AFL contracts: Every player without a deal beyond 2022

Which clubs have the biggest decisions to make on uncontracted players this off season? How will their lists look at the end of trade period?

Caleb Poulter of the Magpies. Picture: Michael Klein

Judgment time is fast arriving for star and fringe AFL players alike.

The trade period begins next week, while the free agency window opens on Friday with some key players set to change clubs.

Then there are the guys waiting to see if their AFL career has another chapter in 2023. Here are your club’s out-of-contract players and where they stand.

Adelaide (6)

James Borlase, Ben Davis (unrestricted free agent), Billy Frampton, Tariek Newchurch, James Rowe, Brett Turner.

Frampton, who performed well as a key defender at SANFL level this year, requested a trade to Collingwood, which will be his third club. Izak Rankine’s impending arrival means Rowe’s senior opportunities would be limited at West Lakes. The Crows have limited list spots left, so Davis, Turner and Rowe are up against it, but in Borlase and Newchurch’s favour is they are category B rookies.

Billy Frampton’s strong SANFL form caught Collingwood’s attention. Picture: SANFL

Brisbane Lions (7)

Tom Berry, Blake Coleman, Tom Fullarton, Darcy Gardiner (restricted free agent), Ryan Lester (unrestricted free agent), Connor McFadyen, Carter Michael

Daniel McStay confirmed season-long speculation last week about his Lions exit and is tipped to sign a five-year deal with Collingwood once free agency opens. Dayne Zorko will continue for a 12th season, which could include the 33-year-old captaining the club again. Brisbane also hopes to lock away restricted free agent defender Gardiner soon despite interest from opposition clubs. Jaxon Prior re-signed for two years, while Coleman, Fullarton, McFadyen and Michael are all likely to be retained.

Carlton (2)

Ed Curnow (unrestricted free agent), Will Setterfield

The older Curnow will be at Ikon Park next year after knee and hamstring injuries stopped him playing a senior game this year, but details are still being finalised. Setterfield should be playing somewhere in 2023 but may have to wait through the trade period. The 24-year-old hasn’t cemented his spot despite playing 55 games in four seasons, although some big VFL performances caught rivals’ attention.

Collingwood (4)

Jordan De Goey (restricted free agent), Ollie Henry, Jack Madgen, Caleb Poulter

The De Goey negotiations continue to be complicated as his camp pushes back on the behavioural clauses the Pies insist on having written into his likely five-year contract. St Kilda is the star midfielder’s major suitor if discussions break down. Henry is choosing between staying or joining his brother Jack at new premier Geelong. Will Hoskin-Elliott quietly re-signed last year until 2024, while Will Kelly and Tom Wilson (category B) inked respective one-year deals. Madgen and Poulter will have to wait until the end of the trade period, where Collingwood will be a major player, to find out if they will score a new contract.

Aaron Francis might have played his last game for Essendon. Picture: Getty Images

Essendon (7)

Cody Brand, Josh Eyre, Aaron Francis, Brayden Ham, Jye Menzie, Cian McBride, Alec Waterman

Francis is desperate for a fresh start after 54 games across seven years since being the No.6 pick in the 2015 draft. McBride will stick around as a category B rookie. The Bombers have already locked away their priority re-signings and have been linked to various opposition players in recent months, so a few guys on this list might have a nervous wait ahead. There might not be any movement here until Essendon locks in Ben Rutten’s replacement as coach.

Fremantle (4)

Blake Acres, Mitch Crowden (unrestricted free agent), Sebit Kuek, Griffin Logue

Acres and Logue have requested trades to Carlton and North Melbourne, respectively. A future third-round pick could be all it takes for Acres to become a Blue. But the Logue deal may be more complicated and may include teammate Darcy Tucker, who also wants to become a Roo. Mid-season draftee Kuek will get another season to prove himself. Crowden needs to bide his time for the second straight year but at least survived the initial cuts.

Geelong (11)

Luke Dahlhaus (unrestricted free agent), Francis Evans, Zach Guthrie, Tom Hawkins (unrestricted free agent), Quinton Narkle, Joel Selwood (unrestricted free agent), Sam Simpson, Nick Stevens, Zach Tuohy, Paul Tsapatolis, Zane Williams

Norm Smith medallist Isaac Smith has inked a one-year deal for a third season at the Cats, while fellow big names Hawkins, Selwood and Tuohy will decide their own futures. Hawkins has verbally committed to playing on – as his blistering form demands – and 250-gamer Tuohy could go past the late Jim Stynes’ Irish record (264) for most matches played. Selwood’s call could come as soon as this week. The vastly improved Zach Guthrie will likely score a two-year deal after his career-best season, but Dahlhaus is expected to follow Shaun Higgins into retirement. Evans could be playing elsewhere in 2023, while others will have to wait a bit longer.

Tom Hawkins and Joel Selwood remain on Geelong’s out-of-contract list but the former has already indicated he plans to play on. Picture: Getty Images

Gold Coast (8)

Chris Burgess, Levi Casboult (unrestricted free agent), Charlie Constable (unrestricted free agent), Josh Corbett, Oskar Faulkhead, Oleg Markov, Hewago Paul Oea, Izak Rankine

Rankine will join the Crows via trade in the next fortnight or so, with the Suns set to score Adelaide’s pick 5 this year and a future selection in exchange. Casboult could hardly have done more in his first season at Gold Coast – kicking a career-high 35 goals in Ben King’s absence – and is in discussions to continue in 2023. Burgess, mid-season addition Faulkhead, Constable and Oea are also nearing agreements for next year. Corbett is surveying his options and may land at Fremantle once the dust settles, but he and Markov won’t know their fate until after the trade period.

GWS Giants (5)

Tanner Bruhn, Bobby Hill, Xavier O’Halloran, Will Shaw, Tim Taranto

The Giants are pretty organised after Phil Davis confirmed he was postponing retirement to play in 2023, plus the delistings of Jarrod Brander, Zach Sproule and Jake Stein, and Matt de Boer’s retirement. GWS football and list boss Jason McCartney’s biggest task is getting a good return on Richmond-bound pair Jacob Hopper and Taranto, as well as Bruhn (Geelong) and Hill (Collingwood). A future second-round pick is expected to seal Hill’s path to the Pies. O’Halloran and Shaw are playing the waiting game.

Star Hawk Jack Gunston will make a decision on his future soon. Picture: Michael Klein

Hawthorn (3)

Jack Gunston (unrestricted free agent), Seamus Mitchell, Jack Saunders

Decision time is fast approaching for Gunston. Will he extend his stay for another couple of years at Hawthorn, or join Chris Fagan at Brisbane as effectively Daniel McStay’s replacement? Tyler Brockman and Emerson Jeka have re-signed for one year each, leaving Mitchell and Saunders to wait through the trade period. The Hawks will welcome Karl Amon as a free agent signing and potentially wantaway Dockers ruckman Lloyd Meek, but are likely to part ways with Tom Mitchell in the trade period.

Melbourne (6)

Oskar Baker, Toby Bedford, Michael Hibberd, Jayden Hunt (unrestricted free agent), Luke Jackson, Jake Melksham

Jackson will return to Western Australia in a high-profile trade, whether it’s to hot favourite Fremantle or West Coast. The Demons are keen for multiple first-round selections in return and other deals may need to be completed before the Dockers can manage that. Hibberd and Melksham are tipped to score fresh one-year contracts, while Bedford and Hunt are weighing up rival interest in them. Hunt has been linked to West Coast, with the Giants and North Melbourne among the teams chasing Bedford, who also has an offer from Melbourne. Baker’s future may rest on what happens with that pair, while out-of-favour – but contracted – defender Adam Tomlinson might be headed to the Dogs.

Jed Anderson’s AFL career hangs in the balance. Picture: Getty Images

North Melbourne (4)

Jed Anderson, Atu Bosenavulagi, Kayne Turner (unrestricted free agent), Josh Walker (unrestricted free agent)

Anderson doesn’t have a contract offer from the Roos and it’s unclear whether another club might be willing to take on the 28-year-old midfielder. Griffin Logue’s pending arrival at Arden St doesn’t bode well for swingman Walker, while Bosenavulagi and Turner could also be in danger, given North plans to be busy stocking up on reinforcements in the next fortnight.

Port Adelaide (3)

Trent Dumont (unrestricted free agent), Martin Frederick, Jed McEntee

Karl Amon is exercising his free agency rights to join Hawthorn, on what is expected to be a four-year deal. Frederick is being floated as a potential part of the Power’s trade with West Coast for incoming goalsneak Junior Rioli, while Dumont and McEntee are both expected to be at Alberton next year. But the trio will likely have to wait until the end of the trade period to have their playing futures confirmed.

Sydney Stack faces a nervous wait to discover if the Tigers will offer him another contract. Picture: Michael Klein

Richmond (5)

Jake Aarts, Riley Collier-Dawkins, Will Martyn, Bigoa Nyuon (unrestricted free agent), Sydney Stack

The Tigers plan to bring in Giants midfield pair Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper on seven-year deals in the trade period, but there are still some interesting unsigned names at Punt Rd. Jack Graham is surveying his options as a result, with Port Adelaide one club keen on the South Australian. Stack’s senior opportunities have dwindled since his dynamic start, while top-20 pick Collier-Dawkins has played only 11 times in four seasons and Aarts fell out of favour this year. Nyuon made his AFL debut this year and is hopeful of scoring a new deal but Martyn will have to be patient.

St Kilda (7)

Jack Bytel, Tom Campbell (unrestricted free agent), Tom Highmore, Jarrod Lienert (unrestricted free agent), Ben Long, Jack Peris, Mason Wood (unrestricted free agent).

Long has requested a trade to Gold Coast, where he has the security of a four-year deal to slot into the Suns’ backline. Back-up big man Campbell is set to extend his stay at his third club as ruck insurance, while Wood and Highmore are also sticking around. Bytel has interest from Essendon if he doesn’t stay a Saint but Lienert and category B rookie Peris may need to bide their time. St Kilda is ready to swoop if Jordan De Goey doesn’t re-sign at Collingwood, and it will be fascinating to see what happens with contracted young gun Hunter Clark.

Essendon has expressed interest in Jack Bytel. Picture: Michael Klein

Sydney (9)

James Bell, Ryan Clarke, Harry Cunningham (unrestricted free agent), Will Gould, Jake Lloyd (unrestricted free agent), Sam Naismith, Barry O’Connor, Ben Ronke, Lewis Taylor (unrestricted free agent)

Lloyd’s contract negotiations have dragged beyond the season but he is still expected to remain a Swan on a relatively long-term deal despite the delay. Gould’s hunt for his first senior game will extend into a fourth season, with the Swans pleased with his development. Clarke didn’t miss a game after breaking back into the senior side in round 15 and it would be a shock if he wasn’t on the list next year. Cunningham fell out of favour this year while struggling with injuries and is among a crop of Sydney players still waiting on a new deal.

West Coast (3)

Shannon Hurn (unrestricted free agent), Junior Rioli, Connor West

Rioli will find his way to Port Adelaide in a trade, which the Eagles aren’t exactly thrilled about. All signs throughout the season, including coach Adam Simpson’s own words, pointed to super-veteran Hurn playing on, but an official deal is yet to be struck. Jack Redden reached a contract trigger for next year but Patrick Naish will be delisted and West must wait through the trade period.

Josh Schache (middle) is likely to be playing for a third club next season because of a logjam of talls in front of him at the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

Western Bulldogs (8)

Louis Butler, Zaine Cordy (unrestricted free agent), Josh Dunkley, Taylor Duryea (unrestricted free agent), Stefan Martin (unrestricted free agent), Charlie Parker, Josh Schache, Mitch Wallis (unrestricted free agent).

Jason Johannisen’s two-year commitment on Monday meant the Dogs moved one step closer to locking away their priority signings. They were unable to convince Dunkley to stay, with the midfielder requesting a trade for the second time in three years – this time to Brisbane. Duryea is tipped to receive a one-year deal, while Cordy has a two-year offer in front of him as he weighs up his options. Rory Lobb’s potential arrival would further eat into Schache’s opportunities and the forward could be playing for a third club in 2023. Martin could be headed for retirement, while the others will have to wait.

Originally published as AFL contracts: Every player without a deal beyond 2022