Courtenay Dempsey Biography

Courtenay Dempsey is delisted by Essendon.

"Courtenay has made a significant contribution to the club both on and off the field during a career which spanned more than a decade at Essendon," Essendon football manager Rob Kerr said.

"He played with flair and courage, was a role model to his young teammates and has worked hard to make a difference in the indigenous community.

"Courtenay should be extremely proud of what he has achieved at Essendon, and on behalf of everyone at the club, we wish Courtenay, his partner Danielle and children Chenae, Taitum and Mekhi every success for the future."

Courtenay Dempsey's future at Essendon remains up in the air as the defender waits to see if the Bombers offer him a new contract for next year.

"We've had some general chats with the club and we're just waiting on them to work out whether or when we'll get an offer. It's back with the club at the moment so we're just waiting to hear back from them," Dempsey's manager Shane Casley said.

Courtenay Dempsey is keen to play on at Essendon next year but the club has not yet opened talks with the unrestricted free agent.

The 28-year-old has been in solid form for the Bombers in 2016 playing off half-back, offering run, drive and experience to a young Essendon line-up.

"Certainly he'd be keen to play on. It's normally about round 16 or 17 when we usually have a chat, but he's been playing some good footy and I'm sure he'll want to play on with the Bombers next year," Dempsey's manager Shane Casley said.

"But we haven't sat down with the club yet, and I haven't sat down with Courtenay about it yet, and we'll do that over the next couple of weeks."

Courtney Dempsey signs a one-year contract with Essendon.

"I'm really happy to have re-signed with the Essendon footy club, I love living in Melbourne and playing in front of the big Bomber crowds each week," Dempsey said.

"Spending time with 'Woosha' and talking to him about the role he sees me playing this season makes me really excited about what 2016 can bring for us as a team and a club.

"Woosha has made it really clear what he expects from me this season, I'm excited about tackling this pre-season head on, and as a team I feel we have plenty to prove in 2016."

Courtenay Dempsey has attracted the interest of the Sydney Swans as he waits to receive a contract offer from the Bombers.

It's believed the Swans have enquired about Dempsey, who could join them automatically as an unrestricted free agent if the club's interest progresses.

Dempsey's manager, Shane Casley, said the 28-year-old had started to get some rival interest but that his first choice would be to stay at Essendon.

"He's a very, very loyal guy and he's always indicated to me he wants to play his whole career at Essendon," Casley said.

"He's played his whole footy career at Essendon, but in saying that we need to assess any offer we get and go from there. Certainly his first preference will be to stay."

Rival clubs have shown interest in Essendon free agent Courtenay Dempsey, who is awaiting a contract offer from the Bombers.

Dempsey wants to stay at the club where he has played 119 games since being drafted in 2005, but as an unrestricted free agent he can join another club without a trade.

His manager, Shane Casley from ESP, has recently been overseas for several weeks but said he been in contact with the club to progress discussions.

"I have spoken to [Essendon list manager] Adrian Dodoro since I've been back this week and had a good chat," Casley said.

"Obviously they've got some things they need to do over the next couple of weeks in appointing a coach, and that is probably going to determine what offers they put to us and whether we accept them.

"At this stage we just want to see how all that plays out and I think both sides are happy with that. There's been a little bit of interest from other clubs so we'll just wait and see what happens with Essendon and go from there."

Richmond vice-captain Brett Deledio says he can't remember much from the tackle that landed Essendon's Courtenay Dempsey a four-match ban, but he remembers thinking mid-air "this won't end well".

Deledio was lifted and slammed into the MCG turf by his opponent on Saturday night, in a driving tackle that left him briefly unconscious and with a stiff neck in the following days.

He regained consciousness as the Richmond trainers came to treat him on-ground and said he was "very grateful it didn't end up a lot worse".

"I remember being picked up (by Dempsey) and thinking this is not going to end well," Deledio said.

"The next thing I remember, Anthony, one of our trainers, had his hands on me saying, "don't move, stay still".

"I can't really remember a whole lot, but after the game he (Dempsey) definitely said sorry.

"My neck was a little bit stiff for a couple of days, but I trained today and I passed my concussion test with flying colours apparently."

Courtenay Dempsey has been suspended for four matches for his driving tackle on Brett Deledio, despite pleas a large sanction could impact his ability to earn a contract at a new club.

Dempsey, who remains uncontracted and an unrestricted free agent, could have played his last game for the Bombers after failing to have the impact of his tackle downgraded from severe.

The incident, which resulted in a direct referral to the Tribunal on Monday, was described by long-time Tribunal prosecutor Jeff Gleeson QC as the most dangerous tackle he had seen.

"There's no incident of which I'm aware of a player being driven head-first into the ground with such force," Gleeson told the Tribunal in prosecuting his case against the Bomber.

"They don't have such a pronounced risk of spinal injury as this one."

Dempsey was represented by former AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson, who argued there were exceptional and compelling circumstances in the 28-year-old's case, given he was fighting to continue his AFL career.

"The likelihood of him being drafted and given another opportunity with a suspension hanging over his head is significantly reduced," Anderson argued.

"He deserves the opportunity to not have this incident stop him from having another opportunity to play football.

"He doesn’t have a media career lined up. This is what he does, he's a footballer."

Essendon football manager Rob Kerr said the suspension would have no impact on the club's decision to recontract Dempsey, despite him being unavailable for the first three matches of 2016.

"I think it's really important to recognise Courtenay expressed remorse right at the start of the incident and has been remorseful right the way through," Kerr said.

"The Tribunal has made their determination, it's probably sent a message to the player group, and we accept that.

"This will have next to no impact on [list discussions]. Courtenay is a fairly talented footballer and we'll address that when the time comes."

Victoria Police have approached Essendon player Courtenay Dempsey after he was the target of alleged racial abuse online.

Dempsey received the abusive comment on Instagram following his heavy tackle on Richmond's Brett Deledio in the final quarter of Saturday night's Dons-Tigers clash.

The comment has since been removed and Dempsey has received an apology from the person responsible.

Dempsey said he was hurt and disgusted at the comment that was posted on his social media account.

"My family and I are deeply upset," Dempsey said.

"People need to understand players are human and we have feelings. There is no place for racism in our society and in our game.

"This shouldn’t be happening in this day and age."

Courtenay Dempsey won't be available to play for the Bombers "until further notice" after receiving a club suspension from Essendon's playing group.

Dempsey has been banned for failing to meet the club's "standards and expectations".

"Courtenay is a talented player and an important member of our team. We'll give him the necessary support required to regain the consistent standards we expect of him as a player at this football club," Bombers coach Mark Thompson said in a club statement.

"We felt that Courtenay needed to understand that we can't accept individuals stepping outside of team protocols and requirements.

"We sat down with Courtenay and discussed the reasons why his training standards had dropped, and as a result we agreed the best way forward for him was to go back and train with the VFL side."

Courtenay Dempsey is set for more time on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury in the VFL.

Courtenay Dempsey will miss at least four matches, ruling him out until at least the finals after tearing his hamstring against the Magpies.

"We sent him for a scan to nail exactly what it is and unfortunately we got what was probably the worst result we could have had," football operations manager Steve Alessio said.

"He has got a tear in his hamstring tendon and unfortunately that will mean he is going to be out for at least four weeks."

Courtenay Dempsey will be forced to play in the VFL after breaching team rules by going out drinking while injured.

"The players set high standards for each other and it's important they don't breach team rules under any circumstances," Essendon football operations manager Steven Alessio said.

"It's disappointing because Courtenay has been in fantastic form this season and he was set to make his return from injury."

Stephen Milne accepts a one-match ban for misconduct after being seen gouging and making unnecessary contact to Essendon defender Courtenay Dempsey's face.

Scott Watters labels Stephen Milne's actions as 'stupid' after the forward was banned for one match for appearing to gouge Bomber Courtney Dempsey's face.

"It was just stupid. I don't think there was any major malice in it. It was just something that didn't need to happen," Watters said.

"It was not the sort of act that I expect from our leaders, Milney knows that, he's disappointed that he can't be there where he needs to be, which is actually playing alongside a number of our younger players."

Courtenay Dempsey says he had doubts about returning from an arterior cruciate ligament tear.

"With a major injury of that calibre, you do have those doubts in the back of your mind but coming back and getting into it earlier than expected really boosted my confidence in knowing I'd be able to come in and play well," Dempsey said.

"In saying that, I was a lot better with my off-field stuff and my professionalism with my knee than I have ever been which is helping me now."

Courtenay Dempsey says running onto the field with his daughter for Dreamtime at the 'G one of the highlights of his career so far.

"It was a beautiful experience — one not to forget," Dempsey said.

"That was the best experience of my career to date. I think she was a bit frightened because of the noise, but it was a good feeling for me."

James Hird says he was thrilled by the effort of Courtenay Dempsey against the Swans in the NAB Cup after coming back from a serious knee injury.

"Courtenay has got exceptional talent and I think the knee [injury] has taught him a lot about the game and life too. Courtenay is a vastly more mature man right now than when I came into the club 18 months ago," Hird said.

"To Courtenay's credit he's worked very hard on his life, not only his knee, and I think that we're seeing a guy coming into some good football and I hope he stays injury free, because he'll get that if he does."

Essendon coach James Hird says Courtenay Dempsey's successful return from injury was a positive despite the Bombers' poor showing in the NAB Cup.

''I thought he was pretty good,'' Hird said.

''We need to get four or five games into him just to get that confidence back,'' Hird said.

''Courtenay is a pretty relaxed sort of guy so he took it in his stride.''

Essendon defender Courtenay Dempsey is in line for a round one return after rehabilitation from a knee reconstruction.

It's obviously up to the coaches and fitness staff and if they think I should be right, but I'm hoping to play," Dempsey said.

"I'm putting my hand up to play, but as I said, it all boils down to the coaches. The knee itself is progressing well."

Essendon coach James Hird says knee recostruction duo Courtenay Dempsey and Jason Winderlich will be available for round one.

"Jason Winderlich has had some really good periods. We've backed him off a little bit just over the past week or so because we want to make sure he doesn't get too much knee soreness," Hird said.

"His reconstruction required a little bit more surgery than Courtenay's, so we've got to be a bit more careful with him, but they'll both be fit and ready to go by round one."