Top AFL delisted free agents of all time, rankings, list, analysis, Tyson Stengle, Tim Membrey, Jarryd Lyons, Joel Hamling, latest news

Jack Newnes was a solid enough addition to Carlton at the start of this decade with 52 appearances from 2020 to 2022, without setting the world on fire. But who could forget that match-winning goal after the siren against Fremantle in 2020? For some younger generation Blues fans, that’d be one of their most memorable footy moments.

Jack Martin has been a handy get for Geelong across the last two seasons in the forward’s third AFL stop after stints at Carlton and Gold Coast. He’s kicked 34 goals from 31 games and was the sub in the 2025 Grand Final loss but injuries have again limited the 182-gamer.

Ex-Lion Mitch Hinge has carved out a solid career at West Lakes after Brisbane axed the South Australian at the end of the Covid-impacted 2020 season with only three games to his name. Hinge has played 87 games for the Crows and spent a season in their leadership group but injuries derailed his 2026 season.

Alright, now onto the actual list! Counting down from 10 to 1 …

TOP 10 DELISTED FREE AGENTS

10. Oscar McDonald

There might be a bit of recency bias with this one. But McDonald came agonisingly close to being a premiership defender for the Dockers and played an important role in the minor premiers’ back six in 2026. You’ll struggle to find many better footy stories in the 30-year old’s third AFL stop after stints at Melbourne and Carlton. The 108-gamer spent a year out of the AFL system at Williamstown in 2023 before he was scooped up by the Dockers.

9. Matthew Wright

OK, on the surface it doesn’t feel like the Wright-Carlton move worked. But digging deeper into the numbers, the ex-Crow proved to be a good get for Brendon Bolton’s Blues from 2016 to 2018, albeit, during a bleak period for the club. The forward booted 73 goals in 65 of a possible 66 games — the most goals of any Blue during that period — and led their goalkicking in his first season at the club.

8. Lachlan Keeffe

A remarkable comeback story in 79 games across seven seasons at GWS after Keeffe and fellow ex-Magpie Josh Thomas were given two-year bans for testing positive to banned substance clenbuterol in 2015. Keeffe signed with the Giants after being delisted by Collingwood at the end of 2017 and he was a versatile role player for GWS that could play a variety of positions including key defence and ruck support. The unheralded, 204cm player played in seven finals for the Giants — including two prelims — during a successful period for the club under Leon Cameron and Adam Kingsley. Though it’s worth noting he only played over 15 games in a season once for GWS.

7. Ricky Henderson

One of the great career resurgences at Hawthorn after his axing from Adelaide at the end of 2016. Had arguably the three best years of his career in succession in brown and gold from 2017 to 2019. That included Hawthorn’s top four season in 2018 and Henderson’s career-best 2019 season where he finished second in the club’s best and fairest. A shrewd addition to Alastair Clarkson’s side in the back-end of the coaching great’s run at Hawthorn.

6. Dylan Roberton

The ex-Docker joined the Saints during the first ever delisted free agency period in 2012 after a trade couldn’t be struck in his bid to return to Victoria. The defender enjoyed the best years of his career at Moorrabin including a career-best 2017 season where he made the All-Australian squad and finished second in the club’s best and fairest after averaging 23 disposals, six rebound 50s and 474 metres gained as one of the best running backs in the game. It was ideal timing as Robertson penned a new four-year extension with the Saints. But ongoing heart issues halted his career from there and forced him into early retirement in 2021.

5. Joel Hamling

Following three years and no senior appearances for Geelong, Hamling landed at Whitten Oval in 2015 and become a premiership hero for the red, white and blue. Injuries saw Hamling come into Luke Beveridge’s side late in the 2016 season and he never looked back; the defender played every game from Round 19 onwards as part of one of the most famous premiership runs in AFL history. Hamling, 23 at the time, played on the great Lance Franklin in that 2016 Grand Final win over Sydney and curbed the champion forward’s influence on the day. It would be Hamling’s last appearance for the Dogs after the West Australian left for Fremantle before joining Sydney, with 114 AFL games under his belt.

4. Mitch Robinson

At times landed himself in hot water but you could never question the fight and spirit of Robinson on field. Played 147 of his 247 games for Brisbane after being delisted by Carlton at the end of 2014 and was one of the key players that helped turn things around at the Lions ahead of their three-peat success. Even if those early years at Brisbane were grim, Robinson was a joint best and fairest winner in his first season up north. He averaged just under 19 disposals over eight seasons for Chris Fagan’s side and added a toughness and competitiveness that side needed.

3. Jarryd Lyons

Another that raised his reputation in Brisbane. Lyons moved from cross-town rival Gold Coast ahead of the 2019 season after he was curiously dropped twice by Stewart Dew in 2018 and axed with a year to run on his deal. Played every game for the Lions in 2019 to finish fourth in their best and fairest and became a mainstay in their midfield when the club surged into the top four and regular flag contention. Lyons averaged 24 disposals, five tackles and five clearances in his first four seasons for Brisbane. He polled a career-best 23 Brownlow votes in 2021 — a year he averaged 28.1 disposals, five marks, 6.4 tackles 6.2 clearances — and finished runner-up to Lachie Neale in the best and fairest that year and third in 2021. Nearly pinched a flag as a sub in the narrow 2023 Grand Final loss to Collingwood.

2. Tim Membrey

A good forward is worth its weight in gold. And Membrey proved to be a terrific pick-up for St Kilda after he was axed by Sydney at the end of 2014 after just one game across two seasons. He booted 293 goals from 178 games for St Kilda and led their goalkicking on three occasions including two seasons with 44 majors. Along with two solid 30-plus goal seasons for Collingwood, Membrey ranks top 15 for total majors kicked in the AFL since 2015 in a very impressive body of work as one of the better, underrated forwards of the modern era.

1. Tyson Stengle

Hard to recall a better overall bargain pick-up than Stengle’s run with Geelong after failed stints at Richmond and Adelaide. The forward’s highs were right up there including a dominant first season for the Cats that couldn’t have panned out much better. He kicked 53 goals in that first season in the blue and white hoops in 2022 to claim All-Australian honours and a premiership. He booted a game-high four goals in the 2022 Grand Final win over Sydney to finish third in the Norm Smith Medal voting. It was never a question of talent with Stengle, who booted 160 goals from 93 games for the Cats over four seasons, before off-field issues led to his Geelong departure this year.