AFL Trade 2023: All the latest news and intel ahead of the exchange period

With a number of academy guns set to go at the pointy end of the draft, Gold Coast is likely to cash in pick 4 beforehand – but who’s got the best deal? There’s a new frontrunner.

Essendon is prepared to open up its purse strings to get into the race for North Melbourne full back Ben McKay despite Sydney’s strong interest.

The Dons have always made clear they will not overpay for their free agency and trade acquisitions so they do not burn their $2 million-plus of cap space.

But McKay is aware Essendon has come strongly at him as a suitor as new CEO Craig Vozzo and list boss Adrian Dodoro aggressively try to improve their list.

Sydney is the industry favourite to secure McKay, given they have pushed so hard to replace Paddy McCartin after missing out on GWS defender Harry Himmelberg and West Coast full back Tom Barrass.

But Essendon would need to offer him at least a three-year deal of $800,000 to trigger first-round compensation, which would mean the Roos didn’t match any restricted free agency offer.

Ben McKay could still land at Essendon. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Essendon is desperate to secure another key back, with Jesse Hogan kicking nine goals on the club in round 23 and Tom Hawkins twice kicking six goals on defenders, including Brandon Zerk-Thatcher.

By the time the AFL salary cap goes up as much as 15 per cent by 2024, a deal of that size for McKay might seem reasonable value.

So Essendon has made clear to McKay how much it values him, which gives him a decision to make on moving interstate or finding a new home at Essendon or Hawthorn.

Chad signs on

Hawthorn has signed up Chad Wingard for another season.

The Hawks half forward had only just received a contract offer from the Hawks in the days before he tore his achilles in round 22. But having had successful surgery and dodged any infection, the Hawks have backed him in to return late in the 2024 season.

Wingard has only just turned 30 at a club with only himself, Sam Frost and Luke Breust over 30, so the Hawks are hopeful he has plenty of football ahead of him.

Port won’t be giving up Xavier Duursma in a trade. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Port young gun going nowhere

Take it to the bank that Xavier Duursma will not be moving on from Port Adelaide even as the Power try to find the picks to bring in Esava Ratugolea and potentially Brodie Grundy.

The Power gave up their first and second-rounders in the Jason Horne-Francis deal so need to find trade collateral with Ratugolea.

But Port Adelaide list boss Jason Cripps has made clear to Duursma he is central to their plans despite his name being thrown up in trade discussions by former Adelaide captain Mark Bickley.

Duursma, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters are all out of contract at the end of 2024 with the Power keen to sign them away over summer.

He has played only 11, 11 and 15 games in the past three years with injury and form issues but at just 23 years of age the Power would be crazy to let him go.

Dogs emerge as frontrunner for pick 4

Western Bulldogs ruck Jordon Sweet is happy to wait until the end of the VFL finals to assess his options, despite being offered a two-year deal by the Bulldogs.

It comes as the Dogs emerge as an early favourite to trade up to the Suns’ pick 4 with their offer of picks 10 and 17.

Melbourne also has a strong proposal with their first-rounder and two second-rounders, with both offers handing the Suns an extra 500 points for their academy picks.

But the Suns could trade back to 10 and 17 from pick 4 then field offers for pick 10, so could make even more of a windfall on the deal to accrue points.

Bulldogs big man Jordan Sweet in action in the VFL. Picture: David Crosling

The two-year deal for Sweet has been in front of him for some time.

But not only is Tim English in career-best form, there is a chance Sam Darcy will eventually turn into a ruckman, who can play at either end.

West Coast is one of the clubs interested in Sweet but consider the turbulence in the ruck market.

Those with uncertain futures include Sean Darcy, Ivan Soldo, Scott Lycett, Matt Flynn, Brynn Teakle, Sam Hayes, Sweet and Todd Goldstein, who has been linked to Essendon.

Dogs utility Taylor Duryea should get another deal but the Dogs still have to make decisions on Hayden Crozier, Buku Khamis, Roarke Smith and Toby McLean.

McLean has real talent and is an unrestricted free agent, while Tim O’Brien will likely get another one-year deal.

Could Suns even get Dusty deal done?

Gold Coast is officially out of the race for Dustin Martin given the difficulty in satisfying the Suns on a trade and the Richmond star on his massive salary.

Martin is open to a move north or a different challenge in footy but even before Thursday’s meeting with Damien Hardwick at a Gold Coast pub was aware the Suns move wasn’t happening.

The Suns would ideally like to consider ways for the triple Norm Smith Medallist to become a Sun.

But they couldn’t pay his $1.4 million salary, Richmond isn’t interested in a trade, and they don’t have the picks to satisfy the Tigers even if the first two issues were resolved.

So the club’s football department including Hardwick is on board with the fact that if Martin moves north it will be at the end of next year.

The Suns need to accumulate the points for rivals to bid on their trio of first-round academy selections as early as pick two (Jed Walter), pick 5 (Ethan Read) and pick 10 (Jake Rogers).

North Melbourne has always shown it is prepared to be faithful to its draft order when bidding on academy players so is a strong chance to call on Walter’s name at pick two.

So the Suns will need to preserve their draft hand until after the November 20 national draft _ which is after the trade period.

At this stage there is no clear suitor for contracted top-10 pick Elijah Hollands, who will sit down with the club and his management post VFL finals to assess his options.

Where will Dustin Martin play in 2024? Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos

No Rance-Dimma reunion

Alex Rance is likely to move to the Gold Coast after shutting down his Melbourne-based high school but won’t be joining the Suns as a full-time employee.

The Suns are open to specialist coaching roles for the likes of Lance Franklin, and even Rance, if they wanted to help out the club’s young kids.

But Rance is 33, so despite his level of fitness, the Suns haven’t spoken to him about a shock comeback.

They are aware he is considering a full-time move north after shuttering his football-focused school The Academy.

And as the Suns consider their coaching team, they haven’t had meaningful talks with Rance about a coaching role.

No Giant exodus this year

Greater Western Sydney is more than happy for veteran Nick Haynes to play on next year, despite a back-ended salary that will hit seven figures.

Like many GWS players, Haynes shuffled around money in years of his contract with the last year of a deal expiring next year hitting up to $1.2 million.

But GWS is keen to keep Haynes, with the bigger issue whether he might look for rival opportunities given he has often been used as the sub in recent weeks.

For the first time in many years, GWS has no retention challenges, having signed up a bevy of players including Harry Himmelberg, Lachie Ash, Finn Callaghan, Tom Green, Xavier O’Halloran and Jake Riccardi.

Rival clubs are open to cap dump opportunities to improve their draft hand but it makes no sense for the Giants to give away a quality pick for someone to absorb Haynes’ deal given they have cap space for him.

GWS will go back to the draft with picks six and 12 (and consider using their pick 50) in one of the most settled off-seasons in recent years.