Star forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti will take some time away from football because of personal reasons, Essendon announced yesterday.
It is unsure when the 28-year-old will return from personal leave, as he continues to deal with personal matters while managing a calf injury that has slowed his pre-season.
Bombers football boss Josh Mahoney said McDonald-Tipungwuti would have the full support of the club during his leave of absence.
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“The wellbeing of our players and staff is always our priority when guiding our decision making,” he said.
“With this in mind, we have prioritised Anthony’s wellbeing in making a decision to grant him time away from the club.
“Anthony has been very open with us about some of his personal struggles and coupled with his recovery from a calf injury, we felt this leave period was in the best interests to support Anthony.
“He is a much-loved member of our football club, and we will continue to care for, and fully support, Anthony throughout this time and we look forward to his return in the future.”
McDonald-Tipungwuti missed several games at the end of last season, including the Bombers’ finals campaign due to personal reasons.
Essendon are one month out from their first pre-season clash with St Kilda on March 6 at Marvel Stadium.
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