Delisted #38: Rhett Montgomerie - Not offered a contract for 2024 - 28/8

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Contract Status: Out of contract 2023 (Category A Rookie)
2023 My Boy Draft: Pick 23, eth-dog
 
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As I said in the draft thread, he looks a level above in the SANFL. (I did not know his name but recognise the number from when he played my double blues)

He ran off the backline quite alot as well at that level so could see him pushing up the ground to a wing as an experiment.
 
jakefooty23 said:
I Grew up with Rhett, wasn't much of a footballer growing up, always had talent but was very raw. Growing up on Kangaroo Island probably played a big part in that as the footy isn't at a very high standard. Wasn't until he moved up to town where he got recognised by centrals and grew into his frame abit more that he started to get recognised. He is a massive Essendon supporter aswell, not sure if that played any part in the pickup? I think he will be a very good player for you guys, he is a very driven bloke and fact that he's got a chance now I think he will take it and repay the faith.
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Dodoro loves drafting an Essendon supporter
 

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www.essendonfc.com.au

Persistence pays off for Montgomerie

Dons rookie ready to make impact.
www.essendonfc.com.au www.essendonfc.com.au

Persistence pays off for Montgomerie​

Dons rookie ready to make impact.

Making an AFL list is no easy feat.

Making an AFL list at 22 years old is even more difficult.

Rhett Montgomerie understands this better than most.

After toiling away in the SANFL for six seasons, Montgomerie finally has his chance, being picked up in this year’s rookie draft by Essendon.

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​


“It’s been a long journey and it was definitely not the conventional way to get into the AFL system,” Montgomerie said.

“I played six seasons at Central District Football Club, was overlooked in a lot of state teams, combines and never really had any AFL interest until about a few months ago.”

“I’m stoked I am at the club now.”

For many, the dream may have begun to fade each year when their name was not read out in the draft, but for Montgomerie, this changed nothing.

“Sometimes your dreams can fade away, but my dream to play AFL never did."​

- Rhett Montgomerie
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While he continued to dream, Montgomerie has been preparing his life outside footy, having just completed his third year of his university degree whilst working casually as a labourer.

“I was at Uni studying primary PE teaching, I recently just finished my third year, meaning I only have one more to go,” Montgomerie said.

“I’ll look at doing one-two subjects a semester while I play footy.”

Even with all this occurring outside of footy, Montgomerie knew that it was probably his last opportunity to make it happen.

“You get to 22, what I am now, and you start to think that the other side of 22 is probably getting on a little bit,” he said.

“When you hit 24, 25, it's almost impossible to get picked up, so I knew it was either this season gone or next year that I could make my push for AFL.”

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Rhett Montgomerie with his 2023 playing number. (Photo: Essendon FC)

Knowing this, Montgomerie decided to take his professionalism to the next level.

“In the off-season I put a massive emphasis on getting my body right,” he said.

“I hurt my knee the season before, so a lot of strength work around that.

“I was a lot better with my training and recovery standards as well.”

It paid off, with Montgomerie having his best season to date averaging 14.7 disposals and taking a massive 7.9 marks per game.

This led to his first ever selection into the SANFL team of the year.

From there, the AFL interest followed.

“I knew there was a little bit of interest there, I had few chats with a few clubs,” he said.

“Watching the national draft, I didn’t think I was much of a chance, honestly, I was kind of looking for a miracle.

“Rookie draft day came around and I was spending the day playing golf when I got a call from the Bombers and hinted that they might take me.”


The rest is history and now Montgomerie has made the move interstate to begin his AFL journey.

“I have been staying down at Jye Caldwell and Kaine Baldwin’s place which has been really good,” he said.

“I’m stoked to come back after Christmas and begin to get more settled, but I’m really excited to get stuck into Melbourne and what it has to offer.

“My family is stoked for me, they know footy was my dream and that I went for Essendon.”

Finally, having made his way to an AFL club, Montgomerie knows that the real work is about to begin.

“The obvious aim for me is to make my debut this year,” Montgomerie said.

“Other than that, I will be looking to seek out as many learnings I can from the other players and coaching staff, just generally looking to better my footy.”
 
I love a good focus on ‘learnings’. You’re never too old for learnings. He’s certainly come to the right club to get his learnings. Learnings are a recurring focus at Essendon. I’m still waiting for the era of ‘learnt’ - that sublime time in a club’s history where they know they are contenders.
 
Yoda_ said:
Here's hoping he turns out better than our most recent state league stars we have recruited for this position.

Dylan Van Unen, Kyle Hardingham, Garat MCDonagh and Patrick Ambrose as medium defenders plucked from obscurity



Go well young man, hope it works out for you and us
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Ambrose did okay for a second round rookie pick. 88 games. You can not complain about that. :cool:
 
ant555 said:
Ambrose did okay for a second round rookie pick. 88 games. You can not complain about that. :cool:
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What if he has a son who's a superstar though?
 
Yoda_ said:
Here's hoping he turns out better than our most recent state league stars we have recruited for this position.

Dylan Van Unen, Kyle Hardingham, Garat MCDonagh and Patrick Ambrose as medium defenders plucked from obscurity



Go well young man, hope it works out for you and us
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I think you are being entirely too unfair to Ambrose (88 games, and at one point our best defender) and Hardingham (64 games).

Considering we got them in the rookie draft and PSD respectively, to get 150+ games combined out of the two of them is great value.
 
Also know that if not for the saga Hardingham would have gotten an AFL contract when we cut him.
 

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ant555 said:
Ambrose did okay for a second round rookie pick. 88 games. You can not complain about that. :cool:
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TheGrizz said:
I think you are being entirely too unfair to Ambrose (88 games, and at one point our best defender) and Hardingham (64 games).

Considering we got them in the rookie draft and PSD respectively, to get 150+ games combined out of the two of them is great value.
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We are happy with Ambrose and Hardingham whilst Melbourne/Collingwood are very happy with Jeremy Howe and Geelong very, very happy with Tom Stewart


That's the mentality of our fan base though. Ambrose I may be a touch tough on though.
 
Yoda_ said:
We are happy with Ambrose and Hardingham whilst Melbourne/Collingwood are very happy with Jeremy Howe and Geelong very, very happy with Tom Stewart


That's the mentality of our fan base though. Ambrose I may be a touch tough on though.
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And we are happy with Martin 😎
You really should be looking at all rookie selections. Not just a few . 🙂
 
Yoda_ said:
We are happy with Ambrose and Hardingham whilst Melbourne/Collingwood are very happy with Jeremy Howe and Geelong very, very happy with Tom Stewart


That's the mentality of our fan base though. Ambrose I may be a touch tough on though.
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Thats not what I said and you know it.

Getting anything out of a mature age pick is a bonus. Ambrose and Hardingham gave us reasonable value for nothing picks, and that is fine to have as you need a list of 44.

But just because you want to be disingenuous:
1. Stewart and Howe were both taken in the 2nd round of the national draft, not as rookies, so you would expect better output than Hardingham and Ambrose who were speculative rookie/PSD selections
2. How convenient of you to leave out McDonald-Tipungwuti, Hibberd, Martin, Durham and Crameri as examples of mature recruits for Essendon
 
TheGrizz said:
Thats not what I said and you know it.

Getting anything out of a mature age pick is a bonus. Ambrose and Hardingham gave us reasonable value for nothing picks, and that is fine to have as you need a list of 44.

But just because you want to be disingenuous: 1. Stewart and Howe were both taken in the 2nd round of the national draft, not as rookies, so you would expect better output than Hardingham and Ambrose who were speculative rookie/PSD selections
2. How convenient of you to leave out McDonald-Tipungwuti, Hibberd, Martin, Durham and Crameri as examples of mature recruits for Essendon
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I was being slightly facetious, sorry you took it so seriously :cool:

Yoda_ said:
positionally wise they fit my narrative :cool:;)
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see above
 
I know we’re only getting highlights but **** me is he strong in the air.

Flies with the same effortless grace as your Howe/Ryan skywalker types.
 
Considering it is a position were flush in, does the club also go in with long term planning of developing him in a professional environment playing the odd game as depth and turn him into a trade for 2nd round pick?

Personally, I think that is good use of the most limited resource a footy club has, draft picks.

Also, why spending money on fitness and development staff can reap huge rewards. If we upgrade late picks and rookies into someone with a trade value equal to 1st or 2nd round pick either they slot into the best 22 or we get something back at a greater value than we spent to get them.
 

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Delisted #38: Rhett Montgomerie - Not offered a contract for 2024 - 28/8

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