With the unconventional 2020 season now run and won, fans, players and clubs have all shifted their gaze to the meat market of the off-season.

At the present, 16 of the league's 18 teams have finalised their first round of list culls, with 77 players in total told their services will no longer be required.

Either through form, injuries, or a combination of the two, many of these delistees have found it challenging to sew up consistent senior selections in the past.

Although shrinking list sizes will have the majority of these footballing nomads concerned about their future at the game's top level, the impending cuts to the eighteen salary caps may force club's to shop on a budget this trade period.

Many of these delisted names will either return to lower levels or call time on their careers, however, a select few still have something left to offer for a bargain basement wage.

With this in mind, these are the seven delisted free-agents that AFL list managers should bear in mind when completing their squads for next season.

6. Shaun McKernan

At 30-years of age and with a career spent in and out of the firsts at a pair of clubs, it is clear that Shaun McKernan is past his peak as a professional footballer.

Still, although this remains the truth, it doesn't mean that there isn't a role for him elsewhere.

With a forward line comprised of a mid-sized target (Tim Membrey), a developing top 10 draft pick (Max King) and resting ruckmen (Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder), the Saints are in need of a versatile backup.

As mentioned, head of list management at Moorabbin James Gallagher has already publicly stated that they are looking for depth players in their forward and back 50s. When quizzed by the AFL Trade Radio team earlier this week, Gallagher confirmed their interest in the delisted Don.

โ€œ(Shaun is) one of a few (we're interested in). He's obviously finished up at Essendon. There's a few marking forward sort of types that are either out of contract or finishing up at their current clubs, and we've made a number of phone calls to their managers over the past few weeks,โ€ Gallagher said.

With 33 goals from 26 games across 2018-19, McKernan bettered his career average of 0.8 goals a game. Still, in a career that has spanned 12 years, the former second round draft pick has never managed more than 16 games in a season.

The Saints look set to throw McKernan a lifeline to play a specific role, however, due to this position being that of understudy, we may never actually see him perform again.