The bizarre delisting of Melbourne utility Jack Billings

Kieran Francis

The bizarre delisting of Melbourne utility Jack Billings image

Melbourne's Jack Billings was delisted at the club's best and fairest night after not being mentioned among other delistings in an earlier press release.

The decision to axe the ex-St Kilda utility was announced at the awards function by ex-Saint coach Alan Richardson, who is the football boss at the Demons.

Billings played 17 games for Melbourne across two seasons, adding to the 155 he played at St Kilda for a total of 172.

Usually tributes to delisted players made by clubs are done when a player has spent significant time at the club.

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Richardson was coach of Billings at the Saints when the talented midfielder was drafted with pick three of the 2013 draft and tutored the player until he was sacked by St Kilda in 2019.

Billings was among a list of six Demons players delisted across Tuesday, which also included Marty Hore, Tom Fullarton, Kynan Brown, Oliver Sestan and Will Verral.

Melbourne are currently in the process of appointing a new coach following the dismissal of Simon Goodwin toward the back end of the recent season.

Nathan Buckley is considered favourite for the role, with another contender Hayden Skipworth withdrawing from the process to appoint the new coach.

There could also be significant upheaval within the Demons playing squad, with the likes of Christian Petracca, Steven May and Clayton Oliver all linked with a move away from the club.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.