Essendon has delisted five players following the conclusion of their season.
Shaun McKernan, Mitch Hibberd, Kobe Mutch, Josh Begley and Noah Gown were all told their respective contracts wouldn’t be renewed beyond 2020 as new coach Ben Rutten begins to reshape the list.
Bombers football boss Dan Richardson thanked all five players for their time at the club.
“This time of year is always difficult but decisions need to be made in the best interests of the football club moving forward, and as a result we were unable to offer Shaun, Mitch, Kobe, Josh and Noah contracts for the 2021 season,” Richardson said in a club statement.
“We thank all five players for their contributions to the Essendon Football Club during their time with us and wish them the very best for their future endeavours.”
It’s the first of several big list decisions the club is facing in the coming weeks, with the futures of Joe Daniher, Orazio Fantasia and Adam Saad still unresolved.
Channel 9’s Damian Barrett reported on Sunday that defensive duo Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley were also reconsidering their options.