Overview
- Essendon announced on September 15, 2026 that it had delisted Jade Gresham, Matt Guelfi, Elijah Tsatas, Saad El-Hawli and Liam McMahon in a short club statement thanking the players.
- Elijah Tsatas, the club's No.5 pick in the 2022 draft, was not offered a new contract after limited senior opportunities across four seasons.
- Veteran departures include Matt Guelfi, who played 124 games for Essendon, and Jade Gresham, who joined as a free agent at the end of 2023 and played 48 games for the club.
- Saad El-Hawli and Liam McMahon, both recruited through mid-season drafts, were also cut after contributing to Essendon’s VFL program and finals run.
- Club management framed these as the first personnel decisions of McVeigh’s tenure and signalled a focus on using high draft access to reshape the list for next season.