AFL trade talk: Who is your club chasing?
WHICH players could be joining or leaving your club? And which stars are staying put despite strong speculation. Here’s your bumper club by club preview.
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WHICH players could be joining, and leaving, your club in this year’s trade period?
Here’s our club by club preview of what could be the craziest trade season ever.
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ADELAIDE
The Crows need midfielders. Tom Rockliff has been floated as a midfielder the Crows are chasing, while the speculation Adelaide is interested in luring Dustin Martin has been rejected by the club. Hamish Hartlett has been linked to a move to West Lakes but that would mean a decade-long trade standoff between the Crows and Power would need to end. Brad Crouch has re-signed — and so has Josh Jenkins — but veteran Scott Thompson could return to a Melbourne club if he doesn’t accept a reduced contract.
Ricky Henderson’s name has been floated as an unrestricted free agent who could look for a move to a rival club, while midfielders Mitch Grigg and Cam Ellis-Yolmen (contracted for next year) could seek more opportunities elsewhere. This week on Adelaide radio premiership captain Mark Bickley threw up a host of names that should be up for trade including Richard Douglas, David Mackay, Luke Brown and Jarryd Lyons.
BRISBANE LIONS
Pearce Hanley is set to be traded to rival Gold Coast with the Lions and Suns believed to have already come to a mutual agreement for the Irishman. The Lions are expected to meet with Melbourne defender Lynden Dunn, who is one of several backmen the club is looking at to bolster their defensive stocks, as well as Magpie Jack Frost. Captain Tom Rockliff, whose leadership is under review at the Lions, has been linked to Adelaide.
CARLTON
The Blues are set to add another Giant to their squad with key defender Caleb Marchbank nominating them as his preferred trade destination. That could be two with the Blues in a battle with Collingwood for Giants key forward James Stewart, the son of former Collingwood and Richmond star Craig Stewart. Carlton had also hoped to secure Adam Tomlinson but he says he’s staying at GWS, although that isn’t set in stone. Zach Tuohy has been offered a new contract by the Blues but is weighing up interest from rival clubs.
COLLINGWOOD
The Magpies are interested in securing to Kangaroos free agent Daniel Wells, with a large offer said to be on the table. North Melbourne teammate Nick Dal Santo is also on the Pies’ radar. It has been confirmed Fremantle forward Chris Mayne won’t be at the Dockers next year with the Pies the frontrunner to land his services. GWS’ Will Hoskin-Elliott is also a target, while the club has met with Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric. Jarrod Witts, who has fallen behind Brodie Gurndy as Nathan Buckley’s preferred ruckman, is likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Defender Nathan Brown remains unsigned and is a restricted free agent.
ESSENDON
A second-round draft picks should be enough for defender Michael Hibberd to find his way to Melbourne. Bombers coach John Worsfold is planning a raid on his former club West Coast for key defenders Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown, and is also interested in Fremantle goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne. The Bombers were keen on Gold Coast midfielder Jaeger O’Meara but lost out to Hawthorn. Essendon has been linked to Tigers star Dustin Martin.
FREMANTLE
The Dockers have a busy exchange period ahead of them. They are the frontrunner for Hawthorn speedster Bradley Hill, who has told the Hawks he wants to return home to WA, but West Coast isn’t out of the picture. GWS forward Cam McCarthy also wants to get to the Dockers after missing the entire 2016 because of mental health issues. Forward Chris Mayne will leave for a Melbourne club with Collingwood top of the list, while Hayden Ballantyne is looking for a fresh start, potentially at fierce rivals West Coast but he’s also open to a move to Victoria. Geelong likes his work. Fremantle is also in a battle with the Eagles as the WA clubs pursue contracted GWS big man Rory Lobb.
GEELONG
The Cats have identified Fremantle tyro Hayden Ballantyne as a top target to replenish their thin small forward stocks, with Shane Kersten out of contract and linked to a potential move back to WA. Big man Nathan Vardy looks the man most likely to depart the Cattery, with Geelong’s bevy of talls pushing him down the pecking order. Western Bulldogs, GWS and Brisbane would all like to see the athletic, but injury-plagued, tall in their colours. An intriguing prospect would be Richmond’s Brett Deledio, with the Cats seeking more pace. George Horlin-Smith and Billie Smedts could seek further opportunities elsewhere, while the Cats have been linked to a move for Daniel Wells.
GOLD COAST
The Suns are preparing for a big exodus with Dion Prestia and Jaeger O’Meara already out the door. Prestia has requested a trade to Richmond while O’Meara will join Hawthorn. Gold Coast have said they want experienced players in return, with out of favour Port Adelaide midfielder Hamish Hartlett an option as well as Lion Hanley.
GWS GIANTS
The Giants are more concerned with the club’s finals campaign at the moment. They are also so loaded with top talent they can afford to let a few of their lesser lights go. Will Hoskin-Elliott is being chased by Collingwood while Caleb Marchbank has departed the club and wants to play for Carlton. Jack Steele is also likely to request a move, while McCarthy will be traded.
HAWTHORN
As always, the Hawks are setting themselves up to be prime movers at the trade table. Gold Coast Sun Jaeger O’Meara has already earmarked the winners of the last three AFL premierships as his preferred destination and Tom Mitchell is also widely tipped to make the switch to Waverley, once his finals campaign with Sydney is complete. Much-maligned Richmond big man Ty Vickery wants a move from Punt Rd and is expected to join the Hawks as a free agent. Speedster Bradley Hill wants to go home to Western Australia, with a Fremantle deal most likely, while small forward Luke Bruest has been mentioned as potential trade bait to get the O’Meara deal done.
MELBOURNE
The Demons are all but assured of getting banned Bomber Michael Hibberd. After months of speculation Hibberd declared earlier this week that unless something drastic happened, he would be at the Demons next season. There has been plenty of speculation surrounding Jesse Hogan and a possible move back home to Perth during next month’s exchange period. However, Hogan’s management team was quick to dispel the rumours earlier this week.
NORTH MELBOURNE
After culling several of their champs, North could have plenty of work at the trade table. The Roos’ first priority would surely be to re-sign midfield Rolls Royce Daniel Wells, but he has been linked to a move to Collingwood. Aaron Black is on the way out the door, with the forward “happy to go anywhere to play footy”. The Roos have also been linked to moves for restricted Collingwood free agent defender Nathan Brown and Carlton’s gun Irishman Zach Tuohy. The club has denied ruckman Todd Goldstein could be moved.
PORT ADELAIDE
The Power needs a shake-up and the man likely to be shaken out is playmaker Hamish Hartlett. Hartlett signed a five-year contract last year but finished 17th in the club best-and-fairest this season and is open to a move to kickstart his career. He is now Essendon’s top target after the Bombers missed out on Jaeger O’Meara and would also be a good fit at Gold Coast. Both clubs can offer high draft picks to get the deal done. Chances of a move to cross-town rival Adelaide is remote. Giants midfielder Jack Steele has been mentioned as a possible trade target. Jay Schulz has been delisted but wants to play on somewhere else.
RICHMOND
The Tigers are set to be one of the most active players in trade talks, with several players potentially on the move. Free agent Ty Vickery has been strongly linked to Hawthorn for weeks with a reported salary of about $400,000 a season that would give the Tigers a second-round compensation pick. The Tigers are open to trades for first-round draft picks Reece Conca and Ben Lennon but there hasn’t been a lot of talk about possible suitors, although WA clubs were interested in Conca before he signed his current contract. Brett Deledio’s name keeps bobbing up but he is contracted for another year and says although his manager has fielded calls from rival clubs, all the trade speculation is just “noise”.
The Tigers will get at least one player in the door after Gold Coast midfielder Dion Prestia requested a trade to Punt Rd, but they might have to get creative to come up with a deal that satisfies Gold Coast without coughing up pick six on draft night. Ben Griffiths, Shaun Grigg and Shaun Hampson all re-signed late in the season but Jake Batchelor, Andrew Moore and Kane Lambert don’t have new deals. Ivan Maric has been offered a contract to stay as an on-field coach but is weighing up interest from Collingwood. And as if Richmond didn’t have enough list management headaches, a new deal to lock away Dustin Martin — who will be a free agent at the end of next season — is high on the priorities list.
STKILDA
Deep in their rebuild the Saints announced a long-term blueprint that involved raiding the early rounds of the draft for a couple of years as they saved a war chest, then going “very very aggressively at free agency from 2016”. Hello, Dustin Martin? No, the Saints have denied they’re making a play for the Tiger when he becomes a free agent at the end of next year. So far the only player definitively linked to the Saints this year is GWS midfielder Jack Steele, with teammate Caleb Marchbank also of significant interest, although he wants to get to Carlton.
The Saints were one of several clubs to take a close look at Jaeger O’Meara — reportedly withdrawing from the race before he chose Hawthorn — and Leigh Montagna also floated Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff as a possible target. List expert Gary Buckenara says delisted Kangaroo Nick Dal Santo would be a perfect fit at his old club.
SYDNEY
It appears increasingly likely midfielder Tom Mitchell will leave the club given he remains unsigned and the Hawks are hovering. Despite his manager saying he’d prefer to stay in Sydney, it seems the club has been unable to meet his contract demands. The Swans are reportedly interested in Blue Zach Tuohy.
WEST COAST
Hayden Ballantyne is likely to leave Fremantle but his preference is to stay in Perth, so that puts the Eagles in the box seat if it wants the goalsneak. Giant Rory Lobb is being chased by both West Coast and Fremantle despite being under contract, while Mitch Brown is a restricted free agent and has not yet re-signed. His wife, Shae Brown, has signed with Collingwood’s new netball team, suggesting Brown will play in Melbourne from 2017. The Bombers have been linked to Brown and fellow defender Eric Mackenzie, who is under contract.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs have agreed to terms with Magpie Travis Cloke for a two-year deal, now a suitable trade to satisfy Collingwood will need to be completed. Midfielder Lin Jong toured the Magpies’ facilities mid-year but Gold Coast is now considered the frontrunner to secure his services should the uncontracted Bulldog request a move. Fringe players Nathan Hrovat and Mitch Honeychurch could seek more senior opportunities elsewhere, while Will Minson is out of favour and could depart.
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