The big name free agents and stars out of contract in 2020
This year’s trade period may have frustrated some, but next year’s will be absolutely huge. Which of your big name players are opposition clubs coming for? Find out who is a free agent and who is out of contract.
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If you were pulling your hair out at this year’s frustrating trade period, buckle up because next year is going to be an absolute doozy.
Try these names on for size: Brodie Grundy, Jeremy Cameron, Lachie Whitfield, Mitch Duncan, Robbie Gray, Jordan De Goey, Jack Lukosius, Ben Brown, Christian Petracca and James Sicily. And Joe Daniher, again.
They are some of the stars coming out of contract who are set to be the centre of trade and free agency debate for the next 12 months.
While most are likely to re-sign with their current clubs, at least one big fish could be on the move and rival clubs will already be doing their homework on other players that could be gettable amid a looming squeeze at several clubs including Collingwood, GWS and Geelong.
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Daniher missed out on his requested trade to Sydney this year but Essendon will have a much tougher time keeping him if he still wants to leave at the end of next season, when he will be a restricted free agent (Tom Papley also didn’t get his desired destination but he remains under contract).
Daniher, Grundy and Cameron headline the 2020 free agency list.
Grundy isn’t budging on his request for a seven-year contract (Collingwood has offered three) while Cameron is said to be loving life in western Sydney but is in no rush to sign a new deal.
Trading James Aish to Fremantle will help the Magpies pay for new deals for Grundy and Jordan De Goey, Darcy Moore and Scott Pendlebury, who are all entering the final years of their current deals. But some serious number-crunching will be required, especially considering that list doesn’t include players like Brody Mihocek, Josh Daicos and Chris Mayne, who are also coming out of contract.
And they aren’t the only club facing a massive cap squeeze.
The Giants are confident of keeping their three free agents — Cameron, Whitfield and Zac Williams — but also have to negotiate new deals for Grand Final team members Jeremy Finlayson, Aidan Corr and Harry Perryman.
Geelong is another club to watch. Tim Kelly returned home to WA this year, would a Perth club try to entice 2020 free agent Mitch Duncan to do the same? The 28-year-old is settled in Geelong with a young family, but is sure to attract interest.
Tom Hawkins will also be a free agent but Stephen Wells’ famed list management talents will be put the test juggling a list of uncontracted mid-tier players that includes Brandan Parfitt, Jack Henry, Quinton Narkle, Gary Rohan and Nakia Cockatoo, plus ruck trio Rhys Stanley, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort. Especially if the Cats make a big play for Cameron.
Meanwhile, No.2 draft pick Jack Lukosius is yet to follow teammates Ben King and Izak Rankine in committing to Gold Coast past the end of next season. Expect South Australian clubs to throw the kitchen sink at the young key forward, while the Suns have already signalled their intention to go after Crows best-and-fairest winner Brad Crouch.
MORE FOOTY NEWS:
Gary Buckenara analyses North Melbourne’s list after the 2019 season
AFL list changes: Every player who has retired or been delisted in 2019
Speaking of SA clubs, Robbie Gray’s name came up in trade talks this year and that talk will only get louder when the Victorian-born star qualifies for free agency.
Who’s coming out of contract at your club? See our list of big names who could be up for grabs below.
ADELAIDE
Brad Crouch (Restricted Free Agent)
David Mackay (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Rory Atkins (RFA)
Wayne Milera
BRISBANE
Stefan Martin (RFA)
CARLTON
Marc Murphy (UFA)
Matthew Kreuzer (UFA)
Ed Curnow (UFA)
Kade Simpson (UFA)
Levi Casboult
COLLINGWOOD
Brodie Grundy (RFA)
Jordan De Goey
Darcy Moore
Scott Pendlebury (UFA)
Brodie Mihocek
Chris Mayne
Mason Cox
Matt Scharenberg
ESSENDON
Joe Daniher (RFA)
Dyson Heppell (RFA)
Adam Saad
Andrew McGrath
Jayden Laverde
Kyle Langford
FREMANTLE
David Mundy (UFA)
Luke Ryan
Cam McCarthy
Brandon Matera
GEELONG
Mitch Duncan (UFA)
Tom Hawkins (UFA)
Brandan Parfitt
Jack Henry
Quinton Narkle
Gary Rohan
Nakia Cockatoo
Sam Menegola
Rhys Stanley
Ryan Abbott
Zach Guthrie
James Parsons
Gary Ablett
Harry Taylor
GOLD COAST
Jack Lukosius
Jarrod Harbrow (UFA)
GWS GIANTS
Jeremy Cameron (RFA)
Lachie Whitfield (RFA)
Zac Williams (RFA)
Aaidan Corr (RFA)
Jeremy Finlayson
Harry Perryman
Zac Langdon
Isaac Cumming
HAWTHORN
Ben McEvoy
Ben Stratton (UFA)
Daniel Howe
Isaac Smith (UFA)
James Frawley
James Sicily
Shaun Burgoyne (UFA)
MELBOURNE
Jack Viney (RFA)
Christian Petracca
Bayley Fritsch
Charlie Spargo
Jayden Hunt
Oscar McDonald
Nathan Jones (UFA)
Mitch Hannan
James Harmes
NORTH MELBOURNE
Mason Wood
Aaron Hall
Ben Brown
Cam Zurhaar
Jed Anderson
Kayne Turner
Marley Williams
Paul Ahern
Jamie Macmillan
PORT ADELAIDE
Robbie Gray (UFA)
Brad Ebert (RFA)
Sam Powell-Pepper
Charlie Dixon
Justin Westhoff (UFA)
RICHMOND
Bachar Houli (UFA)
Jack Graham
Toby Nankervis
Jayden Short
Josh Caddy
Nathan Broad
ST KILDA
Jack Lonie
Josh Battle
Paddy McCartin
Jack Steele
SYDNEY
Ben Ronke
George Hewett
Josh Kennedy (UFA)
WEST COAST
Shannon Hurn (UFA)
Josh Kennedy (UFA)
Lewis Jetta
Liam Ryan
Nathan Vardy
Jack Petruccelle
Jamie Cripps
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Easton Wood (UFA)
Billy Gowers
Matt Suckling
Lin Jong
Josh Schache
* list does not include every out of contract player
Originally published as The big name free agents and stars out of contract in 2020