AFL trade news 2023: How Esava Ratugolea gets to Port Adelaide, remaining restricted free agents

There are only five remaining restricted free agents on the market. Who will stay and who will go? We take a look at the latest in the player movement space.

Geelong could target Port Adelaide’s future first-round draft pick if key defender Esava Ratugolea requests a trade to the Power as expected at season’s end.

A key domino in this year’s exchange period fell on Thursday, when GWS Giants re-signed free agent swingman Harry Himmelberg on a six-year deal worth about $5 million.

Himmelberg’s signature will have consequences around the league as Essendon zero in on North Melbourne free agent Ben McKay and Sydney Swans circle West Coast gun defender Tom Barrass.

The Eagles are expected to target Sydney Swans’ first-round pick and could also eye off a second selection in the swap for Barrass, who is one of the best key defenders in the game.

But there is considerable intrigue over the scope of a Ratugolea deal after Port Adelaide traded out first, second and third-round picks last year to nab Jason Horne-Francis from North Melbourne and Eagles’ live wire Willie Rioli.

While Port still has a second-round pick tied to Collingwood, which will be pushed out into the 40s by academy selections, the Power’s future first-rounder looms as an obvious target for the Cats.

Esava Ratugolea is likely to end up at Port Adelaide. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos

The Cats would likely want a pick in this year’s draft, but Port Adelaide may have to trade out other players such as Mitch Georgiades, Tom Clurey and Scott Lycett to generate more draft capital this year to avoid handing over a future first-rounder for Ratugolea.

The Power have said they want to keep Georgiades, who is on the sidelines following a knee reconstruction.

Geelong played hard ball on Ratugolea’s future last year, denying his trade request to Port, and believe he has high worth as a ready-made, versatile tall, despite his recent stint in the VFL.

Ratugolea is expected to make the move this year to Port on a lucrative long-term deal after falling out of the Cats’ best 22 in recent weeks.

The 25-year-old from Griffith in New South Wales, who was originally taken with pick 43 in the 2016 national draft, has played 72 games in blue and white.

Port Adelaide, however, would be reluctant to part with its future first-round pick on its own for a player who has fallen out-of-favour in the back half of the season and could threaten to walk him to the pre-season draft.

Tom Barrass is another in-demand tall. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

It sets the scene for one of the most intriguing trade negotiations of the exchange period as Port Adelaide attempt to remain in the premiership mix for the next few seasons.

Coach Ken Hinkley is expected to re-sign at the club in the next couple of weeks.

There is also the prospect of a Port Adelaide move on Melbourne’s Brodie Grundy in the event the former Magpies’ superstar big man requests a trade back home to South Australia.

The Grundy discussions regarding salary could be the most testing of the trade period if he leaves, although Port’s second-round pick (ironically from Collingwood) could work in a deal.

Melbourne is adamant it has no interest in trading Grundy, but the club’s hand may be forced if he fails to win his spot back in the Demons’ side.

The Swans currently have pick nine to part with for Barrass, which would also slide back several positions due to Gold Coast’s academy selections.

Barrass, 27, is considered worth a top-10 pick and potentially a second-round choice as well on top. Port would argue Barrass is well ahead of Ratugolea in his development.

Melbourne parted with pick six for jet full back Steven May and retired utility Kade Kolodjashnij five years ago when May was 26-years-old.

Originally published as AFL trade news 2023: How Esava Ratugolea gets to Port Adelaide, remaining restricted free agents