Moneyball: All the latest trade and free agency news
Matt Crouch has struggled to attract trade interest in recent years – but there might be a way out for the Crows midfielder this season. Get the latest AFL trade news.
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Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch will hope for an AFL lifeline from a rival club at season’s end following another tough start to the year.
Crouch, 28, was crowned All-Australian and best and fairest in 2017, but the hard nut midfielder has played only one game this season after 11 matches last year.
While he has struggled to attract trade interest in recent years, Crouch could test the market on a reduced rate as an unrestricted free agent who could be considered as a back-up onballer at a new club.
Crouch has been leapfrogged this year by the Crows’ young playmakers including Jake Soligo and Chayce Jones, while senior leaders Rory Laird and Jordan Dawson have been in excellent form.
Crouch, who is from Ballarat, averaged 33 disposals a game in his superb 2017 season.
RIVALS POISED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PIES SQUEEZE
Expect Finn Macrae to become a player of interest to rival clubs at year’s end given his lack of senior opportunities at Collingwood.
The No. 19 draft pick in the 2020 national draft played nine games in a bright debut season in 2021 but has played only two games since.
This year he has again been shut out of opportunities despite excellent VFL form, averaging 103 ranking points, 25.6 touches, 10 contested possessions, 5.4 clearances and six tackles in nine games.
Macrae is contracted through to the end of 2024 but the Pies showed their hand when they brought the elite-running Patrick Lipinski back into the side as soon as he had overcome shoulder surgery.
It means Macrae could be on the lookout for increased opportunities given he seems so far down the pecking order at Collingwood.
Jordan De Goey has become a bone fide midfielder, Steele Sidebottom is contracted for next season, and Scott Pendlebury has just signed on for another season.
The brother of Western Bulldogs star Jackson Macrae might need to move on to flourish as a footballer.
NEW DEAL LOOMS FOR EMERGING BLUE
A fresh two-year deal is the most likely outcome to reward the breakout season of Brodie Kemp, who has pushed Lewis Young out of the Carlton backline.
Kemp’s last four weeks have been awesome, averaging 16.8 disposals (fifth in the comp for key defenders), seven marks (fifth), 3.8 intercept marks (sixth) and 6.2 intercept possessions.
He has also kept the likes of Hayden McLean, Bailey Fritsch, Kyle Langford and Levi Casboult to only five combined goals in their direct match-ups.
The 192cm backman has played just 12 games in three and half seasons but has finally shrugged off his injuries including an ACL he suffered in his draft year as the Blues still took him at pick 17.
Young has been pushed out of the team as Michael Voss prefers Jacob Weitering, Kemp and Mitch McGovern but only just signed a new deal through to 2026 in March.
Despite whispers that rivals might consider him gettable he is happy to fight his way back into the team.
FORGOTTEN SAINT TO FIGHT FOR SPOT
Jack Billings is determined to work his way back into the St Kilda side under Ross Lyon rather than jump ship for a fresh start elsewhere.
Billings was close to his first St Kilda game of the season before succumbing to a minor hamstring strain that again delayed his return.
His lucrative contract at St Kilda running to the end of 2024 has him as potential trade bait at a club where president Andrew Bassat on Tuesday forecast aggressive list change.
But Billings is determined to fight his way into the senior team after he and Lyon agreed he was a small forward after many years of trying to break out as an AFL wingman.
The No.3 pick in the 2013 national draft will be a free agent when his contract expires at the end of next season.
HAWK BOOSTING CONTRACT STOCKS
Hawthorn livewire Tyler Brockman is playing himself into a position of strength after only signing a one-year contract extension at the Hawks last year.
Brockman has shown flashes of brilliance averaging 12 possessions and a goal a week in Sam Mitchell’s side while playing 10 games after none last season.
He had endured a season-ending shoulder season so only signed that 12 month deal but in a Hawthorn side brimming with talent he is another shining light.
He is due for contract talks in coming weeks at a club where James Worpel has just kicked off discussions after an excellent start to the season.
DUMPED BLUE’S LIKELY LANDING SPOT
West Coast shapes as a likely landing spot for Zac Fisher, who wants out of Carlton after being dropped twice already this year.
The Herald Sun revealed last week Fisher was keen for more midfield time despite having two more years running on his contract.
Carlton would be open to brokering a deal and with Fisher’s deal believed to be worth between $400,000-$500,000 a season it would actually open up cap space for the Blues.
Fisher has racked up huge possession tallies playing midfield in the VFL and a club like West Coast could use his ball use and speed during its rebuild.
Fisher played every game last year as a small forward and kicked 18 goals but has kicked only three goals in eight games for the Blues this year.
WILL OVERLOOKED CROW SECURE LIFELINE?
GIANTS MEET WITH KEY FREE AGENT
GWS Giants have met with Harry Himmelberg’s management as part of the club’s bid to keep the versatile key position player.
The Giants believe the goal kicker has a bright future at the club despite strong interest from Sydney Swans and Richmond.
The academy product has been tabled an offer from GWS which is understood to be for at least five seasons in length.
While Himmelberg is close friends with Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper, who crossed from GWS to Richmond last season, the Giants are certain Himmelberg is well-settled in Sydney.
JOURNEYMAN’S FUTURE UP IN THE AIR
GWS Giants’ ruckman Braydon Preuss is facing an uncertain future as he attempts to overcome a troubling back injury.
Preuss, who is in the final year of his contract, has endured a horror injury run since landing at his third club and is currently out indefinitely.
The 206cm big man, who started his career at North Melbourne and Melbourne, has played only 10 games since joining GWS on a three-year deal.
He was traded to GWS in exchange for pick 31 in the 2020 national draft, which was moved on in another deal by the Demons.
For the Giants, Kieran Briggs has taken over impressively as the club’s No. 1 ruckman after patiently developing in the NEAFL.
The 200cm Briggs has fired for coach Adam Kingsley since stepping up in Round 5, averaging 27 hit-outs, 10 contested possessions and five clearances a game as part of the red-hot stretch.
The Giants could look to extend Preuss on a short-term deal if he can recover from his latest back injury which he suffered in the preseason.
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