Essendon Football Club is pleased to announce Tom Bellchambers will return for the Bombers next season.

Bellchambers has recommitted until the end of the 2018 season and said he wants to repay the faith the Club has shown him over the journey.

“The time away from the football Club has allowed me to freshen up physically and mentally,” Bellchambers said.

“Missing this season and a big chunk of 2015 through injury makes me want come back fitter and stronger in 2017.

“I really appreciate all that Essendon has done for me over my career, they gave me the chance to pursue my dream of playing AFL and I’m looking forward to repaying the faith they’ve shown me.

“I feel I still have plenty of good footy left in me, I’m excited about our future under John Worsfold and the opportunity to build a really strong ruck combination with Matthew Leuenberger is very exciting.”

CEO, Xavier Campbell, said Tom’s decision to continue his career at Essendon was a significant vote of confidence in the direction of the football Club.

“Tom is a fantastic young man with an exceptional talent and we’re extremely pleased he’s returning to the Club next season,” Campbell said.

“When we sat down with Tom he spoke about his passion for the Club and his burning ambition to help Essendon become a great Club again.

“Today we’ve seen Kyle Langford and Tom Bellchambers proudly say they want to be part of the new Essendon Football Club. This is a great vote of confidence in the elite football program John Worsfold and the coaching staff are building.”

List & Recruiting Manager, Adrian Dodoro, said Tom’s re-signing has bolstered the Club’s ruck stocks for 2017.

“Tommy is a spiritual leader amongst the playing group, he’s rated highly internally and he’s a proud Essendon person,” Dodoro said.

“We’ve really missed Tommy's ability to play forward and ruck this season, and we believe at his best he can be an All-Australian ruckman.

“I know Essendon members and supporters will be thrilled that Tom will be back in the red and black in 2017, and the prospect of him combining with Matthew Leuenberger is exciting.”

Bellchambers joins Heath Hocking, Travis Colyer, Cale Hooker, David Myers and Dyson Heppell who have also re-committed to the Club so far this season as well as Kyle Langford who also re-signed earlier today.