AFL 2024: Collingwood leads way on summer signing period as clubs look to fill final list spots
A group of 12 players are sweating it out at training are fighting for eight spots at five clubs. Find out who is training where as the SSP window opens up again.
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The door has opened again for 12 players currently slogging it out at training with AFL clubs as the supplemental selection period (SSP) opens up again.
From Monday, clubs were allowed to sign players to fill the remaining spots on their list, with the SSP window open until February 19.
Clubs don’t have to fill their gaps and can instead leave a slot to be used at the mid-season draft.
The reigning premier Magpies have been the most watched club over pre-season with six players fighting for three spots.
A fourth slot can be opened by Collingwood if Dan McStay is labelled a long-term injury.
The Western Bulldogs have not placed Bailey Smith on the long-term injury list, so the Dogs don’t have a list hole but can make the dynamic midfielder inactive as he recovers from an ACL injury.
Former Hawk Lachie Bramble was signed by the Bulldogs when the SSP window was open in November.
A number of other clubs, such as Essendon, have Category-B rookie list spots that can be filled but players can be signed as Cat-B rookies outside of the SSP.
Here is a list of who is training where.
COLLINGWOOD
All eyes are on the Pies, who have maxed out with six official train-on players. A spot on the Collingwood list is lucrative, given Oleg Markov was signed during summer last year and went on to play in a premiership under Craig McRae.
Collingwood has thrown a blanket over the field with its players, covering rucks (Brynn Teakle), tall defence (Sam Sofronidis) and the midfield.
A further wrinkle is that the Pies could open up a fourth spot on the list by making Dan McStay inactive after his season-ending knee injury.
VAFA star Sofronidis has shown strong running ability for a tall, while Port Melbourne VFL ace Lachie Sullivan has run through the midfield at times during the summer.
Plenty to play out for Collingwood.
FREMANTLE
The Dockers had former Bomber Patrick Voss, Sam van Rooyen, the brother of Melbourne high flyer Jacob, and SANFL goalsneak Max Beattie on hand before Christmas.
Former St Kilda winger Dan McKenzie was approved by the AFL to join them and stepped into training on Monday.
With two spots open, the Dockers are allowed to have four players training.
Given Voss, van Rooyen and Beattie have all played as forwards, it appears Justin Longmuir is after scoring punch from a summer signing.
GOLD COAST
While the Suns have a list spot open, it looks as if it will stay open over summer.
Gold Coast did have former St Kilda speedster Jack Peris and North Melbourne and GWS utility Aiden Bonar training before Christmas, but neither have returned in the new year.
The Suns were also linked to Dan McKenzie but will wait until he finishes his stint at Fremantle before making a move to get a look at him.
That leaves the Suns with no official train-on players to start the year.
NORTH MELBOURNE
The Roos have a spot open but haven’t brought in any official train-on players as yet.
That points to list manager Brady Rawlings leaving some flexibility to be used at the mid-season draft.
RICHMOND
East Perth forward Mitch Schofield and Tigers VFL mid-forward Mykelti Lefau have returned to pre-season after the Christmas break as they fight for one spot on the Richmond list.
The Tigers appear to be looking for some action forward of centre with the pair.
Schofield, 22, bagged 30 goals in 19 WAFL games in 2023 and stands at 194cm.
Lefau, who moved to Melbourne from Auckland back in 2012, returned from a serious knee injury midway through 2023 and played as a forward while also pinch hitting in the ruck, using his 195cm frame.
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