Injured Essendon forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has been granted a leave of absence by the AFL club to deal with personal matters.
The 28-year-old fan-favourite has been battling a calf injury in pre-season but the Bombers announced on Saturday he will also take time away from the club with their full support.
“Anthony has been very open with us about some of his personal struggles and coupled with his recovery from a calf injury, we felt this leave period was in the best interests to support Anthony,” Bombers’ football manager Josh Mahoney said.
“He is a much loved member of our football club and we will continue to care for and fully support Anthony throughout this time, and we look forward to his return in the future.”
The goalsneak sat out the last three matches of Essendon’s 2021 season including an elimination-final defeat to the Western Bulldogs for personal reasons.
The 126-gamer had earlier kicked an equal career-best 34 goals in 20 appearances last season before his campaign was cut short.
Essendon are seeking successive top-eight finishes in 2022 and begin their AFL premiership season against Geelong on March 19.
McDonald-Tipungwuti has missed just four games since debuting for the Bombers in their 2016 wooden spoon season in the aftermath of the supplements saga.
Three of those games came at the end of the 2021 season, including missing their elimination final defeat to the Western Bulldogs for personal reasons.
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
Walla's downward trend began during mid-season lockdowns last year and he went from the AFL's best small forward to being out of the team. He returned to the pre-season way over weight then strained his calf. Took a short break, and now it would seem a longer break. It is tragic but I fear we have seen the last of Walla playing AFL. I love his footy, it's exciting and dynamic and if he doesn't play again we will have lost a really great talent to football. I wish him well, hope he returns fit and healthy, but I fear it won't happen. So sad!
Diesel-747
Roar Rookie
Angela I concur. Love watching him- an exciting player . Get well soon tippa
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
'History is full of teams that stayed together . . .' yet in another thread you virtually accuse Richmond and Geelong of rorting the system when it is well known many players in both sides are/have been getting paid 'unders'. Whatever suits the discussion at the time, hey?
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Sure, but those teams had actually won something, Carlton on the other hand has had a torrid couple of decades, 17 different head coaches etc I hope for your clubs sake you're right though
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Love the reasons he gave for re-signing. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/02/06/sam-walsh-signs-on-as-blues-lock-in-their-young-star/
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Macca
Roar Rookie
McKay was off to Collingwood at one point too Col. We seem to have got our off field together, hopefully on field success will follow.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Reportedly signed for four more years. Lots of opposition supporters said Cripps wouldn’t re-sign and that Walsh wouldn’t either. Now that they have they start saying that Carlton are somehow doing it illegally. They just can’t accept that they are doing it right.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Does it? History is full of teams that stayed together because payers took less than market. If the Blues start playing finals I don't think there will be an issue, if the success doesn't come then the problems will start. Front ending big contracts when the Blues had very few players worth paying and they had banked prior years cap has given them an enormous buffer.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
I suspect that lockdowns and self imposed lockdowns have a greater affect on indigenous players. Perhaps it is time for him to move onto the next stage of his life, you are a long time out of football and that can be a difficult adjustment to make.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Good luck Walla hope things work out well and you are able to come back soon. If you can't, then all the best for your life after footy and it has been a joy to watch you play. :thumbup: :thumbup:
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Something will give at some stage
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah even with that Somethings gotta give somewhere
Macca
Roar Rookie
Hadn't heard that but not surprised. Good show of faith and great list management. Front ending deals created room to sign these key players and I would hazard a guess that he has joined Cripps and McKay in taking less than he could get elsewhere because they can see something building.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Did you hear Walsh Re-signed I reckon the afl is gonna have to start looking at the Blues for Brown paper bags.
Macca
Roar Rookie
His "indefinite leave" has already lasted longer than Bailey Smith's.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah the issue is Walla grew up there and it was a pretty rough childhood. So I don’t think he’d want to go back
Opps74
Roar Rookie
One of my favourite players to watch, wish he played for my team...hope he is not lost to the AFL
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Never been there, but I hear the Tiwi Islands are nice, probably pretty hard to leave
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
He also went out woop woop way given Anthony McDonald Tippungwuti adoptive parents are in Melbourne I expect he will be nearby. But who knows he could head back to the Tiwi Islands, I think he probably doesn’t want to chance another lockdown interstate where he will be away from his support network