Trades Unplugged: SuperFooty trade experts look at where the big names will be playing next season
Harley Bennell has endured a wretched run with injury which resulted in his delisting from Fremantle. But several clubs are waiting on medical reports before ruling a line through him. Will he get another chance?
Trade HQ
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It is shaping up as another busy off-season for player movement.
In anticipation, our trade experts Sam Edmund, Jon Ralph and Jay Clark have worked the phones to deliver you the definitive update where all the big names are at.
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SHAUN BURGOYNE (Hawthorn)
The superstar turns 37 in October and is wrestling with more money and a three year deal on offer from the Gold Coast. Will sit down in coming weeks with his management but a Hawks deal is available. Hawks players think he is going but nothing official just yet.
BAILEY WILLIAMS (Western Bulldogs)
Talks will ramp up with his management next week but all signs are now pointing to him re-signing at the Kennel. Had been keen to assess whether he was part of the Dogs’ future after only nine games this year and none since round 17.
AARON FRANCIS (Essendon)
Wanted out in 2017 and put off contract talks this year, but poised to put pen to paper on a new deal at Essendon. A No. 6 draft pick in 2015, Francis has cemented a spot in John Worsfold’s side this year.
SAM POWELL-PEPPER (Port Adelaide)
Will be on the trade table. An inside bull but has spent plenty of time in the SANFL this year, with his kicking a real issue. Has gone at 50 per cent efficiency in 12 of 19 games.
ZAK JONES (Sydney)
Yet another star in the mix at St Kilda, which is clearly attempting to pull off the most aggressive list overhaul at the club since the days of the Goddard-Dal Santo movement. Given the club could ship Jake Carlisle, lose Jack Steven and has future picks, they have enough ammunition to get it done.
MASON WOOD (North Melbourne)
Will surely depart in the exchange period, with the Kangaroos happy to get something for a talented, but unfulfilled forward who has some currency. Played 18 times this year, but the Roos believe they can fill other holes in their list by moving him on. Fremantle and Sydney have come knocking. Would likely be involved in any move to bring Tom Papley to Arden Street.
BLAKE ACRES (St Kilda)
Had his exit meeting on Monday and will sit down with his management this week, but is contracted at the Saints until the end of next year. Appears unlikely to be involved in any trade for Brad Hill and is enjoying life at St Kilda.
JAKE CARLISLE (St Kilda)
Will be traded against his will if a player swap does eventuate, with St Kilda clearly open to a trade but Carlisle saying only weeks ago he saw the potential in the Saints to be great, having chosen them as his team four years ago. Has a contract for next year which gives St Kilda leverage, but he is only 27 so it’s a strange move. They would need an instant replacement.
JACK MARTIN (Gold Coast)
Officially asked for a trade last Friday. Carlton and the Dogs the early contenders, but Essendon will dramatically swoop back into the race for Martin if they move on another player given their interest last year. Would need to clear cap space to get him. They have picks at 29 and 31 and could trade up, so watch this space.
JON PATTON (GWS)
The only question mark is whether Patton gets two or three years at Hawthorn, with all parties happy for him to get a fresh start. Him playing late in the year would have been negligent for both parties to protect their investment. Another ACL would have left the Giants on the hook for his salary. A late steak-knives pick should get it done.
BRODIE GRUNDY (Collingwood)
The ultimate standoff, which will drift into next year. Collingwood won’t do a seven-year deal, but his management, which just did a seven-year deal for Tom Lynch off a PCL reconstruction, believes he is worth it. Can’t see any way he goes in a trade this year but if the Pies offer is shorter it will surely be off-set by a yearly salary above $1 million.
SAM MURRAY (Collingwood)
Has dodged a bullet with an 18-month suspension and is desperate to keep playing at only 22 years of age. Pies recruiter Derek Hine was a massive fan when the Pies got him for a trade involving their second-round pick, so look for them to keep him on the rookie list given he was in the side when he accepted his provisional suspension.
TOM PAPLEY (Sydney)
Has a year to run on his existing deal and Sydney is desperate to keep him. But the goalsneak has attracted a wave of interest after a career-best year in which he kicked 37.28. Everything Carlton need, which is why they are very interested, as is North Melbourne.
HUGH GREENWOOD (Adelaide)
Wants four years at Adelaide, which they aren’t prepared to go to. As his manager told the Herald Sun earlier this month, St Kilda, Hawthorn, Gold Coast and Brisbane are all keen.
The Crows are only offering two seasons for the inside midfielder, who can also kick goals.
More likely to leave the club.
BRADLEY HILL (Fremantle)
All signs point to St Kilda, but Geelong will come hard if they lose Tim Kelly. Ditto Hawthorn. Even then the $900,000 a year St Kilda is offering should keep them ahead in the race for the pacy wingman. Will push for a five-year deal.
ANTHONY MCDONALD-TIPUNGWUTI (Essendon)
The $600,000 man is still out of contract with maybe only a single game left in the year, and that means he is absolutely gettable. Has been keen to maximise his worth, with the Blues, Dogs and North the main players.
LEVI CASBOULT (Carlton)
Ticked off his contract clause for 2020, now wants an extension past that to ensure security for him and his family. Would get two years elsewhere as a free agent but will someone come hard given they would have to give up a pick as well to get him? Time will tell.
JOSH JENKINS (Adelaide)
Still has two years to run on a deal in the vicinity of $600,000 a season. But there are absolutely no suitors for him yet. Who takes him? Melbourne don’t seem interested and while the Cats believe they have enough talls perhaps they could enter the frame late. Crows would have to pay a portion depending on their desperation to move him on.
EDDIE BETTS (Adelaide)
At this stage genuinely seems likely to fulfil his contract next year despite impending change, with Adelaide having told him they want him and Betts desperate to stay.
TODD GOLDSTEIN (North Melbourne)
St Kilda has put a line through his name and zeroed in on Paddy Ryder instead. North Melbourne very confident of getting this deal done after upping its offer to two years with a trigger for a third.
JAMIE ELLIOTT (Collingwood)
Two massive games in the last fortnight and the backing of coach Nathan Buckley has capped off a super month for Elliott. He is a free agent and would have suitors with a strong September but has just started very preliminary talks with Collingwood about what next year looks like. The Pies believe he can play on a wing, having fulfilled that role against Essendon.
Back him in to stay, even if the contract isn’t massive.
SAM JACOBS (Adelaide)
Hit the 200-game milestone with Adelaide and has expressed a desire to stay after finishing the year in the senior team. But GWS has interest and a two-year offer is in the wings, with Dawson Simpson retiring and Shane Mumford keen to go on but banged up. He is 32 in April but remarkable resiliency helps his prospects of a two-year deal.
PADDY RYDER (Port Adelaide)
As Ken Hinkley confirmed, Ryder won’t play at Port next year. Essendon is an ideal option given his ability to play forward, with St Kilda the other strong suitor. Both would give the two years he won’t get at Port Adelaide. Power would get little to nothing in a trade for the 31-year-old.
ISAAC SMITH (Hawthorn)
Only chatter at this stage about his future. The Dogs clearly interested plus Melbourne and Gold Coast have been linked to the durable wingman, who played some half back this year. Plenty to play out.
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CHARLIE CONSTABLE (Geelong)
Plenty of clubs have asked the question of the promising 20-year-old, who has not been seen at senior level since Round 9. Constable is contracted until 2021, but rivals are using Geelong’s links to Jack Steven and Shaun Higgins to gauge the youngster’s interest in a move.
NICK ROBERTSON (Brisbane)
Three or four rival clubs interested in a player who can tag, play tall down back and has spent time in the NEAFL this year as a forward. Form was reasonable in four AFL games this year. Keen to stay but will likely have to move for greater opportunities.
ED LANGDON (Fremantle)
Deal done in-principle at Melbourne. Lock it in. The man-bunned Langdon will join the cheese-platter set. With picks 2, 20 and 38 the Demons have enough wiggle room to secure the hard-running, long-kicking midfielder, who immediately flew into Melbourne on Monday after his Dockers exit interview.
DAN BUTLER (Richmond)
Out of favour and out of contract, the 2017 premiership player will have suitors and will hope a big finals series in the VFL only adds to the attraction given his raw speed.
BRANDON ELLIS (Richmond)
The soon-to-be restricted free agent is keen to secure a better deal after eight seasons at Punt Road. Carlton were interested in bringing Ellis to Ikon Park, but have since changed their mind, while Ellis is now also keen on other options. Gold Coast and St Kilda have been linked to the 26-year-old, but another Melbourne-based finalist has just started showing interest.
JACK NEWNES (St Kilda)
Has been offered a two-year deal as an upcoming free agent but at lesser terms than he would want, probably fair enough given he’s only averaged 17 touches and 70 ranking points this year. Played as a defensive forward on Jake Lloyd on Saturday.
JACK STEVEN (St Kilda)
Everyone believes he gets to the Cats but there are question marks. Do the Saints pay some of his wage given their cap issues and can they secure him if Tim Kelly stays, as unlikely as that is? A second-round pick may satisfy the Saints.
ALEX KEATH (Adelaide)
The Dogs would be crazy not to swoop on Keath with a long-term deal. Very gettable, wants four years and won’t get it at Adelaide but one of footy’s best interceptors is ripe for the picking. St Kilda just as keen. Geelong has always liked him.
KARL AMON (Port Adelaide)
Has refused to sign a new Port Adelaide contract and will attempt another move to a Victorian-based club, 12 months after he tried and failed. The 24-year-old told coach Ken Hinkley on Monday that he wanted out after the best season of his career in 2019.
HARLEY BENNELL (Fremantle)
He found a new calf guru, had surgery in Brisbane last month and has another operation due in the next fortnight. St Kilda won’t go there, while any other potential suitors will await medical reports and track his recovery post-surgery. But the Bennell camp is hopeful he can become next year’s Sydney Stack.
ADAM TOMLINSON (Gold Coast)
He wants to stay at GWS, but as a free agent he will get bigger offers from clubs including St Kilda, with other clubs chasing him as well. This is his year to cash-in with offers and free agency status, but will take until the post-season to play out.
BRAYDEN SIER (Collingwood)
Two-year deal from the Pies is still on track despite his social basketball blunder. Pies like him, but want him to improve his off-field habits. Rival clubs never showed much interest.
Big summer awaits.
BEN KING (Gold Coast)
Saints desperately want him to come home to Melbourne and partner up alongside his twin brother Max, at St Kilda. But the Suns have said no after an encouraging first year up north.
JACK LUKOSIUS (Gold Coast)
The Suns have said they’re flat out not interested in trading the smooth-moving utility. But Adelaide will continue to keep trying to have talks with the Suns about the South Australian. The Crows want to revamp their list.
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