Axed St Kilda defender Jonathon Marsh remains in pursuit of an AFL lifeline after being delisted by the Saints last week.
Marsh joined St Kilda for the 2019 season after being recruited through the supplemental selection period having previously played for Collingwood between 2015-2016.
The 25-year-old is now looking for opportunities at a third AFL club and has been training at Moorabbin to better his chance of gaining a list spot for 2021.
Speaking onย SEN's The Sporting Capital,ย Marsh revealed his management has been in contact with AFL clubs in the past week.
โI gave my manager a call the day I heard and heโs just getting on the front foot and calling clubs asking if anyone needs a player like myself,โ he said on SENโs The Sporting Capital.
โI myself rung in a couple of favours to potentially help me out, if anyone could put in a good word for me or just to make someone lean my way.
โIโve made those phone calls myself over the last week or so.
โItโs a tough one because the option to get on a list drags out well into next year so I think itโs just hearing from clubs if theyโve got any interest at all and selling yourself on that.
โThe fine balance is maintaining a good physical and mental health and to get in as many facets as possible and put your name out there.โ
Marsh revealed he was originally expecting to receive an extension with the Saints.
โPersonally, to be honest, it was kind of a little bit more out of the blue than some others at the club,โ he added.
โI was thinking I was in a good position to receive a contract for next year and then obviously I got the call and it didnโt go my way.
โInitially it probably takes you a couple of days to get rid of that shock factor. Instantly your mind starts reeling towards, โHow do we pay the bills?โ
โBut as soon as you get away from that, what was important for myself was just to focus on the good things coming out of it.
โIโd love to continue my AFL career so if Iโm able to pursue that another club, fantastic, but youโve also got to understand the reality that that might not happen.
โIn a way itโs kind of exciting for me. Iโm 25 and if I can sort that out, thatโs fantastic. If I was 30 or 31 leaving the AFL with not a whole lot of cleat direction that would be an even more daunting prospect.โ
Marsh further added that there was no resentment between him and St Kilda.
โThe club said they appreciated everything I did over the two years and I said Iโm not leaving with any bad blood either,โ he said.
โItโs not like I didnโt enjoy my two years at the club. Iโm hoping I can leave the club and people there can say some good things about me instead of having it be a bad break-up.โ
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