Wreck it Ralph: Every club’s big list calls over final six rounds
Collingwood will soon face the awkward reality of making a call on whether to delist the son of its club boss. JON RALPH analyses the big decisions every club will make in coming months.
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One AFL game can change the course of an AFL career.
Chad Wingard’s sparkling display against GWS last week was another reminder of his undoubted talents despite the injuries that have stalled his AFL career.
At Whitten Oval injuries mean Josh Bruce could get the chance to show he still has a future in the AFL as a strong-bodied one-on-one defender.
Who are the players determined to shine at your club in the back end of the season as their contracts expire?
Which players have six weeks to consolidate their contract position or prove they deserve an AFL lifeline?
ADELAIDE
Taylor Walker is closing in on a new one-year deal worth up to $600,000 and Rory Sloane will be there alongside him in 2024. The Crows have used their former captain beautifully this year, playing inside and outside the contest across 17 games averaging 20 possessions.
Matt Crouch will become a delisted free agent giving a rival the opportunity to pick him up for midfield depth given his brilliant ball-winning abilities.
Ex-Giant Jackson Hately signed a three-year deal to move to Adelaide but the last of his AFL games was in round 17 in 2022, so a tough decision lies ahead.
Paul Seedsman’s career looks set to end because of concussion-based issues.
BRISBANE LIONS
A couple of Brisbane stalwarts will be desperate to finish this season with a rush – and a premiership – as they contemplate their futures.
Daniel Rich is 33 and the kids might have passed him by as he plays VFL in the hope he might get one more shot.
Dayne Zorko is out of contract and still capable of exceptional football, but increasingly injury prone. Would he retire if the Lions can lift the cup?
Marcus Adams’ career is in jeopardy (and likely over) because of concussion issues, while Ryan Lester is one of footy’s great survivors. Even if Tom Doedee arrives through free agency, Lester is only 30 and a worthy contributor who should get a one-year deal.
A decision needs to be made on the talented Nakia Cockatoo, whose body has held together through 13 VFL games but has had limited AFL exposure.
The uncontracted Dev Robertson is now expected to stay at the Lions.
CARLTON
Paddy Dow at least gets a game as a sub now but has enough rival interest that he would be advantaged by being delisted so he can secure a new contract as a delisted free agent.
Lochie O’Brien, out of the team, is contracted to 2024.
The Lazarus-like David Cuningham looks to have saved his career once more with an excellent past month, but Caleb Marchbank has played four AFL games since the end of 2019.
With Brodie Kemp now such a key part of the Blues’ defence, is it time to move past Marchbank?
Can Ed Curnow survive for one more year given he has played 13 senior games so far?
Touch and go...
Lachie Plowman is in the final year of a back-ended deal so might be nudged aside.
Zac Fisher will depart – likely to West Coast – while Mitch McGovern, Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning are all unsigned.
COLLINGWOOD
When you are playing such breathtaking footy the veterans remain at the top of their game and no one wants to retire.
So John Noble will soon sign a new deal, Ash Johnson wants to stay, Mason Cox is in negotiations and summer signing Oleg Markov looks like a world-beater charging off half-back.
Father-son Will Kelly will be the Pies’ toughest decision given he has played only two games this year for 13 combined possessions in 105 minutes of game time. He turns 23 next month and with the Pies needing to turn over some list spots he might be in trouble.
Trey Ruscoe and Trent Bianco are among the dozen or so Pies who remain unsigned.
ESSENDON
What does Essendon do with Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti?
The Dons deserve plaudits for handling his return to the game so responsibly, with McDonald-Tipungwuti now uncontracted after six games in which he kicked four goals.
He has only four goals in his seven VFL games despite winning a recent contest with a last-gasp point, and no VFL goals in the past month.
If it is his time surely there is an off-field role for him within the Hangar as he continues to play VFL for the Bombers.
Andrew Phillips is out of contract but clearly deserves another year even as the Dons try to give Nick Bryan ruck time so he signs a new deal.
Dyson Heppell’s past eight weeks has been excellent and consistent – every contest between 21 and 25 possessions – strong by foot, good intercept numbers.
If he can finish the season strongly he has a chance to hold on for another year.
FREMANTLE
The Dockers have fewer than 10 players out of contract.
And as they have now started shouting from the rooftops as they defend their poor year, they are still a very young list.
So the list decisions surround older players Joel Hamling, Travis Colyer and Nathan Wilson.
Colyer is about to turn 32 and March knee surgery hurt a campaign in which he has played no AFL games and only seven WAFL games.
Hamling finally returned to AFL level on Saturday after a torturous injury run, while Wilson has played a dozen strong WAFL games but has played only four AFL games, none since round 4.
At least the Dockers’ age profile allows them to keep some of those veterans if they see fit.
Liam Henry’s past month has been excellent, allowing him to consider a Dockers offer when it seemed clear earlier in the season he was headed to a rival club out east.
GEELONG
Let’s not get bogged down in the Tom Hawkins debate.
He wants to play on, the Cats want him to and his manager Tom Petroro will get a deal done with Cats list boss Andrew Mackie when it suits both parties.
Gary Rohan will get a new contract, Zach Tuohy’s durability is unquestionable and he’s keen to continue, and Sam Menegola will play on. The only question is whether it will be at the Cats or elsewhere, with the free agent’s last VFL game back from knee injury his best – 31 possessions, nine inside-50s, 133 SuperCoach points.
If the Cats don’t offer him a new deal, someone will.
What about Normie? Isaac Smith had his papers stamped by some after two quiet weeks but after a week’s rest had 98 SuperCoach points, 22 touches and 559 metres gained against Essendon.
He turns 35 in December, so it's a 50-50 decision, but at a club not afraid of plus-30 players they should give him one more year.
GOLD COAST
Levi Casboult is footy’s great survivor and while rugged key forward Jed Walter will arrive as the fresh new academy product, 33-year-old Casboult should go around again after another strong year, if only as insurance.
Sam Day returned from injury for a pair of AFL games but the Suns have enough key-position depth that he might be considering retirement, while Jed Anderson is away from the club on personal leave.
Charlie Constable played only the first two rounds and while his VFL form is exceptional, he is out of contract.
Expect Jeremy Sharp to find a new home elsewhere while Mal Rosas Jr and Nick Holman will be recontracted.
Now the Suns must keep Sam Flanders despite rival interest while Victorian clubs also sniff around the contracted Elijah Hollands, who returned to the senior side under Steven King.
GWS GIANTS
Callan Ward is 33 and yet playing exceptional football for a GWS side that for the first time has few genuine contract worries apart from re-signing free agent Harry Himmelberg.
Phil Davis’s career will come to a close as one of the most influential figures in the club’s history, and Lachie Ash, Xavier O’Halloran and Jake Riccardi have to be re-signed.
Rivals are keen on Riccardi, so he has a decision to make.
With Kieren Briggs now the clear No.1 ruckman, Braydon Preuss and Matt Flynn are out of contract – Flynn as a restricted free agent. The Giants need a back-up for Briggs, but Preuss’s season has been ravaged by a back injury.
Daniel Lloyd has played 14 games as an attacking role player so should stay on, while Lachie Keeffe is battling a hamstring injury but should be kept on as a rookie for insurance.
HAWTHORN
What does Hawthorn do with the Chad?
Chad Wingard is out of contract and coming off a significant deal.
He won’t be in Hawthorn’s next premiership side and is averaging 46 SuperCoach points and 12 possessions in his 10 AFL games this year.
Last week he turned back the clock with 16 touches, two goals and three direct score assists.
So his last six weeks are huge – not only to audition for a new contract but to show suitors he could still be dangerous in a contending side.
His future is genuinely up for grabs.
The uncontracted Tyler Brockman should win a new deal despite WA interest, tagger Finn Maginness is playing well enough for a fresh contract and VFL success story Fergus Greene has done enough for a new one-year deal.
Max Lynch’s AFL future is being challenged by concussion issues, while James Worpel is playing himself into a position of strength for his new multi-year deal.
MELBOURNE
Melbourne’s biggest list concern might be the big ruckman from Collingwood who will play VFL at Coburg’s Piranha Park this weekend.
Brodie Grundy had been solid in the Demons forward line for the first 10 weeks of the season with seven goals, eight assists and 44 score involvements.
So now he’s been shunted to the VFL everything is up for grabs over his future as clubs including Port Adelaide, Geelong and potentially Sydney consider their options.
At Melbourne the Demons are keen to recontract youngster Taj Woewodin, who impressed again against Brisbane.
Jake Melksham is out of contract but playing himself into a new deal, while Michael Hibberd is 33 and uncontracted but might hope at the worst he is rookie-listed as defensive back-up.
James Harmes is contracted and seems happy to stay on despite trade whispers.
Adam Tomlinson should seek a new start given his versatility, even as he is in the selection frame this week if Harrison Petty misses with a back injury.
North Melbourne should consider him with Griffin Logue out with an ACL tear and Ben McKay potentially out of the door.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Big calls ahead for the Roos with Todd Goldstein and Jack Ziebell out of contract and club favourite Ben Cunnington clearly out of favour.
Cunnington is contracted for next season but football boss Todd Viney made clear on SEN the club might come to a financial agreement with him over paying out that season if he decided he didn’t want to play on.
Liam Shiels and Aaron Hall are also in a group of players without contracts that includes Lachie Young, Kayne Turner, Jack Mahony, Daniel Howe and Aiden Bonar.
PORT ADELAIDE
Tom Jonas is the captain who couldn’t get a game and battled when he found a way back against Carlton.
He is uncontracted, so does he bow out gracefully at 32 or wait until a decision after the Power’s trade period when they will try to bolster their backline with Esava Ratugolea or Ben McKay?
Charlie Dixon turns 33 in September but deserves a new one-year deal and will get it after 19 goals in 11 games despite a dodgy knee.
Orazio Fantasia has been constantly injured at Port Adelaide and has only three games from rounds 1-3 for two goals. He has been linked to Essendon and is less likely to stay at the Power.
Dylan Williams will re-sign but Sam Hayes is a solid tap ruckman but can’t cover the ground, so his future is uncertain.
Trent McKenzie should win another one-year deal while Scott Lycett is uncontracted and will assess his options as a free agent.
Lycett is on exactly the $650,000 expiring salary that it would cost to pay for Brodie Grundy if he moved to a third club given the Pies are paying $250,000 of his $900,000 salary until 2027.
You know it makes sense ...
RICHMOND
Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin showed as recently as Sunday against West Coast that although they will retire at season’s end, they will do so capable of strong team football.
Robbie Tarrant and Jason Castagna have retired and Marlion Pickett will play on with a one-year deal, but the list of recent premiership retirees means the list changeover at Richmond might be limited this year.
ST KILDA
St Kilda has 15 out-of-contract players but is likely to squeeze most into more responsible deals rather than shunt them out the door.
Free agent Jimmy Webster’s past eight weeks have been excellent, Mason Wood will sign a new deal, Liam Stocker has earned a new contract and Zak Jones has done enough to be recontracted although at a cut-price rate.
Restricted free agent Jade Gresham has won the ball well in his last three weeks but continues to use it poorly as his talks drag to the post-season.
Ryan Byrnes, Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield are all uncontracted but will remain at the right pr
ice unless they can find more suitable deals.
SYDNEY
Lance Franklin has told those close to him that he will retire at the end of the year, with the Swans’ round 24 home clash against Melbourne shaping as an emotional farewell to his stunning future Hall of Fame career.
The Swans’ public line is that Franklin is just focusing on helping the team win each week, and he certainly did that against the Bulldogs.
Franklin will retire knowing his best is still glorious, with his troublesome knee the major issue that prevents him from training enough to get across the ground as he did in his peak.
He will retire with his legend and his pride intact.
Sam Reid is uncontracted and out for the year after hamstring surgery, so if the Swans can bolster their key-position stocks in the trade period he might be in trouble.
But he did play 18 games last year and is only 31.
Lewis Melican is also out of contract and had won his way back into the side before last week’s hamstring injury, but surely there is a role for him on this list.
WEST COAST
Like North Melbourne, the Eagles face a long list of delicate discussions with club stalwarts as they balance fast-tracking kids with exiting favourite sons.
Nic Naitanui is contracted for one more year but does him going around in 2024 just restrict the growth opportunities for the impressive Bailey Williams – even if he could get his achilles back in shape to play AFL football.
Ditto Shannon Hurn at half back, even if the 35-year-old has played 10 games of very solid football this year between injuries.
Luke Shuey’s relentless battle with soft-tissue injuries means his last six weeks are critical.
His best is still elite and he sets the right example, but to secure a new contract he might need to show he can manage more than the eight games he has played so far this year.
Jamie Cripps, Jake Waterman, Jack Petruccelle and Alex Witherden are among the uncontracted list of players out west.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Josh Bruce kicked 48 goals for the Dogs as recently as 2021 but has played only 11 games in the past two years due to form and injury concerns.
As the Dogs wait for their young key-position stars like Sam Darcy to mature, the uncontracted Bruce will be keen to hang around, if only to add depth.
With Sam Darcy injured again and James O’Donnell in the concussion protocol, Bruce might come in this week and needs to make every post a winner.
Jordon Sweet is uncontracted and surely needs to move on to see if he is capable of regular footy, while Roarke Smith, Hayden Crozier, Toby McLean and Mitch Hannan are all uncontracted.
Free agent Bailey Williams isn’t far away from an announcement on his new deal.
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