“Never crossed my mind”: Former Don not keen on mid-season draft despite reported interest

Retired Essendon, Carlton and GWS ruckman Andrew Phillips isn’t interested in making an AFL comeback despite clubs flagging interest in picking him up as a mid-season draftee.

Phillips, who has been playing and dominating for Lauderdale in the Tasmanian State League, played 82 games across his nine seasons at the AFL level.

While clubs were reportedly interested in Phillips, it’s been revealed that he wouldn’t have been granted an AFL exemption to nominate for the mid-season draft, but that doesn’t bother the 32-year-old who wasn’t interested anyway.

He says the idea never crossed his mind and never received any contact from AFL clubs about the possibility of returning to the top level anyway.

“It’s never crossed my mind and it’s never been something that’s come across my table,” Phillips told SEN Tassie.

“I’m not sure who has spoken to whom or what clubs are interested, but, yeah, my phone hasn't been calling and no mail has been popped in my letterbox or anything about it.

“From what I told you last week a couple of weeks now, still nothing on that front.

“Like I said, I’m happy and I’m retired.”

Phillips, who hails from Tassie, said he always felt the lure to go home and knew 2023 was the right time to hang up the boots despite playing 20 games in his last AFL campaign.

“Our family was a big one and I guess either way I'd been away from home, family and friends,” Phillips said.

“With my now wife and two little boys, family became more important than ever.

“It was pretty tough up there sometimes without too much support so the push to come back and get back here was obviously pretty strong.

“There was also knowing it was time and ready to call time, it was all well and good to have the year that I did, but I still knew that it was time and there were no guarantees that another year was going to be as good as last year was.

“We sort of made the decision, and we made it fairly early on … there was always a pretty strong pull to come home, and I reckon we knew that it was sort of happening.

“I was very fortunate to go out on my own terms and very thankful to the Essendon Football Club and Brad (Scott) in particular for how they sort of let me finish up.”

From five games for Lauderdale in 2024, Phillips has kicked eight goals and been named his side’s best player on all five occasions.