Essendon champion Dustin Fletcher will sever ties with the Bombers after the AFL coaching aspirant wasn't offered a job with the club.
Fletcher, 40, retired at the end of the season after 400 games and two premierships.
The well-respected defender has coaching aspirations and was keen to remain with the Bombers in a coaching capacity but is looking elsewhere after no offer to join John Worsfold's staff was forthcoming.
"I would have liked to have helped out at Essendon a bit but that didn't go down," Fletcher told SEN after Australia was defeated by Ireland in the International Rules Series in Dublin.
"I've got a few little things on the go ... I'll get back to Melbourne and get into it."
Worsfold was appointed to replace sacked senior coach James Hird in October and completed his assistant coaching panel with the addition of former Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna. He joined Mark Harvey, Mark Neeld and Hayden Skipworth on Worsfold's staff.
A groin injury suffered in his 400th game in round nine stopped Fletcher from taking part in a farewell game with Essendon but he was able to participate in Saturday's one-off Test match at Croke Park.
Fletcher was the goalkeeper for the Australian side that suffered a four-point defeat.
"I was pretty nervous because we played a bit of a different style but in the second half I got the idea of it," he said.
"It was disappointing - the career's over and we just didn't get over the line."
Share
