Delisted Essendon forward Will Snelling has opened up on how he was let go by the Bombers at the end of the 2023 season.
Snelling, 26, played 65 games for the Dons after being selected in the 2019 Mid-Season Draft and was cut after his contract ran out last campaign.
After playing 15 AFL games in 2023, Snelling admits his delisting came as a bit of a surprise despite not having a contract at the end of the trade period.
“It was a little bit surprising,” Snelling said on SEN SA The Run Home.
“I guess towards the back end of the season when you're getting towards the pointy end and you don't have a contract, I guess you're a little bit concerned.
“Then I headed off for a bit of a trip overseas, which was nice, then the merry-go-round sort of started and the club said, ‘We’ll get through trade period’, as they do these days.
“Then they probably waited until the draft, again to just kind of know where they sat in that sense.
“I guess after that, they weighed up their ins and outs, and they probably thought that I might be a bit surplus to need.
“It was a little bit surprising, but at the same token, not having a contract in the last few weeks always makes you a little bit on edge too.”
Snelling says he learned of his delisting mainly through his management after he had some conversations with coach Brad Scott and list manager Adrian Dodoro about his future.
“I had a couple of chats with Brad (Scott) and Adrian Dodoro the list manager,” Snelling said.
“Mostly through management though (is how I heard). As I said, I was overseas, so I wasn't too keen to chat with the coach. I was just trying to just enjoy my break.
“So, it was mostly through management.”
Snelling added that the club’s initial indication was that he’d likely remain on the list but with lists constantly shifting, he was never convinced he’d remain at the club.
While he could have had an opportunity to continue training at The Hangar in hopes of a Rookie or Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period contract, the South Australian instead opted to head home and join Sturt in the SANFL.
“They ask how you saw your year and they try and gather a bit of data in that sense,” Snelling said.
“I think most clubs these days try and keep their cards close to their chest and they try and probably hang on to blokes through to the trade period now because they never know with all the move that's happening.
“I think lists are always sort of shifting. They probably gave me an indication that I'd probably be ok.
“They even said I could potentially get (re-listed) in the rookie (draft) or maybe even a Supplementary Selection pickup in the pre-season.
“But I was probably a little bit unwilling to probably go through that process. I think being a bit older going on 26 … I probably didn't want to put myself through a pre-season of uncertainty.
“I think at this point, I was pretty comfortable where I was at with my footy.
“When you're on the receiving end of it a lot of the year, you're ready to move on in some aspects too.”
Snelling’s best campaign came in 2021 where he played 20 games and finished third in the club’s best and fairest award.
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