St Kilda great named as final Carlton Draft participant

St Kilda great Leigh Montagna has been unveiled as the fifth and final player set to take part in the 2024 Carlton Draft initiative.

Montagna will join Isaac Smith, Matthew Lloyd, Trent Cotchin and Dylan Buckley in partaking in the draft, which will see five local Victorian clubs select a player each for a one-off appearance this year.

Previous Carlton Draft editions have seen the likes of Nathan Buckley, Eddie Betts, Shaun Burgoyne, and David Mundy partake in local football games across the state.

Montagna, who retired seven years ago after 16 seasons at the Saints, expressed his excitement to give back to the local level.

"I may have been retired for a little while now, but I've kept a strong eye on the current game at all levels, which will hopefully assist my performance in my new team as part of The Carlton Draft," Montagna said.

"Local footy clubs are the heart and soul of so many Victorian communities; I'm really looking forward to getting around the people who do so much to provide for their local area.

"Footy has that special ability to bring people together, and that's what makes The Carlton Draft so unique: it can leave long-lasting benefits for the club in the years to come."

Montagna brings almost 300 games of AFL experience, a pair of All-Australian selections, and five best and fairest podium finishes.

The 40-year-old's last local football appearance came in 2018 with Ararat, and Montagna is keen to make a comeback with a new home six years later.

"I played my first ever local senior footy match back in 2018 and absolutely loved it, so the chance to do it again was a no-brainer," Montagna said.

"I grew up in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne but am ready to play for whichever local club selects me, even if it means driving down the highway for a few hours."