Collingwood And Sydney Departures

Just days after Travis Varcoe announced his retirement, Lynden Dunn did likewise. Collingwood also delisted midfielder Tim Broomhead and defender Matthew Harry  Reynolds. All three have had injury setbacks during their careers and the trio made comebacks of sorts in 2020 but were unable to cement their places in the senior team. Dunn, 34, was drafted by Melbourne in 2004 and played 165 games. He played just four games in 2016 as the Demons opted for younger defenders and he was traded to the Magpies at the end of the year. He required two knee reconstructions and made his second comeback this year but played just two games for the season. Delisted at the end of 2019, he was given a one year rookie deal in March. He also played as a defensive forward and kicked 99 goals. He played a total of 33 matches for the Pies. A popular figure in the change rooms, he won the best clubman award in 2018.

Scharenberg, 25, was drafted by Collingwood in 2013 but foot problems delayed his debut and three knee reconstructions interrupted his career. His best season was 2018 when he played 17 matches but on the eve of the finals he suffered a third serious knee injury. He came back for 15 games in 2019 but missed the finals that year as well due to concussion. He played just three games in 2020 to bring his tally to 41. He hopes to continue his career with another club.

Broomhead, 26, was drafted in 2012 but he missed all of 2013 due to glandular fever. A broken wrist and a shoulder injury early in 2014 delayed his debut but he finally managed eight games. He played 11 games in 2015 and was nominated for the Rising Star award before a shoulder injury ended his year. Injuries again ruined his 2016, restricting him to just two games. He bounced back in 2017 for 14 games but a badly broken leg early in 2018 ended his year. He was delisted at the end of the year and redrafted as a rookie. He was still recovering and spent all of 2019 in the VFL. He played just one one senior game in 2020 for a total of 37. He, too, is hoping to continue elsewhere next year.

The Sydney Swans have delisted Michael Knoll, Jack Maibaum, Harry Reynolds, Brady Rowles and Ryley Stoddart. Knoll, 27 and a basketballer from the USA, was selected in the 2019 midseason draft after stints with Box Hill in the VFL (2017), the Eastern Football League and South Adelaide (2019) with but he was hampered by injury. Maibaum was originally drafted in 2016 but never made his senior debut. He was delisted at the end of 2019 and, despite a knee reconstruction, was redrafted early in 2020 to the rookie list. It was the same for Harry Reynolds. Drafted as a rookie in 2018, he spent all of 2019 in the NEAFL but a shoulder reconstruction midway through 2020 ended his year and he never featured at senior level. Defender Stoddart, 20, was drafted in 2017 and played six games for the Swans, including two in season 2020. In 2019, he was named in the NEAFL Team of the Year. Rowles was taken in this year's rookie draft.

Sources: Stephen Reilly, Collingwood Media Release, Loretta Johns, Sydney Media Release, AFL Record Season Guides