Delisted West Coast midfielder Jai Culley will train with Melbourne over the summer in a bid to rejoin an AFL list, despite the Demons not currently having an availability.
Signing with the AFL club's VFL affiliate - Casey Demons - for the 2025 season, Culley has also committed to his junior club, Langwarrin, in the MPFNL.
The Victorian was the first pick of the 2022 mid-season AFL draft, where he joined a struggling Eagles outfit and played four games, including an 11-tackle debut performance. Culley played five games in 2023 before rupturing his ACL in Round 8, sidelining the young midfielder for over 12 months.
However, Culley returned to play three matches in 2024 before ultimately being cut in an Eagles list cull alongside Alex Witherden and Coby Burgiel.
The big-bodied midfielder averaged 21.4 disposals and 5.4 tackles in the WAFL this year, including a 30-disposal performance against Perth and a 15-tackle effort against Claremont.
It is understood that the Culley camp is eyeing an AFL recall via the mid-season draft, which is expected to be around Round 11 in 2025.
The former Eagle is still viable as a pick-up during the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP), which ends February 21.
Albeit training with Melbourne, the club cannot offer a position given there are no vacancies on the list, meaning Culley is unlikely to be an SSP selection unless a serious injury places a Demon on the inactive list or a rival club to swoop.
Culley is the second player to put forward their case for a Melbourne list spot should one arise, with Kysaiah Pickett's uncle Roy George also training at the Demons over the summer. The First Nations talent played five VFL games in 2024, averaging a tick under ten disposals per game, and had a three-goal game on debut.
Former Geelong midfielder Mitch Hardie has also signed at the Casey Demons in the hope of a reprieve.
