The Jacksonville Axemen have secured the services of former College and Arena Football Player, Matt Thornton.

Matt played college football and rugby at Georgia Southern University then after graduating, played rugby in Atlanta for a short time before moving to Jacksonville to play in the Arena Football League for the Jacksonville Tomcats were he was a 2 year starter and captain on the Jacksonville based team.

Matts previous Rugby experience has remained with him as far as his knowledge of the basic rules and his physical specs are very impressive.
Standing at 6' 21/2" and weighing 235lbs he is a force to stop given that he is also one of the fastest players on the Axemen team.
Matt not only gets plenty of fitness and weight work with the Axemen but he is also the owner of Meridian Fitness and is a certified personal trainer.
His job is basically to workout and stay incredibly fit.

With his size most Rugby League coaches would automatically try him in with the big players in the forwards but his amazing speed has prompted Axemen coach Spinner Howland to think he will be more useful at outside center or on the wing.

Matt will be the first true former pro football player that the Axemen get to work with and coach Howland said that he is "extremely impressed" with what he has seen so far.

Matt Thornton will make his Axemen debut against the Aston DSC Bulls in Pennsylvania on June 2nd.

Please visit the Axemen website at www.jaxaxe.com to see details of the Axemens home opener on June 16th at UNF.