Veteran midfielder Dylan Shiel’s future as an AFL player is suddenly in doubt.

Essendon and Shiel have parted ways and it is unclear if there is any interest from rival clubs in the 32 year-old.

He has been in and out of the team this year, falling out of favour after Round 10 when the Bombers were thrashed by the Western Bulldogs.

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Shiel was then dropped and, despite an injury crisis engulfing the club, coach Brad Scott refused to get him back into the team.

Eventually, as the Bombers ran out of players, Shiel was finally called back for the Round 19 clash against his former side, the GWS Giants.

The 2017 All-Australian does not have a deal for next season and Essendon have no interest in extending his contract.

It has been reported that even if the club wanted to re-sign him, he would have declined.

The Bombers signed Shiel on good money ahead of the 2019 season. They also gave up two first-round draft picks for the midfielder.

St Kilda have previously expressed interest in Shiel.

He was on their radar in 2023, but they cooled following concerns about his body and form.

However, in 2024 the Saints’ interest in the midfielder was rekindled but again it mounted to nothing.

Shiel is still keen to play AFL next year.

And when he has been given the opportunity, he has shown he can still be a strong contributor.

He started the year at half-back, but when he was moved into his preferred midfield spot for the game against Melbourne in Round 5, he was among the team’s best with a 30-disposal (and a goal) game.

In the Round 20 clash against the Bulldogs, Shiel also had 29 touches.

He was banned for last week’s match against St Kilda following a curious incident where he pushed Geelong’s Mark O’Connor into his own teammate Luamon Lual.

The tribunal took almost two hours to reach a verdict after a hearing that went for 66 minutes.

Scott said about the incident that Essendon had been punished three times: a free kick against Shiel during the game, an injury to Lual, and a ban to Shiel.