After seeing his time with Hawthorn come to an end at the cessation of the 2022 season, former Hawk and Magpie Tom Phillips remains optimistic about his chances of joining a third AFL club.

Phillips was among a quartet of Hawks cut in early September, with the 26-year-old's career coming to a halt after 115 games following sevens seasons between Collingwood and Hawthorn.

The Beverley Hills product had been linked with Essendon just weeks after departing Waverley, with the Bombers understood to have shown some level of interest in Phillips' services, however murmurs linking Phillips to Tullamarine have gone quiet.

With two days left for delisted free agency, along with the Rookie Draft and Supplemental Selection Period incoming, a career lifeline for Phillips could still arise this off-season, with the midfielder remaining confident in his chances of joining an AFL list for 2023.

โ€œThere is enough confidence at the moment, so I'm keeping at it,โ€ Phillips told SEN.

โ€œAs we know in the AFL environment, it can be unpredictable at the best of times. There's always movement, there's always a lot of different things going on.

โ€œYou've got to be able to keep working and moving in the right direction without any 150 per cent guarantee.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Tom Phillips of the Magpies handballs during the round nine AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the St Kilda Saints at Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

โ€œThat's been my mindset since the start of September and it's the same until now.

โ€œI'm focused on staying on that path until genuine decisions are made and beyond that as well.โ€

Delisted free agency has seen just two moves finalised in what has been a quiet window, with former Cat Francis Evans joining Port Adelaide and ex-Bulldog Fergus Greene heading to Hawthorn.

AFL clubs are seemingly settled on their list spots ahead of the National Draft, with delisted free agents a strong chance to secure a lifeline or pre-season training gig after the draft.

Phillips is sure to gain some competition from an array of other delisted free agents that also boast the ability to offer outside run, with ex-Tiger Sydney Stack, former Hawk and Roo Jed Anderson and delisted Bomber Brayden Ham also on the lookout for a new home.