Melbourne great David Schwarz says it’s “unfathomable” that West Coast cut former AFL mid-season top draft pick Jai Culley over the off-season.

Since being delisted by the Eagles in October, Culley has been training with Melbourne in a bid to win one of their final list spots through the supplemental selection period (SSP).

A dreaded ACL tear derailed his career at West Coast, where he played 12 games across two and a half years but failed to cement his spot in the team after being snapped up with pick No.1 in the 2022 mid-season draft.

Swooping on the opportunity, the Demons had seen enough in the midfielder to throw him a lifeline, and the youngster has proven his mettle during the club’s pre-season, Schwarz says.

“Can I tell you the kid who is burning up the track at Melbourne more than anyone? You ready for this? Jai Culley,” Schwarz told SEN.

“My goodness me. How West Coast let him go is unfathomable. Unfathomable.

“In all their pre-season — I have watched a lot of their footy this pre-season — he would be in the best two or three, and (going) head-to-head with the best midfielders at Melbourne and showing them what he can do.”

Culley had been competing with 2024 Werribee premiership player Jack Henderson for one available list spot until the former VFL star won the race.

But with Dees forward Shane McAdam being put on the inactive list after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, the door has been reopened for Culley to be rewarded with a contract.

“He’s not on the list at the moment, but they’ve just had McAdam go down for the year, and a spot might open up, and if it does, West Coast might be just ruing the moment they let him go,” Schwarz added.

McAdam hurt himself last Friday and will undergo surgery this week to repair the damage.

“As we know, Shane unfortunately ruptured his Achilles tendon late last week and requires surgery as a result,” Melbourne footy boss Alan Richardson said.

“He will undergo that surgery tomorrow. From there, he will begin a long rehab journey, which will disappointingly rule him out for the upcoming season.

“Despite the circumstances, Shane is keeping in good spirits and is looking forward to getting stuck into his rehab.

“As a club, we will continue to support him every step of the way.”

Only weeks before he did his ACL, Culley booted a career high four goals in a game against Port Adelaide.

He also had a personal-best 19 touches in a game against St Kilda in 2022.

McAdam crossed from Adelaide to Melbourne at the end of 2023, but missed the early part of last year with a hamstring injury and only managed three AFL appearances for the season.

His latest setback continues a wretched run of luck on the injury front for Melbourne.

Captain Max Gawn fractured his larynx at training over the summer, while 21-year-old defender Judd McVee has been sidelined with a high-grade hamstring strain for 6-8 weeks.

Superstar Christian Petracca also sat out of Friday’s session and remains in non-contact drills.

Petracca, who went through a nightmare ordeal last year when he suffered life-threatening internal injuries (including a lacerated spleen and punctured lung), broke a rib a month ago.

Veteran mid Jack Viney is also battling a rib injury and is on a modified program.

- With Cameron Noakes