Brisbane Lions List Manager Peter Schwab has told lions.com.au that new recruit Matt Eagles has what it takes to succeed in the AFL.

Eagles won FOX8’s TV show "The Recruit" last night, selecting the Lions as his home of choice.

‘The Recruit’ winner was judged by the recruiting heads of each of the AFL’s clubs and all clubs were able to bid for the eventual winner to be listed as a ‘Category B’ rookie.

The 26-year-old spent some time with Port Adelaide in the SANFL before quitting football for several years.

He moved to Brisbane for a new job where he rekindled his love of the game with Yeronga South Brisbane Football Club and now, with his size and speed clear assets, he’ll have a chance to play in the AFL.

Eagles will complement Stefan Martin and Archie Smith in the Lions’ ruck department.

“His size being almost 200cm was really appealing to us giving us another ruck option,” said Schwab.

“We looked at our list and Matt being 26 fits in an age bracket between Stefan (29) and Archie (21) to bolster our ruck stocks.”

“We’ve seen he is a good competitor, agile for a big man and aggressive at the ball.

“Of course you always hope there are no injuries, but if he performs well and he’s prepared to work hard, he’ll get his chance.”