LIAM McMahon had grown accustomed to being told no. Delisted by Collingwood in 2022. Almost picked this time last year. Then the disappointment at the end of the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP) at Carlton. It has been a turbulent ride back to the AFL. But he is back.
The 23-year-old was the final player selected in Wednesday night’s Mid-Season Rookie Draft after Essendon used its fourth pick – No.18 overall – to provide McMahon with the second chance he has been pursuing since his time at Collingwood ended abruptly.
McMahon spent two years on the Magpies’ list during the coronavirus pandemic after being recruited from the Northern Knights with pick No.31 in the 2020 AFL Draft, but was cut without playing a senior game in black and white.
The 198cm spearhead headed to Princes Park in 2023 and quickly developed into one of the best young key forwards in the VFL, booting 45 goals from 16 games last year to finish runner-up in the Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal in a season where he won Carlton’s reserves best and fairest and was named at centre-half forward in the VFL team of the year.
His name was back on the whiteboards of recruiters.
Despite having a forward line built around two Coleman Medallists – Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay – Carlton considered him ahead of last year’s Rookie Draft. They passed. The Blues then invited him to trial with Michael Voss’ squad over the pre-season instead, before opting to sign Matt Carroll and Francis Evans before the SSP deadline 10 weeks later.
When the AFL reopened the window, momentarily, to replace Jagga Smith after the pick No.3 ruptured his ACL, Will White got the spot.
He was picked in the state team against the SANFL in April and kicked 24 goals from seven games to start 2025.
Liam McMahon celebrates a goal during the VFL R4 match between Carlton and North Melbourne at Arden Street Oval on April 18, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
Yet nothing was guaranteed heading into the Mid-Season Rookie Draft. Essendon was the only club that met with him, even then it was last minute. With 10 players above 190cm currently injured, including four out for the season, Essendon wanted him, months after Carlton said no.
“It was really difficult after the SSP. Sitting down with everyone that cares about me, it was ‘give it another crack or let this be your story’. I thought I was good enough to be playing AFL football. I wasn’t going to let this fall out of my hands,” McMahon told AFL.com.au after the Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
“I went out there every week with a point to prove. I knew I was never going to be in contention with Carlton, so I went out there with the mindset to do what I needed to help the team win, but also do what I could to prove myself to 16 other clubs, barring Carlton and Collingwood. ‘How can I prove myself to those teams?’ That was the mindset that I had.
“I was always confident internally, always had that self-belief, but when you get knocked back like I have – 12 months ago in the mid-season with Carlton and not getting picked, then the whole rollercoaster at the end of the year with the National Draft, Rookie Draft and SSP, getting taken to the deadline and not getting picked – you question things and go this footy stuff might not be for me.”
McMahon spent Wednesday night huddled around a laptop at home with his parents and his brother. His girlfriend couldn’t get work covered, so watched on via FaceTime.
“The roof nearly came off when I got picked,” he said.
Essendon had tracked him since Carlton released him at the end of the SSP. McMahon’s manager, Tom McConville from Mac’s Sports, had remained in regular contact with Bombers list manager Matt Rosa. But it wasn’t until Tuesday afternoon that Essendon recruiting manager Rob Forster-Knight summoned McMahon to The Hangar that McMahon dared to dream.
“Post-SSP news, Tom let me know that Essendon had been sniffing around and had some interest about me. They were wondering why it didn’t eventuate at Carlton. They told me to play a good first half of the season and they were going to keep an eye out,” he said.
“It eventuated in the end because of some of the unfortunate injuries at Essendon, but fortunately for me, they need tall players. The interest ramped up. I literally had an interview on Tuesday, 24 hours before the draft. I was sitting on the couch doing some uni work. Rob called and said can you come into the club at 1 and we’ll go through an interview. 24 hours later I’m a Bomber.
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Essendon also added Subiaco key forward Archie May with pick No.6 on Wednesday night, East Perth ruckman Lachlan Blakiston at No.13 and Bombers VFL small forward Oskar Smartt at No. 17, using all four available list spots to address some of the holes presented by their injury crisis right now.
McMahon was chewed up and spat out of the AFL system well before his 21st birthday. Key forwards take time. They are, usually, granted more time to develop than the Eltham product received at the AIA Centre.
But that experience moulded McMahon into who he is today. Not just the player, but the person.
The adversity has made him more resilient, more grateful for this lifeline. He has a six-month contract at Essendon, which essentially means he has only June, July, August and, potentially, September to earn a deal for 2026. That might be all he needs to prove the doubters wrong.
“It’s what I have wanted to do ever since I was a little kid; I’ve had dreams of playing AFL for as long as I can remember. For it not to eventuate at Collingwood was disappointing, but I knew that I deserved another chance. I knew that I had to have another crack at it, or I would be really disappointed in myself. Going through all that has set me up well, not just in football but in life for dealing with setbacks and disappointment, navigating the world.
“I gained a lot from my time at Collingwood; I can’t really complain about that at all. I made a lot of lifelong friends and had some good memories. I took growth and maturity out of that, being able to rub shoulders with so many great players and live day to day with them. I was a bit naive and young at Collingwood and didn’t really understand what it took to be an AFL footballer. Ever since then I have been able to get my game to a point where it needs to be and matured as a person, developed as a human being. I am really proud of it all.”
It took 40 VFL games for McMahon to get back into the system, a time where he completed a personal training course and worked for Phillips Coaching under former Geelong head of football Simon Lloyd.
With so many key forwards out right now, it might not be too long before Brad Scott turns to the key forward who has been averaging 3.4 goals this season – up from 2.8 in 2024 – to help play a role as winter descends on Melbourne.
“I bloody hope so,” he said. “It would be a nice reward for all my hard work and effort, but I love bringing the people in my life on the journey too; that is one of my main motivators, so it would be nice to say I played a game of AFL, that would be a huge accomplishment, but seeing the joy and excitement and passion that my friends and family get out of my success is what really drives me.
“I want it just as bad for myself. You see on Channel 7 and Fox Footy when players debut how pumped their friends and family are. That’s what I want for the people around me. That’s what drives me.”
After two stops at two Victorian powerhouses, albeit in different programs, McMahon lands at a third in three years.
He is still hunting the chance to prove himself on the MCG, Marvel Stadium, or wherever AFL premiership points are on offer. McMahon is closer today than he was yesterday.
