AFL trade buzz: All the latest trade news from across the competition

Despite meeting with a premiership contender on Tuesday, Melbourne star Clayton Oliver has told the Dees he is happy to stay, as rivals circle the ball magnet.

Clayton Oliver told Melbourne he is happy to remain at the club next season despite meeting with Geelong on Tuesday to assess their pitch for his services.

Despite rival clubs continuing to ask about his availability the Demons will not trade the 27-year-old and had believed Oliver was content to remain at the club.

The club and Oliver were in contact again on Monday, and a player contracted for six more years had told them he was happy to stay at Melbourne.

While Oliver is a high-maintenance player who will always need care from the club the Demons are not interested in trading him.

Clayton Oliver is once again at the centre of rumours he wants to leave the Demons. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

But he continues to assess what an exit from the club might look like and is understood to have met Geelong CEO Steve Hocking and football boss Andrew Mackie on Tuesday.

Melbourne’s determination to keep him is built on their belief they actually need to add to their midfield after Angus Brayshaw’s retirement rather than lose a star player who helped win the 2021 Grand Final.

In the club’s reviews after an 11-win season they were relatively happy with their trio of key forwards but knew they badly missed Brayshaw’s leadership and midfield nous.

Melbourne has made inquiries of many of the available key forwards in the competition in recent months, including Jake Waterman and Tim Membrey.

Richmond’s Tom Lynch is happy to stay at the Tigers as he finishes a long-term deal.

The Demons are still confident they will secure GWS swingman Wade Derksen, who kicked 35 goals in the VFL last year then played a mix of defence and forward in 2024.

But it seems unlikely the Demons will bring in an established key forward given the difficulty in acquiring a player who will be an upgrade on Jacob Van Rooyen, the re-signed Harry Petty and Daniel Turner.

Instead a club which has pick five and a future first-rounder will be open to opportunities to boost its midfield weaponry.

Oliver met with the Cats on Tuesday. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Demons have watched on as Hawthorn’s No. 5 draft pick Nick Watson made a huge impact in his first season including exceptional finals performances.

Taking that No. 5 pick to the draft, which has a pool of players with even greater potential, would give the Demons confidence that player could make an immediate impact in 2025.

The top 10 of the draft has elite mids of many types, as well as running half backs, key forwards and intercept defenders so pick 5 is a perfect position to choose a player who could end up the best player of the draft.

Trent Rivers moved into the midfield and won the fifth-most clearances for the club, while No. 7 Caleb Windsor made a significant impact in his debut season.

Judd McVee also got some time in the centre square late in the season.

Oliver had considered whether to go overseas on a training camp but has spent time with family in Echuca and continued training.

He has had to have his hand monitored by medicos to assess its progress after surgery for an injury that impacted his season along with rib and knee injuries.

Melbourne’s Lachie Hunter retired last week so the Demons are even more aware of their need to boost their midfield stocks.

EAGLES’ RAID ON TIGERS BEGIN AFTER MINI SIGNING

West Coast’s decision to sign Andrew McQualter as its senior coach for 2025 had an immediate sliding doors effect on the AFL trade and free agency landscape.

The former Richmond interim coach, who won seven of his 13 games in charge of the Tigers in 2023, was announced as the new Eagles leader on Monday.

He pipped Geelong’s Steven King and Collingwood’s Hayden Skipworth for the role after a long and arduous process from the selection committee.

McQualter’s announcement at West Coast saw Richmond vice-captain Liam Baker immediately choose the Eagles as his preferred club only minutes later.

The Herald Sun revealed in May that Baker’s preferred club was the Eagles despite the Dockers’ interest and vast draft capital given his love of the club and players including Daniel Kerr growing up in West Australia.

Liam Baker has made his choice. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Baker is expected to be traded for pick 13 if the Eagles can secure it in a trade for Tom Barrass, who is heading to Hawthorn.

Richmond’s dual premiership player Jack Graham will also arrive at the Eagles on a four-year free agency deal in a decision that strips yet more experience from the Richmond list.

Both players had been waiting on a decision over the club’s coach and had strong ties to former Richmond interim coach McQualter.

It means there are now only seven Richmond premiership players from the 2020 premiership side sure to be on the club’s list with Kamdyn McIntosh still waiting on a decision from the club on his future.

Graham had been offered an increased four year offer from Richmond, who will now have to sweat on any free agency compensation.

But for the Tigers to secure end-of-first-round compensation the deal might have to be as much as $700,000 given the 20 per cent pay rises in the past 12 months for players.

If the Tigers were offered second-round compensation for Graham the pick would still fall in the early 20s given they have the first pick in the second round.

Shai Bolton and Jack Graham are both expected to head west. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Richmond’s list will have lost premiership players Dustin Martin, Marlion Pickett, Dylan Grimes, Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Jack Graham this season.

Those losses represent 1204 games of experience as the Tigers attempt to find a way to quickly bounce back after only one finals appearance since 2020.

It means second-year coach Adem Yze, contracted to the end of 2026, will have a tough task to ensure competitiveness with a young club which will be stacked with early draft picks.

The Eagles will now continue to assess key position backs on the market, with Tom Clurey, Lewis Young and Denver Grainger-Barras among those looking for new homes.

GIANTS SET TO HOLD DEPTH PLAYERS TO CONTRACT

Greater Western Sydney is determined to hold contracted players Xavier O’Halloran and Wade Derksen as it prepares for Harry Perryman to announce his departure this week.

Medium forward O’Halloran has drawn interest from the Western Bulldogs and the Demons are keen to acquire intercept back Derksen but the Giants are uninterested in late picks for the pair.

As a club firmly in the premiership window the Giants want to keep required players instead of again being stuck losing players they have invested time into for only moderate draft picks.

The Giants have picks 14, 34 and 39 and will secure a compensation pick for departing defender Isaac Cumming (Adelaide).

Xavier O'Halloran was often sub for the Giants this season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

GWS swingman Wade Derksen. Picture: Phil Hillyard

So securing mid or late-draft picks to pick first-year players who are unlikely to be in their best side for many years is a poor strategy for success.

The club has its best-and-fairest on Wednesday night and is bracing for the departure of free agent Perryman, with the Pies some way ahead of Port Adelaide.

He could wait until after a best-and-fairest that he has had only one top three result across his career.

GWS believes utility James Peatling is still keen to stay on a three-year deal but so many clubs have met him in recent weeks that he might eventually choose contract security.

If the Giants lost two academy players and a true western Sydney graduate in Peatling it would again underline the challenges of establishing a team in western Sydney.

Giants James Peatling celebrates a goal during the semi final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But GWS has drawn a line with Perryman, offering a six-year deal but unwilling to match figures of up to $850,000 a year given its current wage obligations.

Similarly, mid-season Peatling was playing VFL at one stage this season before hitting his straps so the Giants cannot afford to match bumper offers for a player with so little exposed form.

The Giants were linked to Jake Stringer on Monday as a potential suitor given his links to former Dogs staffer Jason McCartney.

If Perryman does leave for the Pies the Power would have missed out on both their key defensive targets given they also wanted Cumming.

It would be a brave coach in Ken Hinkley to trade away dual All Australian Dan Houston, especially with Kane Farrell a free agent next year and fellow defender Josh Sinn also out of contract next year.

Houston would like to find his way to the Blues but with the Roos offering a future first-rounder Carlton will have to find a way to get closer to that offer.

The Herald Sun revealed last week the Blues and North Melbourne were the frontrunners for Houston, who is keen to return to Victoria to be with his Melbourne-based girlfriend.

Originally published as AFL trade buzz: All the latest trade news from across the competition