AFL trade period day three as it happened: Cats put pens to paper; Free agency compensation explained

That’s day three of the official AFL trade period done and dusted.

No players found a new home on Wednesday as the player exchange period ground on and on with ongoing negotiations between all the clubs and parties. Indeed, only two players have officially been subject to a trade so far – Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne to Adelaide) and Jack Darling (West Coast to North Melbourne) – while a couple of others have found new homes via free agency.

There are still many more scenarios for clubs, recruiters, players and player managers to consider over the next seven days of trade action before the deadline on October 16, and some intriguing news did emerge in relation to off-field appointments at AFL clubs.

We’ll be back with you on Thursday as the wheeling and dealing continues. To while away the hours until then, you can listen to today’s edition of our Real Footy podcast which is about to go live, via all good podcast apps, and stay tuned to our website for the latest news and analysis from the best in the business.

Enjoy your evening and don’t stop thinking about how your club’s list can get better.

Good night.

Jeff Browne is leaving Collingwood as president almost immediately. Graham Wright will start work as Carlton CEO-in-waiting next week. These two news items confirmed on Wednesday cannot be disentangled.

Browne, who took over at Collingwood promising leadership, formally announced he will leave the club at a time that it remains without a permanent head of football – a position that has been vacant for almost 12 months.

Former Collingwood football boss Graham Wright will become Carlton’s next CEO.Credit: AAP

Wright, who had been the Pies’ football chief and for whom they went to lengths to try to accommodate a sabbatical and return to the club, will now become the next chief executive of Carlton after serving a nine-to-12-month period as understudy to Brian Cook.

Read more from Michael Gleeson

Western Bulldogs forward Riley Garcia has agreed to remain at the Western Bulldogs on a three-year deal after attracting interest from Port Adelaide. The 23-year-old is on the cusp of cementing a spot in the team after 12 AFL games and a placing in the club’s VFL best and fairest.

Riley Garcia.Credit: Getty Images

Geelong have re-signed defenders Jake Kolodjashnij and Lawson Humphries on two-year deals tying them to the club until 2026.

Jed Bews, as expected, has a one-year deal while tough rookie on-baller Ted Clohesy also landed a one-year deal. Rhys Stanley and Mitch Duncan are also expected to sign for one more year while it’s unclear whether the skipper Patrick Dangerfield will sign a one or two-year deal.

Humphries was picked up a year ago with the 63rd and final selection of the national draft, but made an immediate impression on debut against Essendon in round 16.

Composed and a clean user of the ball, he became a firm member of the Cats’ best line-up by the time their campaign ended in the preliminary final loss to Brisbane Lions.

Lawson Humphries.Credit: Getty Images

Recruited from Swan Districts, Humphries’ contract already stretched to the end of 2025, but the Cats added a year to the deal.

Kolodjashnij and Bews were dependable members of the Cats’ 2022 premiership team, although the latter struggled for opportunities at senior level early in 2024.

The son of Andrew Bews – a former Geelong captain who played 282 games in a distinguished career at the Cats and Brisbane – he has agreed to play on in 2025 after playing five of the club’s final six games, taking his career tally to 171.

Kolodjashnij’s contract extension means the reliable defender should cruise past the 200-game milestone.

Raised in Tasmania, the 29-year-old has 198 games to his name after missing just one match in 2024, when he ranked in the top 25 in the AFL for spoils.

Jake Kolodjashnij of the Cats marks the ball ahead of Dustin Martin.Credit: AFL Photos

The Cats announced the deals on Wednesday, also revealing that they had extended VFL regular Clohesy’s contract. He has played three AFL games.

“We are pleased Jake, Jed, Lawson and Ted have signed on and will remain at the Cats,” Geelong football manager Andrew Mackie said.

“Jake continues to be a vital player to our backline structure and has enjoyed another consistent season. Jed is a great club person and was a key part of the team in the backend of the season. With their experience and the way they approach their footy, both players play an important role for our emerging group of young players.”

The massive off-field changes at West Coast have continued but this time it’s to bring back a very familiar face – club legend John Worsfold.

Worsfold has been named as West Coast’s new head of football, in which he will work across the entirety of the club’s football programs and teams.

The 56-year-old captained West Coast to two flags during his glittering 209-game career before coaching the club to the 2006 flag during his 12 years in charge.

Worsfold stepped down as West Coast coach at the end of 2013, before coaching Essendon from 2016-2020 to help the Bombers during their drugs saga.

John Worsfold (right) earlier this year with West Coast CEO Don Pyke.Credit: AFL Photos

More recently, Worsfold has spent the past four years as general manager of people and culture at the ASX-listed Emeco Group.

Worsfold’s appointment at West Coast will complement the current football department structure and work in with existing football managers – Gavin Bell (AFL), Michelle Cowan (AFLW) and Steve Trewhella (WAFL).

The Eagles have listed November 4 as Worsfold’s start date.

AAP

Carlton’s next chief Graham Wright has sidestepped the suggestion that tensions between him and Magpies CEO Craig Kelly were behind his Collingwood exit.

The Blues announced on Wednesday that Wright will be Carlton CEO Brian Cook’s deputy before taking the reins via a handover plan, delivering a stinging blow to their fierce AFL rivals.

Wright, the mastermind behind Collingwood’s 2023 premiership, quit the Magpies following a leave of absence this year.

A 1990 Collingwood premiership player, Wright, 56, spent an extensive period at Hawthorn, where he was instrumental in building the list that won four premierships.

He moved to Collingwood in 2021, and two years later delivered the 2023 premiership, before taking an overseas sabbatical, following 35 straight years involved in the AFL.

He ultimately didn’t return this season, when Collingwood failed to make the finals, with his departure announced in August.

Asked if there were “creative tensions” with Kelly, and if that contributed to his exit, Wright said: “No.

“There was always a chance (I would move on).

“I mean, I actually resigned, where they wouldn’t accept my resignation.

“But, yeah, there was always a chance that I’d do something else or look to do something else, and that became clearer for me towards the back end of July.”

AAP