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Essendon cult hero Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti says it took a trip around Australia with his best friend, dog Drover, to convince him he had more to give in the AFL.
McDonald-Tipungwuti walked away from the game in May after 126 games and 153 goals for the Bombers, stating he was ready to move on “with the next chapter of my life”.
But a few weeks after his emotional goodbye to friends and former teammates at the club, McDonald-Tipungwuti packed up and hit the road with Drover – and realised he still had an impact on the footy community.
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“Everyone (he spoke to on his adventure) was like, ‘well while you are still young, you’re not too old to finish’,” he told 7NEWS.
“It’s great to hear all the feedback around the communities I’ve gone to and I thought, ‘well I’ve still got it, I’ve got a bit in me’.”
The 29-year-old said it had been “great” to get away and “find myself again” after struggling in recent years in Melbourne.
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And he’s now looking forward to mentoring indigenous Bombers, likely including upcoming father-son draft hopefuls Alwyn Jnr and Jayden, and Academy prospect Anthony Munkara.
“What it means I guess is for me to represent not just indigenous people, but everyone around Australia,” he said.
“I think the trip helped me go again. Everyone just giving me my feedback for how great I’ve done for the young kids.
“It would be great for me to share my knowledge and my experience with those boys (like the Davey twins) and helpfully see them grow.
“I’m very excited to just push myself again. I’ve got a lot of support from the coaches and training staff.”
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Bombers footy boss Josh Mahoney said the club was “thrilled” to have McDonald-Tipungwuti back in the red sash.
“Anthony took time away from the club in 2022 to focus on life outside of footy. We’re comfortable he has taken the time he needs to bring a renewed enthusiasm to return to the AFL and play for Essendon,” Mahoney said.
“He is a committed Essendon person who loves playing football and our conversations with Anthony recently led us to believe there was a realistic chance he would come back to Essendon.
“Once we knew he was keen to return we worked with the AFL on the right pathway back to the club including approval from a list management perspective.
“We will continue to support him on and off the field and assist in his quest to return to football. We acknowledge a lot of hard work is ahead but feel confident he can achieve his football ambitions and goals at the club he loves.”
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