Former Sydney and Essendon utility Aaron Francis has returned to South Australia following his AFL exit, signing with SANFL side Norwood for 2026.
Francis was delisted by the Swans at the cessation of the recent season, which was his third in red and white after starting his career with the Bombers.
The 28-year-old was drafted out of West Adelaide as the sixth overall selection, joining Essendon as a highly-rated utility capable of playing in all three thirds of the field.
Francis played 54 games for the Bombers across his seven seasons in Victoria, with injury and personal issues limiting his exposure in the top flight.
At the end of the 2022 season, Francis sought a move to Sydney for a fresh start, with the Bombers trading the 193cm swingman following a four-game season.
Francis played 15 matches for Sydney in his maiden season with the Swans, and would double his games tally for the club before his departure at the end of the 2025 campaign.
While hopeful for a career lifeline via this week's AFL Draft, Francis has signed with Norwood for next year as he prepares to return to his home state of South Australia to commence his post-AFL career.
Norwood, who have secured the return of 2024 Magarey Medal winner Harry Boyd following his 12-month spell at St Kilda, finished fifth on the ladder this year before reaching the penultimate week of the finals, eventually bowing out to Glenelg in the preliminary final.
Boyd had been tied to a potential AFL lifeline as the ruck market kept moving through the Supplemental Selection Period, but the one-gamer has decided to play at Norwood Oval in 2026.
The Redlegs are almost settled on their list for next season, having managed to retain a large contingent of their Tasmanian players despite the state's addition to the VFL for 2026.
Norwood alumni Orazio Fantasia and James Aish are yet to find new clubs for next year and have been linked; however, the latter is not certain to feature at any level after 186 games with Brisbane, Collingwood and Fremantle.
Should Aish, a famous name to the club and a two-time premiership player before being drafted to Brisbane in 2013, decide to pull on the boots, he'd likely do so in the navy blue and red.
Fantasia is holding out hope of another chance at AFL level, and is in line to link up with Norwood should he not secure a contract with a fourth club.
