Moneyball: Follow all the latest trade, contract and draft news across the AFL

Sam Mitchell has shed light on the future of Hawthorn’s veterans. Will any of them be shopped around? All the latest trade news.

Jacob Hopper is certain to remain with Greater Western Sydney for the next two years after discussions this week between his management firm and Giants footy boss Jason McCartney.

Hopper’s deal will not be brokered until the season finishes but he is happy at the Giants despite a disrupted season that has seen the club on the road for six weeks so far.

It is another coup for the Giants, who lost so many stars over the summer, but have been able to remain in finals contention.

Josh Kelly is still expected to remain at the Giants despite pushing back a decision on his future given the uncertainty about the season.

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Jacob Hopper is poised to extend his tenure for another two years at the Giants.

Pies in no rush to fill recruiting hole

Collingwood will wait on finding a replacement for list management and recruiting officer Troy Selwood who has stepped away from the club for health reasons.

Selwood was in the job for less than two months when he made the call to relinquish duties and focus on his health.

Selwood was in a hybrid recruiting role serving football and list boss Graham Wright and national recruiting manager Derek Hine in talent identification.

His absence leaves a hole in Collingwood’s recruiting team but there are no immediate plans to replace Selwood.

The Magpies are in the midst of significant change in the football department as they search for a new senior coach to replace Nathan Buckley.

Wright will continue to lead the decisions on list management which includes rec-signing captain Scott Pendlebury as well as emerging ruckman Max Lynch and fringe onballer Brayden Sier.

Collingwood is not expected to be a big player in the trade period as the club looks to the draft and welcoming the top talent in this year’s draft Nick Daicos.

Zach Guthrie will in superb touch against the Kangaroos to warrant keeping his place in the side. Picture: Michael Klein

Dad works on delivering Cats brother act

Cam Guthrie will likely sign a four-year deal to give away his free agency rights, with the 28-year-old fully deserving of a long-term deal given his brilliant form winning All Australian and best-and-fairest trophies in a Grand Final season.

It will mean Guthrie, who played his 200th AFL game against GWS on Friday night, will play on until 32 at the club and after averaging 20 games since becoming a Cats regular there are few issues with his durability.

Zach Guthrie played only two four games through 2019-20 but on Friday plays his 10th game of the season, the most of his five-year, 30-game career.

He was exceptional with 28 possessions when brought into the side as a late addition against the Roos and has kept his spot in the side.

The Cats are keen for him to be around next year, aware of his talent in big games including the 2017 qualifying and semi-finals in his first season.

Geelong also wants Lachie Henderson to play on, which will only be helped by the AFL confirming list sizes will not again shrink for 2022.

Sam Mitchell is said to be keen to keep veteran captain Ben McEvoy at the club next year.

Mitchell backs veterans in first year as coach

Sam Mitchell is certainly choosing his words carefully after the mixed messages of the last few weeks and the careful analysis of his interview on SEN about him wanting Alastair Clarkson to stay.

Which makes his comments on which senior players he is keen to remain at Hawthorn next year all the more interesting.

He made clear the club was keen to keep Ben McEvoy, Luke Breust and Liam Shiels in an interview leading into the Hawks’ victory over Brisbane.

But Mitchell, keen for an elite draft hand in the upcoming draft, was smart enough not to lock himself into guaranteeing the future of the club’s other senior core.

The Hawks will clearly consider offers for players including Jack Gunston and Tom Mitchell, with Jaeger O’Meara and Chad Wingard other players with significant trade currency.

All of those players were absent from his statement about keeping experience to fast-track the kids.

“Part of the speed at which we want to try to rebuild this program and playing group is going to be have we got some really good experienced players, the Ben McEvoys, the Luke Breusts, the Liam Shiels of the group bring such great leadership so the more games we can get into players playing alongside some of our veterans the quicker they can improve,” he said.

Managers tie up young draft talent

This year’s top draft prospects have selected their managers in the annual race to sign up the game’s best young stars.

No. 1 draft pick and Collingwood father-son gem Nick Daicos is looked after by Robbie D’Orazio from Connors Sports and soon-to-be Western Bulldogs prodigy Sam Darcy has chosen Tom Petroro at TLA.

Another potential top-five pick Tyler Sonsie, who has shone for Eastern Ranges, joined forces with Nick Gieschen from the Connors stable alongside quick defender Josh Sinn, who is another D’Orazio client.

Exciting hybrid midfielder Finn Callaghan, who at 189cm has a penetrating left-foot kick, signed with Tom Seccull at Hemisphere. Julian Petracca has landed Mac Andrew and key defender Josh Gibcus.

And midfield bull Jason Horne has teamed up with Ben Williams at Players Ink.

Jack Ziebell is enjoying a remarkable year in the twilight of his career.

Ziebell keeps turning back the clock

North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell is statistically on track to record the most prolific season of his career — and it looks certain to end in a new one-year deal.

While the Kangaroos have held their powder dry in recontracting their veterans so far this year, Ziebell has clearly done enough to push into a 14th AFL season in 2022.

He will turn 31 before the start of next season, but has repeatedly said he is keen to play on for as long as his body will allow him.

While some initially questioned David Noble’s decision to reprogram Ziebell as a defender this year — and a number suggested he was playing for his future in 2021 — the move to the back half has proven a good one for him and the Kangaroos.

He has played every game so far this season and is only 10 disposals short of pushing through the 500-disposal mark for the second time in his career.

He is only 25 disposals off his season-best tally of 515, from 2016.

Out of contract Docker Adam Cerra is edging closer to a decision on his future, with several Melbourne clubs eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Recent suggestions that Cerra desperately wants to be a part of a team’s journey led some to conclude it might rule Richmond out as a possible home, given the club’s dynasty looks to be coming to an end.

But those close to Cerra — who dominated against the Tigers with 33 disposals last week — say that isn’t the case as he weighs up lucrative contract offers to stay at Fremantle, or the chance to move back to Melbourne where Carlton, Richmond and other clubs are awaiting a decision.