Delisted Essendon forward Jaiden Hunter has returned to starring form in the WAFL following his Bombers exit and ACL injury.
Since leaving Tullamarine at the cessation of the 2024 season, Hunter has returned to Western Australia to play in Claremont, stepping in as the club's spearhead forward.
The Tigers secured Hunter's services 18 months after the 23-year-old was recruited from the Perth Demons by Essendon via the 2023 Mid-Season Draft.
Hunter endured a luckless run during his time with the Bombers, suffering a back injury shortly after joining the AFL club before a pre-season ACL injury put a line through his 2024 campaign.
The 196cm forward managed a pair of VFL games for Essendon in his time in Victoria, booting four goals in his second appearance against Carlton in 2023.
His return to the state league scene this year has been fruitful, with Hunter booting 13 goals in his four appearances for Claremont to start this season. His season tally, which is coupled with averages of 11.3 disposals and 5.25 marks per game, is good for third on the WAFL leaderboard.
This week saw Hunter boot a season-high five goals against West Coast's reserves in a dominant performance on Anzac Day, adding to multiple goal hauls against East Perth, East Fremantle and Peel Thunder.
Hunter's hot start to life as a Tiger has come off the back of a dominant pre-season run, with the strong-marking target kicking 14 goals in his three pre-season games, two of which came at the reserves level for a return of 11 goals.
The promising return to form from a season on the sidelines could have Hunter back in consideration among AFL clubs, with the Applecross product garnering strong levels of interest in 2023 before the Bombers picked him at the mid-year intake with the ninth overall pick.
Essendon are one of six clubs currently in line to have list spots open for the 2025 Mid-Season Draft, having lost Sam Draper (Achilles), Nick Bryan (ACL) and Tom Edwards (ACL) to long-term injuries this year.
The Bombers are likely to be in the market for a ruckman to aid their depleted key position stocks, with Carlton - who have lost Brodie Kemp to an Achilles injury - potentially keen on key forward options at the May 28 draft.
The Western Bulldogs could also look to Hunter given the absence of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and a knee injury to Sam Darcy, with West Coast, Collingwood and Gold Coast the other clubs able to have open list spots for the draft.
The Mid-Season Draft is scheduled to fall between Rounds 11 and 12 of the AFL season.
