Ruggles, Hayball delisted by Cats
GEELONG’S Tom Ruggles, Adelaide’s Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Collingwood’s Jackson Ramsay were among the AFL players axed yesterday.
AFL clubs must lodge their revised playing lists with the league by 2pm Melbourne time today ahead of delisted player free agency and the coming national and rookie drafts.
Ruggles played 18 games in his first season with the Cats in 2016 after he was a rookie selection as a 23-yearold.
But he managed just four this season and didn’t earn a new contract.
Matthew Hayball, selected with the 70th pick in the 2015 draft, was also delisted, but the club will take him as a rookie if he doesn’t get any other offers.
Four Geelong rookies — Jamaine Jones, Zach Guthrie, Sam Simpson and Jack Henry — will stay on the rookie list next year.
“We would like to thank Tom for his efforts over the past two years,” Geelong’s general manager of football Simon Lloyd said.
“He has been a hard worker and popular member of our team. We also thank Matthew for working with us around our list management and expect him to return to the club on the rookie list.
“In retaining the four rookies, all four players have demonstrated an ability to progress their careers. Sam and Zach earned spots in our team late in the season, and Jack was an emergency and close to selection. Jamaine improved markedly from the start of the year.
“We believe they will continue to improve and push for selection.”
In addition to Ramsay, the Pies delisted Adam Oxley, while Ben Sinclair retired. Sinclair, 26, has struggled with multiple concussions and played 63 AFL matches.
Oxley will be offered a rookie lifeline if he is still available.
After the recent conclusion of the trade period, clubs move into the next important phase of list management, with delisted free agency to open tomorrow.
Ellis-Yolmen and matureaged forward Jono Beech have been delisted by the Crows.
Ellis-Yolmen, who played 14 AFL games after joining Adelaide with pick No. 64 at the 2011 draft, underwent a knee reconstruction and missed this season entirely. He will be offered a rookie lifeline if no other clubs sign him. The Crows have also pledged to sign Jackson Edwards, the son of 321-game veteran Tyson Edwards, as a father-son prospect at the rookie draft if he goes unpicked at the national draft.
The national draft will be held in Sydney on Friday, November 24.