AFL trade news: Jack Macrae nominates St Kilda, Matt Kennedy told to pursue trade by Carlton

Jack Macrae has told Western Bulldogs where he wants to continue his career in 2025 after requesting a trade. Plus, the clubs who could move for Carlton’s Matt Kennedy.

St Kilda will hope to give a later pick to the Western Bulldogs for Jackson Macrae given his significant salary in the next two seasons of his remaining three-season deal.

Macrae has chosen St Kilda as his new home, but Ross Lyon’s side is determined to retain early picks to go heavy in the upcoming national draft.

The Dogs usually drive a hard bargain for players and might ask for an early pick on a player contracted for so long.

FREE TRADE TRACKER: EVERY PLAYER LINKED WITH YOUR CLUB

But the Herald Sun understands the next two seasons of Macrae’s deal are over $800,000, which is a considerable sum for a player who has regularly been the sub for Luke Beveridge’s side.

St Kilda has picks seven, 24 and 43 in this year’s draft as well as next year’s draft hand.

So they will be keen to factor in that salary cap relief for triple All Australian Macrae when it comes to a trade negotiation.

The Dogs made clear when 30-year-old Macrae decided he wanted out that they would consider his request but would need to be satisfied in a trade.

Jack Macrae has chosen St Kilda as his preferred club to be traded to. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

But a club which has free agents Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards out of contract next year will need the cap space to satisfy those players.

Sam Darcy is also out of contract at the end of next year and while he is going nowhere given his loyalty and family history by the end of next season he could be one of the game’s best forwards.

St Kilda likes Macrae’s silky skills and leadership, having moved on stalwart Seb Ross given he had given excellent service but was not a polished kick.

Macrae has never had a turn of speed but believes he has many good years ahead of him as an elite midfielder.

He was overlooked at selection early in the year as he came back from a hamstring complaint and then after another stint in the VFL he played in the final as a sub.

Ex-Melbourne midfielder James Harmes played ahead of him after missing much of the back end of the season with a hamstring injury in what was seen as the final nail in the coffin for Macrae.

CATS SET TO BOW TO DANGERFIELD DEMAND

Patrick Dangerfield will secure the two-year deal he wants at season’s end despite the rarity of a 34-year-old winning a multi-year contract.

Dangerfield has been keen to sign a deal of that length but is in no hurry given the priority is his premiership campaign as Geelong captain.

The Cats and his management are happy to wait until the post-season so he can show to the club his body is durable enough for him to win a multi-year deal.

While Dangerfield is not on the lucrative figures that he was when he crossed from Adelaide he is happy to have the security of that two-season contract.

Dangerfield arrived at Geelong happy to take less money than offers in Melbourne and while the Cats eventually traded for him instead of securing him as a free agent it has been a riotously good deal for both parties.

If he decided at the end of next year to retire he might walk away from the 2026 sum but when fully fit Dangerfield still seems at the peak of his powers and in no hurry to call it quits.

Geelong is set to give Patrick Dangerfield the two-year deal he wants. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Most players of his age would sign a procession of one-year deals but 31-year-old Mason Wood just signed a three-year deal at St Kilda.

Dangefield led the charge in the qualifying final against Port Adelaide and has added explosiveness to a Geelong midfield that coughed and spluttered at times in the mid-season form slump.

Dangerfield missed four games with a hamstring issue in round 2 and then eight weeks after a round 7 concern but has played the last 12 games of the season.

He is in exceptional form and continues to lead from the front as he attempts to chase a second flag and his first as Geelong captain after taking over when Joel Selwood retired after the 2022 premiership.

Veterans Mitch Duncan, Gary Rohan and Rhys Stanley are still out of contract and while they have been in regular talks with the Cats all decisions on their futures will wait until the post-season.

Tom Hawkins, set to be overlooked by the Cats for Saturday’s preliminary final, has already announced his retirement from football.

THREE CLUBS WHO COULD POUNCE ON UNWANTED BLUE

Carlton midfielder Matt Kennedy is yet to test the market after a frank conversation in which the Blues indicated he would be free to pursue a trade.

The big-bodied onballer is contracted next year and is seen as most likely to be at Ikon Park but opposition teams will now begin to ask the question whether he is better off in their midfield.

While the meeting with Carlton was honest, Kennedy has not been pushed out the door.

The former Giant is much loved within the playing group and his wife Mary-Anne has equally become part of the Carlton family since Kennedy joined the club at the end of 2017.

Matt Kennedy could be on the way out at Carlton. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Blue was subbed off during a miserable elimination final loss in Brisbane, which came just two days after the birth of son Theodore.

Kennedy, 27, has played his best football as an inside midfielder but with Carlton searching for more speed and dynamism around Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh, he has been pushed outside clearances.

He averaged just 2.1 clearances a game in 2024, his lowest mark since 2019, and kicked a career-best 16 goals as he spent more time forward.

Amazing news! 💙

Congratulating Matthew and Maryanne Kennedy on the arrival of their son, Theodore James 🥰

📸: maryanne_kennedyy on Instagram pic.twitter.com/xr2nXVEVX3

— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 7, 2024

Kennedy was one of just three Blues — alongside Cripps and Nic Newman — to play in all 24 matches this season.

Kennedy does not yet have a landing spot, should he seek a trade, but clubs such as North Melbourne, Geelong and Collingwood are searching for more inside grunt to add to the midfield this off-season.

A weeks time…Matthew Kennedy is seeking a trade https://t.co/RKHhegknld

— Jeppa (@JeppaDT) September 7, 2024

Interstate, Adelaide and West Coast could use a big body around the clinches.

Blues defender Lewis Young may scour the market for more opportunities, despite having a contract that rounds until the end of 2026.

And forward Matt Owies remains unsigned despite being keen to stay at the Blues, as Carlton weighs up renovations to a list that is expected to challenge for the premiership next season.

The Blues cut Jack Martin, David Cuningham, Caleb Marchbank, Alex Mirkov and Dom Akuei last week.

SAINTS DEFENDER INKS NEW DEAL

Defender Dougal Howard has inked a one-year extension as the Saints shore up a backline that will lose Josh Battle next year.

Howard missed the opening months of the season after a hamstring injury he picked up in a practice game and missed another month in the backhalf of the year but was otherwise a reliable presence in Ross Lyon’s backline through 15 games.

Battle will walk to Hawthorn as a free agent in the off-season so Lyon will be forced to tinker with his defence as the Saints continue to attempt to stay competitive amid a list rebuild.

The reliable Howard will pair again with All-Australian Callum Wilkie, while Anthony Caminiti showed good signs when thrown into defence mid-year.

Dougal Howard is staying at St Kilda in 2025. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The Saints had a huge list of off-contract players as the season wound down.

They have since announced re-signings of Mason Wood, Jimmy Webster, Ryan Byrnes, Liam Stocker, Angus McLennan, Max Heath and Issac Keeler.

Veteran Seb Ross was let go, alongside James Van Es, Matt Allison, Tom Campbell and surprisingly Riley Bonner.

Tim Membrey and Zak Jones are among the Saints to have yet confirmed their status for 2025.

Originally published as AFL trade news: Jack Macrae nominates St Kilda, Matt Kennedy told to pursue trade by Carlton