Former Dockers tagger Ryan Crowley has officially been unveiled as an Essendon player, having completed a medical with the club on Tuesday morning.
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His comeback to AFL was confirmed in a tweet by the club after the 31-year-old was continually linked with the embattled club in the last week or so.
The Bombers were given permission to top up their list with 10 players after the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned 12 current Bombers for the 2016 season.
The move represents a remarkable turnaround for Crowley, whose career was all but over after he was delisted by the Dockers last season after 188 games for the club.
"Whirlwind is one way to put it," he told the Bombers' website.
"It's been amazing. I'm super excited to be down here. It's a great club with heaps of history.
"I can't wait to get down there and train with the boys."
Crowley, who garnished a reputation as an uncompromising tagger when at his peak, said he hoped to bring a "bit of hardness" to the Bombers and "protect" some of the younger players.
"We've got some great young on-ballers, Merrett and Parish and these guys, so hopefully I can look after them," he said.
Crowley said his body was feeling good after a year out of the game.
"I wouldn't recommend having a year off, but it's amazing how good your body can feel," he said.
Don Deal: https://t.co/wUbz8pWLgk Welcome to the Bombers @ryanmcrowley. #DonTheSash pic.twitter.com/x7HtBN2udH— Essendon FC (@EssendonFC)
January 19, 2016
Last week prominent sports report Kim Hagdorn flagged Crowley was high on Essendon's "list of priorities."
The 2012 Doig Medallist, who spent last season watching from the sidelines after copping an anti-doping ban for taking an illegal substance, was heading to WAFL club Swan Districts in 2016 on a two-year deal.
Radio 6PR sports report Peter Vlahos said he spoke to Crowley at Bassendean Oval on Monday, who confirmed he had discussion with the Bombers.
"He'll have a medical test with the Bombers today, "Vlahos told WAtoday.
"Then the Bombers will probably hold a press conference tomorrow and roll out Crowley and other players."
Hagdorn said previously Crowley was on the Bombers radar because he was still in top condition.
"All reports are he's been training brilliantly and is the fittest man out at Swan Districts and had been brilliant with coaching contribution as well," he said.
"So Swan Districts are already talking if they lose Ryan Crowley they will want to renegotiate a deal so when he finishes at Essendon - and they think he could even stay for a year or two, not just this fill in year - then come back to Swans as an assistant coach to Greg Harding."
Hagdorn said the Bombers were also looking at recently retired Fremantle defender Paul Duffield and the Dockers' delisted forward Max Duffy.
"The problem with people like Paul Duffield is he hasn't been in training all summer like Ryan has," he said.
"Max Duffy has been spoken too...he's only 22. These are the boys that have been considered from the West here. I think Ryan offers a lot more than say a Paul Duffield as an immediate fill in player at Essendon."
