Delisted Bomber eyes AFL lifeline, signs with VFL club ahead of 2024 campaign

Castaway Essendon defender Rhett Montgomerie has earned an opportunity with a VFL club as he sets his sights on an AFL lifeline.

Montgomerie, who finished runner-up in Essendon VFL’s best-and-fairest race this year, was offloaded by the Bombers amid an off-season of vast change for the Tullamarine-based club.

The former Bomber has joined forces with the Footscray Bulldogs for next season, per Code Sports reporter Paul Amy.

Montgomerie, who hails from Angaston, South Australia and previously played in the SANFL for Central Districts, was swooped on by the Bombers at the 2022 Rookie Draft, though played no senior games for Essendon during his single-season tenure at the Hangar.

Instead of returning to his home state for next year’s campaign, Amy notes Montgomerie will again try his hand in Victoria; this time with Footscray, a club that has historically produced numerous AFL talents.

The 23-year-old was joined by Alastair Lord, Cian McBride, Anthony Munkara, Will Snelling, James Stewart, and Patrick Voss in receiving their marching orders by Essendon this off-season, with the latter, Voss, since earning a train-on chance with Fremantle before penning a contingency deal with VFL stalwart Port Melbourne.

Exiled ex-Essendon forward Patrick Voss has signed with a VFL stalwart as he awaits his Fremantle fate following a train-on opportunity to revive his AFL career.

Voss was delisted by the Bombers following this season, subsequently earning an opportunity to resuscitate his professional career at Cockburn via the AFL’s Supplemental Signing Period (SSP).

The 20-year-old was listed at Tullamarine for two seasons before being offloaded, failing to appear at the senior level during that time.

Snelling, Anthony Munkara, Alastair Lord, James Stewart, Rhett Montgomerie and Cian McBride in also being culled by Essendon this year.

Montgomerie, who finished runner-up in Essendon VFL’s best-and-fairest race this season, has since signed with the Footscray Bulldogs in hopes of securing an AFL lifeline of his own.

The Dockers, who have already penned former Gold Coast Suns winger Jeremy Sharp this off-season, presently have two vacant list spots to distribute before the start of next season.

Those opportunities arose after Fremantle moved Sebit Kuek and Josh Corbett to the inactive list due to respective shoulder/knee and hip injuries.

In addition to Voss, Woodville-West Torrens youngster Max Beattie also finds himself in the Fremantle mix, as does goalkicker Sam van Rooyen – the younger brother of Demons swingman Jacob – who has also earned a train-on chance at Cockburn.

If Voss’ Western Australian venture proves unsuccessful, he appears set to join the Borough for the 2024 VFL season.