There are always two sides to the story during the flurry of post-season AFL roster changes.
At the end of November, in the domestic and rookie drafts, just under 90 footballers earned their first places on AFL club lists for the 2023 season.
But for the influx of new faces to realize their AFL dreams, many already in the system had to make way.
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It means that just under 110 men who were full-time footballers in 2022 will not hold the same title in 2023, after either announcing their retirement or being removed from their respective clubs.
So foxfooty.com.au has compiled its annual list of where recently dropped AFL players will be playing this year, and has also revealed some of their work plans.
ExBlue Liam Stocker has been training at St Kilda. Image: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
Some players could still find themselves on an AFL list before Round 1 through the Supplementary Pre-Season Selection (SSP) period, which closes on February 15.
ex-blue Liam Stocker and former Firefighter Josh Eyre both train at St Kilda, while Cat Quinton Narkle is hopeful of securing a spot on the Richmond roster.
It also emerged this week that the former Tiger and Sun Oleg Markov he had been invited to train with Collingwood and audition for a spot on the club’s rookie list. Markov was spotted earlier this week training at the Collingwood headquarters alongside a number of Magpies players including Tom Mitchell, Taylor Adams, Brayden Maynard, Isaac Quaynor, John Noble and Tom Wilson.
old cake Tyler Brown had been linked with VFL side Footscray, however AFL media reported this week that Adelaide was close to inviting the ball player to train with the club following the sudden withdrawal of Fischer McAsey.
But there are a number of former AFL stars heading to local and national leagues in 2023, probably more than usual.
Former Fireman and Giant Devon Smith will be a co-coach playing Lara, a duo of ex-Cats Luke Dahlhaus i Paul Tsapatolis have signed with WRFL club Point Cook, ex-Crows Luke Brown has joined Tea Tree Gully in the Adelaide Footy League and former captain of the Saints Jarryn Geary has returned to the Eaglehawk Youth Club.
There was a big signing during the week, when the former Carlton and Brisbane hard Mitch Robinson signed with QAFL club Morningside.
First Tiger Josh Caddy has also agreed to coach the Port Melbourne Colts in the Southern Football Netball League, while foxfooty.com.au understands ex-Pie Isaac Chugg he is set to play another former Magpie in Jarryd Blair at Wonthaggi.
Mornington Peninsula club Devon Meadows also received a significant boost late last year, with former Saints Paddy Ryder i Dean Kent both signing with the club.
Devon Meadows manager Ryan Hendy told the Leader in October that he hoped Ryder would play as many games as possible in 2023, adding: “I don’t think there is a bigger signing in local football, almost never.”
EFNL club Doncaster, however, could beg to differ after securing the signature of one of Port Adelaide’s top players. Robbie Gray at the end of November. Gray will link up with league legend and close teammate Chris Annakis after the duo discussed playing together for 20 years.
Gray has also linked up with the Power’s AFL recruiting team.
But as usual, many players have been snapped up by state league clubs in the VFL, WAFL and SANFL.
Woodville-West Torrens has regained the Crows exclusive forward James Rowe and ex-Cat Zane Williamswhile it also has the signature of the recently delisted Tigers midfielder Riley Collier-Dawkins.
Port Melbourne has incorporated a handy quartet Sam Naismith (ex-Sydney), Tom Hird (ex-Essendon), Will Martyn (ex-Richmond) i Fraser Rosman (ex-Melbourne).
And North Melbourne appear to have been busy at the VFL recruiting table under the new coach Tom Lynch. ex-falcon Connor Downie and the former Bulldog Louie Butler Both have been linked with VFL side the Kangaroos, while the former Power and Saints defender Jarrod Lienert has been linked to the assistant coaching role under Lynch.
Lynch is one of several members of the 2022 playing class remaining at AFL club land in an off-field capacity.
Tom Lynch is the Senior Coach of North’s VFL team. Image: Daniel PockettSource: Getty Images
Jordan Roughead (Collingwood), Michael Hurley (Essendon), Kane Lambert (Richmond) and Stephen Martin (Western Bulldogs) have taken up development coaching roles at the clubs where they ended their respective playing careers. And like Gray at the Power, Triple Premier Tiger Shane Edwards has ventured into the recruiting space, joining the Adelaide Crows in a role as Recruiter/Indigenous Player Development Manager.
Joel Selwood he plays an important role off the field, but on the NRL ground.
Four-time premier Cat stunned the football world last November when he signed with NRL club Melbourne Storm as a part-time leadership coach, a move similar to the premiership captain’s only Nick Maxwell when he retired. Selwood rejected offers from other AFL clubs and Cricket Australia.
“When the opportunity arose, I saw it as a great opportunity to get involved in something a little bit different in such a well-run environment,” Selwood said.
“I was impressed with the introduction by Frank (head of football Ponissi) and Craig (coach Bellamy) and they have already been welcomed to the club when I visited AAMI Park earlier this week. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the playing group and enter the season”.
Selwood is not the only ex-AFL player venturing into the league, with former Magpie and Kangaroo Atu Bosenavulagi to crack the code, as a player.
Foxfooty.com.au can reveal that Bosenavulagi, who played 20 AFL games for Collingwood and North Melbourne over four seasons, has stepped down from football and is now pursuing a career in rugby league, hoping to one day join an NRL club.
Bosenavulagi is understood to be eyeing contracts with his rugby coach in Queensand, Sydney and Melbourne.
Malvern-based gym NJ Fitness has been posting pictures of the 22-year-old working out and lifting weights for the past few months.
“I’ve only been training since I was delisted and I’ve actually been planning to switch codes since the beginning of last year, so I wasn’t sad at all when I was delisted because my heart wasn’t there anymore in the game.” Bosenavulagi said foxfooty.com.au.
Bosenavulagi represented Australia in rugby sevens at junior level and was added to the Melbourne Rebels Development Player Training Squad in 2015 before turning his attention to football.
Elsewhere, former Sol Patrick Murtagh he hopes to make the NFL, but not as a punter.
Murtagh was rewarded with a strong showing at the NFL International Combine held in England in October and was accepted into the 2023 International Player Pathways program.
The 22-year-old will be flown to the United States this month to train for 10 weeks and then have a chance to impress NFL scouts throughout March.
A state decathlon champion, Murtagh wants to use his athletic profile to make his mark in the NFL as a tight end — a tricky position that requires both catching and blocking.
Many players, however, have dived directly into interests outside of football.
by Matt de Boer investment company Athletic Ventures is going strong, while Swans are champions Josh Kennedy has taken on an ambassadorial role for Future Generation, which is an ASX-listed fund management company.
Eagle of the Premier League Josh Kennedy has launched Beyond distillation – a distillery and cellar door in Busselton – with Eagles first-team teammate Chris Masten.
“The world of football, I’ve enjoyed it and it’s been a great part of my life, but I’m looking forward to getting out of this AFL bubble… and going in a new direction like this with good people” , Kennedy told The West Australian in November.
But Kennedy has also been linked with a potential local football cameo at home club Northampton, while there is speculation he could have a kick with Cervantes alongside fellow premiership Eagle Mark LeCras.
If LeCras gets his wish, we could be seeing bags of goals in the 20s in the Central Midlands Coastal Football League.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Here is the Class of 2022 retired or unretired players and what they will be doing in 2023 (Note: Not all players have closed a club for the season or even decided if they want to play).
Have an update on a player? e-mail ben.waterworth@news.com.au or tweet @bjwaterworth.
ADELAIDE CROWS
Luke Brown (retired) – Tea Tree Gully (Adelaide Football League)
Ben Davis (delisted) – TBC, but his indigenous artwork business is flying
James Rowe (delisted) – Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)
Brett Turner (delisted) – Glenelg (SANFL)
BRISBANE LIONS
Mitchell Cox (out) – Williamstown (VFL)
Connor McFadyen (delisted) – Sturt (SANFL)
Mitch Robinson (retired) – Has been playing for Darwin Buffaloes (NTFL) and will play for Morningside Panthers (QAFL) in 2023
Ely Smith (delisted) – South Adelaide (SANFL)
David Uosis (Excluded) – TBC but has been playing for Dingle (GAA)
CARLTON
Will Hayes (delisted) – Euroa (Goulburn Valley Football League)
Oscar McDonald (removed from list) – Williamstown (VFL)
Jack Newnes (delisted) – TBC, but has been linked with a possible move to a VAFA club
Luke Parks (delisted) – Carlton (VFL)
Liam Stocker (out) – TBC but has been invited to train with St Kilda (AFL) in the hope of earning a lifeline through the SSP
Tom Williamson (delisted) – Ararat (Wimmera Football Netball League)
COLLINGWOOD
Callum Brown (delisted) – Box Hill Hawks (VFL)
Tyler Brown (delisted) – TBC but has been invited to train with Adelaide (AFL) in the hope of earning a lifeline through the SSP. Otherwise linked to Footscray (VFL).
Isaac Chugg (removed from list) – TBC but ready to play at Wonthaggi (Gippsland League)
Jack Madge…