Essendon have delisted Shaun McKernan, but the ruck-forward's AFL journey hasn't ended with the Bombers committing to bring him back as a rookie.
McKernan, 26, played 34 games for Adelaide after he was the 28th player selected at the 2008 draft and was delisted at the end of the 2014 season.
He played nine games as a rookie for Essendon in 2015, but injury and form kept him to just six this year after he won elevation to the senior list.
With Essendon regaining 10 of the 12 players they lost to doping bans this season, McKernan appeared on dangerous ground, but list manager Adrian Dodoro believes he still has a role to play.
"Shaun is a very focused and competitive young man," Dodoro said.
"When given the opportunity at senior level he's shown he can add real value to the team, particularly in his versatility to play as both a key forward and ruckman.
"Shaun is driven to play regular senior football and we hope with a big pre-season and continued development in specific areas of his game, he can achieve this goal at Essendon."
McKernan ran laps while his teammates trained on Monday and will continue to train at the club until he is selected at November's rookie draft.
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