Delisted Saint “ready to go” as he searches for a second AFL lifeline

Riley Bonner was disappointed to be delisted by St Kilda after playing 19 AFL games across the 2024 season.

The running defender joined the Saints last off-season as a delisted free agent from Port Adelaide following 93 games for the Power.

As he’s been delisted twice in two years, the 27-year-old says he knows how to deal with searching for an AFL lifeline.

While he’s been uncontracted previously before finding a new AFL home, Bonner admits that his delisting from the Saints was a different pill to swallow given how much senior football he played last season.

“It’s obviously a difficult pill to swallow compared to last year when I didn’t play anywhere near as many games,” Bonner told SEN Sportsday.

“But obviously footy is a lot more of a business these days, and I guess I’m lucky enough that I’ve found myself in this situation before, so I sort of know how to deal with that a little bit.

“But it was a different sort of pill to swallow this time round. I'd say (I was) a little bit (blindsided), towards the back end of the year I missed a week with an injury, and I came back into the team and was playing a different role.

“I just found myself out of the team and couldn't get back in, so I played a couple of VFL games and thought I did okay.

“I didn't find out too much, and then a couple of days later I got told that I wasn't going to be around anymore, which is obviously disappointing.

“But I like to think hopefully can end up somewhere else.”

The AFL dream still burns bright for Bonner despite being axed by the Saints and he says he’s training as if he’s still contracted as he searches for another career lifeline.

The half-back is injury-free and says he’s 100 per cent ready to go if a club wants to take a chance on him for 2025.

“Trade period has just finished so I think clubs will sort of figure out what's going on and what they need,” Bonner said.

“But personally, yeah, I've been training like I'm still contracted, and I sort of went through it last year, which has held me in good stead.

“If another opportunity was to come, I'm ready to go.

“Last year I was fit on day one and I did 100 per cent of the pre-season. So, I’m ready to go, there’s no injuries.

“I’m staying fit and still training with some Saints mates, so that’s been good.”

Bonner has played 112 career games across nine seasons at the top level.

He averaged 21.1 disposals, 5.5 marks and 4.0 rebound 50s a game in 2024.