AFL trade news: Ed Richards poised to sign new deal with Western Bulldogs

Western Bulldogs are in talks to lock away one of their best players from their opening two rounds, who attracted significant interest from rivals as recently as two years ago.

The Western Bulldogs are on the verge of re-signing livewire halfback Ed Richards as they continue to secure high-priority list targets.

Richards has been one of the bright lights for the Dogs in the first fortnight of the season as a hard-running defender who can also play on a quality small forward.

A two-year deal for the No. 16 overall pick would take the 23-year-old through to free agency.

The Dogs have this year secured free agent midfielder Tom Liberatore, free agent defender Ryan Gardner and young star Sam Darcy after signing Liam Jones and Rory Lobb in the off-season.

Ed Richards tackles Hawk Changkuoth Jiath.

Richards is a descendant of Collingwood football royalty — his great great grandfather is Charlie Pannam and his great uncle is Lou Richards — but he has established himself as a popular player at Whitten Oval.

In 2021 he was seen to be at the crossroads and had suitors across the league but instead stayed at the club.

He missed only one game last year on his way to a 10th placing in the club’s best and fairest.

The signing will mean the Dogs have secured most of their stars in their best 22, with Taylor Duryea, Toby McLean, Bailey Williams and Alex Keath still out of contract.

The Dogs are keen to re-sign Aaron Naughton past the 2024 season but at this stage he is happy to play out the current season before considering a new deal.

Ed Richards has become a mainstay of the Bulldogs defence.

TRADE BUZZ: WILL DONS SEAL DEAL WITH BREAKOUT TALL?

Brandon Zerk-Thatcher is keen to pledge his future to Essendon as coach Brad Scott lauds his impressive trajectory as the Bombers full back.

Both club and management are on the same page about a new deal for the 24-year-old, who has started the year with impressive form as a lockdown defender on the last line.

Essendon has been desperate for a miserly full back since Michael Hurley’s injury woes and gave Zerk-Thatcher the last eight games of 2022 after improved form.

He held Nick Larkey goalless in round 20, Jack Riewoldt to one goal in round 23 and kept Todd Marshall to two goals in round 22.

This year he has held Jacob Koschitzke goalless and kept Ben King to one goal.

His manager Tom McConville said both parties were happy to hold off in the short term but keen to get a deal done.

Brandon Zerk-Thatcher has emerged as a key figure in Essendon’s future. Picture: Michael Klein.

Trent Rivers in action during round 2.

“We are just letting it play out a little bit. He had a really good pre-season and in the last half of the year he came into his own. He is playing to his strengths. We will let him play and get into the groove of finding more form at senior level and then look at it. No doubt he is going to be a key part of the future they are trying to build around. We are really excited with his trajectory.”

Essendon has high-profile free agents Mason Redman and Darcy Parish out of contract but has ample cap space to satisfy them given reasonable requests.

EAGLE STARTS CONTRACT TALKS

Jeremy McGovern has kicked off official contract talks on a multi-year deal that will ensure he is one-club player.

His manager Colin Young has started talks with the Eagles, with McGovern particularly keen to secure a new contact to diminish any talks he might head to a rival club.

McGovern took pay cuts of over $100,000 per season on his 2022 and 2023 contracts but is still paid around $1 million a year.

So while he will take a significant pay cut from his career-best salary he will push for more than the one season that would be customary for players 30 or over.

West Coast has an extra second-round pick from West Coast so could have three picks within 35 in the upcoming draft but would ideally secure more draft collateral.

Jeremy McGovern marks in front of Charlie Comben.

WILL YOUNG DEE STAY?

Melbourne is making strong progress on contract talks with Trent Rivers and is keen to lock down the premiership defender after a bright start to the season.

Rivers played all 25 games in the 2021 premiership season and has amassed 54 games as a cool-headed Demons defender.

The Demons would love to secure James Jordon with a minimum of fuss but he has started the season out of the senior side, so might have to wait on his deal.

Melbourne remains comfortable that Kysaiah Pickett believes his future is in Victoria but will have to wait until later in the year to broker a deal.