Following an extremely successful Victorian Football League season at Williamstown, Marty Hore is back in the AFL.
Melbourne welcomed back the defender with Hore re-joining the club ahead of the 2024 season.
Hore, who was part of the Demons’ list between 2019 and 2021, earned another opportunity via the pre-season supplemental selection period on Monday, following two impressive years in the VFL.
He played for North Melbourne’s VFL side in 2022 and the Seagulls for this past season, his efforts earning him back-to-back selection in the VFL team of the year.
Hore also claimed the Seagulls’ best and fairest award in September after averaging 23 disposals and 10 marks across 19 matches.
“Williamstown was a great football club for me,”Hore said. “I had a really enjoyable time there and I think that showed in my footy, I had a lot of fun and I can’t thank the Williamstown footy club enough.
“I had some back luck when I was here for a couple of years and didn’t play. It’s been important to stay on the park for me and I did that at North Melbourne VFL and then last season at Williamstown.
“I was able to put some good form footy in and stay fit which was the main thing.
“It’s hard working full-time and then trying to play footy with recovery and family time and everything, I think I’ve got the balance pretty good.”
At 190 centimetres tall, Hore is set to add to the Demons’ defensive stocks, alongside some of the competition’s best defenders such as Steven May and Jake Lever.
Hore was first selected by Melbourne with pick 56 in the 2018 national draft, making his AFL debut the following year.
The 27-year-old went on to play 14 senior games before a knee injury saw him side lined for the 2021 campaign, and subsequently delisted at season’s end.
“It’s bloody exciting, it’s a great opportunity to come back,” he said.
“It’s a funny one really, I didn’t think I’d come back to the Dees, when I got that phone call I couldn’t believe it to be honest.
“I couldn’t be happier to come back, see familiar faces, I’m still good mates with a lot of the boys so it’s been an easy transition so far.
“I want to keep developing my game, I think I’ve got a lot of improvement left in me at 27, plenty of good footy ahead of me.
“I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be an exciting pre-season and hopefully I can get a look in early in the season.”
