
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