Delisted Collingwood midfielder Callum Brown is aiming to continue his AFL career elsewhere in 2023.
The 24-year-old featured 70 times in black and white since being drafted as a father-son selection in 2016 but was told last week that he wouldn’t be offered a contract for 2023.
Since departing the Magpies, Brown says he and his manager are working to get him to a second club.
“Yeah, that is the hope,” Brown said on AFL Trade Radio’s Trade Feed.
“I’m sort of speaking to the manager and just working out if we can get that done.
“Hopefully it all works out, but yeah, that’s the aim for sure.”
While he’s yet to be linked to a second home, Brown revealed that he’s had a “little bit” of interest from rivals which has given him the hope that he’ll continue at the top level.
“We had a little bit (of interest) throughout the year,” Brown said.
“Sort of when I was still playing, sort of in and out of the team.
“We’ve had a little bit since, clubs have spoken to my manager, so hopefully something pulls through.
“But yeah, it’s still very early, a lot of clubs are still waiting to see what they do during the trade period and how many list spots they’ve got and all of that.”
While he knew he was coming out of contract at the end of the season, Brown said he had no indication he’d be delisted after the club weighed up whether to re-sign him throughout the campaign.
“I went in there (to the exit meeting) completely blind,” Brown explained.
“It was tough, my manager had spoken to ‘Wrighty’ (Collingwood GM of football Graham Wright) for a while before and they were still sort of umming and ahhing.
“We hadn’t really gotten an answer yet, but I sort of walked in and was straight out told I won’t be offered a new contract, so it was tough for sure.”
Callum’s brother Tyler was another name delisted by the Magpies last week, with the 22-year-old also not offered a new deal after 27 games for the club.
With their exit meetings occurring on the same day, Callum says he and Tyler have tried to be “pretty positive” in the wake of the bad news but revealed that his younger sibling has also received rival interest.
“Tyler and I had our exit meetings sort of straight after each other,” Brown said.
“We didn’t know how each other’s (meetings) went so it was a bit unsettling talking to each other.
“But we’ve been pretty positive, the manager has been good, we’ve been working through a few things and hopefully it all works out.
“But, yeah, it’s been a weird time. I think the first few days it’s sort of a bit of shock, it hasn’t really hit you yet and it sorts to hit you a bit after.
“But he’s going pretty good, he’s had a little bit of interest too.
“We’re both sort of hopeful that it sort of pulls through at the moment.”
Both Brown brothers will be free to join rival clubs between November 3 and 9 during the delisted player free agency period.