Delisted tall’s axing described as “staggering” as he puts hand up for AFL lifeline

Daniel Menzel is staggered that St Kilda didn’t offer Jack Hayes a contract for the 2025 season.

While the 28-year-old battled several injuries over his three years at the club, he picked up Brownlow votes in two of his six full AFL games and Menzel is certain he has the talent to be impactful at the top level going forward.

Now without a club for 2025, Menzel thinks that another club should offer the ruck/forward an opportunity this pre-season.

“It’s staggering to me that St Kilda has not offered Jack another contract,” Menzel said on SEN Sportsday SA.

“I can’t believe it with the injuries he had and getting Brownlow votes in two of his six full games.

“He showed what he could do at the level … surely there’s an opportunity coming somewhere else.”

While injuries were a big part of his axing, Hayes himself says his body is feeling great and is ready to go if another opportunity comes his way in the coming month.

“The body is feeling good, I wish it felt like this one year into my AFL career,” Hayes said.

“The knee is feeling really good and I’m pretty fit at the moment because I’ve been doing a program hoping I’d get another shot at St Kilda, but it wasn’t to be.

“So I’m ready to go … hopefully there’s something out there. If there happens to be an opportunity somewhere else I’ll jump at it with open arms.

“You’d go anywhere whether it was to WA, Queensland, back to SA … if there’s a club out there that wants me to train on again, I’m happy to do that.”

If Hayes doesn’t receive an AFL lifeline, the luckless tall will most likely head back to Adelaide and play in the SANFL - the league where he was drafted out of after starring for Woodville-West Torrens.

In an ideal world though, he’d head back to his home city with one of Adelaide’s two AFL clubs.

“At this stage, I’d probably move back to Adelaide and give the SANFL a go if that were the case,” Hayes said.

“I’m 28, so I’d probably try to settle my life down a little bit and find another job, but I’ll have to wait and see what the next month holds, then I’ll go from there.

“I’d love to play for Adelaide, I was a Crows supporter growing up, so I would love that.”

Hayes can sign on with any rival club as a delisted free agent from now until November 8.