By Jake Niall and Michael Gleeson
Carlton are the front-runners to secure Sydney free agent Will Hayward as clubs circle out-of-contract Blues forward Jack Martin amid a salary-cap juggle at Ikon Park.
Martin is at the end of a five-year deal, which was heavily front-ended, and has been sought by several clubs including two interstate.
Due to a tight salary cap, Carlton’s senior players have signalled they would be open to deferring payments or modifying contracts to enable the Blues to chase players who suit their needs, whether that is Hayward or others.
Sydney Swans star Will Hayward.Credit: AFL Photos
But the potential exit of Martin, 29, who is yet to enter meaningful contract negotiations with Carlton, would create a small amount of salary-cap room, even though his deal was front-loaded.
The Blues are eager to land Hayward, who is a restricted free agent because his back-loaded deal landed him in the top 25 per cent of Sydney’s pay earners this year.
The Swans might not to have the scope to pay Hayward what he would get from rivals, even including the Blues, who are at the front of a queue for the free-agent forward just ahead of the two South Australian teams and Melbourne.
Carlton forward Jack Martin.Credit: AFL Photos
While Hayward is not certain to leave the Swans, rival clubs have pursued the forward knowing he was facing a reduction in his current deal, which placed him among the 10 best-paid Swans this year. A source said the Swans offered improved contract terms recently but that the Crows, with their younger list profile, would be in a position to outbid Carlton or Sydney.
If he were to leave the Swans, Hayward is open to move to Melbourne and to continue to play for a team in premiership contention. He has no beef with the Swans, who are facing salary-cap pressures, following the re-signings of superstars Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney, and James Rowbottom and Ollie Florent. Key forward Logan McDonald is in negotiations over a new deal.
If Hayward left the Swans, Sydney would have the opportunity to accept free-agency draft compensation if they chose not to match the terms. While $800,000 has delivered first-round selections as compensation in the past, the increased salary cap in 2024 means it is unclear what amount would deliver a first-round or end-of-first-round selection this year.
Hayward, pick No.21 in the 2016 national draft, booted four goals in a brilliant display against Greater Western Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.
The Swans prioritised the signing of a fellow free agent from the same draft, Florent, who last week confirmed a new five-year deal.
The talented Martin was an important contributor to Carlton’s late-season surge and finals campaign last year, but has endured periods on the sidelines with injury since crossing from Gold Coast in the pre-season draft before the 2020 season.
Martin was selected on Wednesday night to take on Melbourne on Thursday for his first game of 2024. Mitch McGovern is also among four inclusions for the Blues.
Carlton’s enviable collection of top-end players, headed by key forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, midfielder Sam Walsh, key back Jacob Weitering and skipper Patrick Cripps, are all in the higher-income bracket of the AFL, with Weitering to come out of contract next year and clearly worth more than $1 million in the marketplace.
Hayward has kicked 174 goals in 145 games for the Swans.
The moves come as the Western Bulldogs officially confirmed that key forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had signed a two-year contract extension. That deal is worth about $1 million a year.
The 22-year-old from Balardong Noongar and Whadjuk Noongar country was the No.1 draft pick in 2020 after the Bulldogs matched Adelaide’s bid on the Next Generation Academy player.
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