Moneyball: All the trade and contract news around the AFL

A Saint is utilising a key tool to keep Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera from leaving to South Australia. Plus we look at the futures of 10 players stuck on the injury list and more in Moneyball.

As a bunch of players play their way towards bigger contracts, a number of stars have no choice but to talk up their value as they nurse injuries on the sidelines.

Here is the latest on 10 players on the injury list and out-of-contract this year.

Brandon Starcevich. Picture: Getty Images

THE INJURED 10

Brandon Starcevich (Brisbane Lions) - Discussions on a new deal for the Lions premiership defender have been on hold as he patiently works to get himself back into full fitness following yet another sickening concussion earlier this season. There had been a two-year offer on the table from the Lions and some interest from the two clubs in his home state of WA, but a decision on his future is still some time away.

Nic Newman (Carlton) – On the way back from a patella tendon injury, Carlton is planning to keep Newman off the long-term injury list in the hope of him making a surprise late-season return. A new deal for the important defender is likely to take shape before the end of the year. Swingman Brodie Kemp (achilles) is also injured, with contract talks there parked until later in the year, and his list spot is set to be used by the Blues in the mid-season draft.

Tom Mitchell (Collingwood) – The Brownlow medallist played his first VFL minutes on Saturday after a long battle with foot issues. He will face a test pushing his way back into a firing Collingwood senior side. The Pies have a heap of veterans coming off deals and will need to move some players on. Expect this one to be pushed to late in the year.

Sam Draper (Essendon) – Positive talks with the Bombers were parked for about a month when Draper ruptured his achilles on April 18. Expect those chats to pick up again soon as the ruck begins his rehab. The unrestricted free agent has had interest elsewhere but looks more likely to stay. Fellow ruck Nick Bryan is also expected to stay despite a knee injury.

Harrison Jones suffered a nasty injury. Picture: Michael Klein

Harry Jones (Essendon) – A gruesome dislocated ankle injury has sidelined Jones since round 8. The rangy forward had held contract talks with the Dons before he went down, with a two-year deal on the table. Fellow tall Tom Edwards (knee) is also out for the season but has signed a one-year deal for 2026.

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) – One of the greatest in Fremantle history, Fyfe will sit down with the club at the end of the year to make a decision on his future. Currently out with a hamstring issue and hasn’t played all year.

Cam Guthrie (Geelong) – Guthrie is getting closer to a return, as he eyes VFL gametime next week against Footscray. The Cats rarely rush with their veterans, and after 10 games since the start of 2023, Guthrie will want to get some footy under his belt.

Dion Prestia (Richmond) – It took until late August for Prestia to sign his one-year deal for 2025 and it is hard to see any decision coming sooner this year, given the midfielder hasn’t played this year. Currently out with an achilles issue.

Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs) – Just the one game this year for Treloar so far and he is focused on getting back to fitness. Had 27 disposals in round 8 and is still a star when fit.

Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs) – Also out with a calf at the moment, Jones was dropped back in round 7 to allow Jedd Busslinger into the side. At 34, is he now a backup?

St Kilda are desperate to keep Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Picture: Getty Images

QUIRKY MOVE IN BID TO KEEP SAINT

St Kilda playmaker Bradley Hill is utilising his barbecue as a key tool in his bid to keep the speedy Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as a Saint, revealing he had been having regular conversations with the out-of-contract star about his future.

St Kilda is open to a variety of contract options for the South Australian, who has massive rival offers from Port Adelaide and St Kilda.

The club would recontract him on a short-term two-season deal, give him four years to free agency or give him the mega-deal that would keep him at the club long-term.

His camp is keen for him to be paid as the best player at St Kilda which would see him receive over $1 million a year given his brilliant form.

St Kilda believes it has done everything in its power to retain him, including playing him at times as an inside midfielder to give him a taste of his future at St Kilda.

Hill hasn’t pushed the envelope but is keeping tabs on his brilliant young protege as he weighs one of the biggest contract decisions in recent St Kilda history.

“I’m very close to Nas. I’m always having him around at my house, and I’m just there to give him support and make him feel safe and comfortable in the environment he’s at. I’ve always got the Indigenous boys round at my house, always around the kids and having barbecues, so we’re pretty close,” he said.

“Nas is obviously an exceptional player for us, and has been playing some outstanding footy. We’re hoping that hopefully he can stay at the club, and that decision’s in his hands.”

Jesse Motlop in Carlton’s Indigenous guernsey. Picture: Michael Klein

BLUE WANTS TO STAY

Carlton’s young small forward Jesse Motlop says he is determined to remain at the Blues for life after spending his junior years dreaming about playing in front of big crowds in Victoria.

Motlop showed off the Carlton Indigenous jumper on Tuesday which was designed by Yorta Yorta siblings Luke and Siena Tieri.

The No.27 draft pick is in his fourth season at Carlton and determined to stay as the Blues forward line clicks with Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Corey Durdin and Will White in strong form.

Motlop is basking in Melbourne life and keen to remain a one-club player, having been born locally before moving to Adelaide where father Daniel played for Port Adelaide.

“I have been here four years and am grateful they took an opportunity to give me a crack at AFL footy. I have made so many great mates along the way and couldn’t picture myself at another AFL club,” Motlop said.

“We are figuring all of that out at the moment so that will take care of itself.

“It is funny, I have got a housemate Jack Carroll who used to play for Carlton and he is at the Saints now and he’s one of my best mates and he has given me a bit of insight into what it’s like at St Kilda

“I guess I don’t take for granted how big the club is and what we are about and how many people do support us so that is just one thing I have come to learn. It is not always going to be there. Make the most of it.”

Motlop’s birthplace is listed on Wikipedia as Darwin but he said he was actually born in Victoria before ending up in WA as a teenage football star.

“For me I always wanted to play AFL footy and I dreamt of playing in Melbourne and playing on the big stage. That was one thing that was imprinted on me,” he said.

“I moved around a lot as a kid and lived away from dad. I never really got homesick as soon as I did move to Carlton. I was actually born in Melbourne as well. I have got a fair bit of family all over the place. Adapting was the easiest thing for me.

Sam Banks. Picture: Getty Images

MAKING MOVES ON TIGERS YOUNGSTERS

Richmond is working through a two-year extension with in-form runner Sam Banks as improving young small forward Rhyan Mansell says he will choose a premiership tilt at the Tigers over a return home to Tasmania.

Banks enjoyed likely the best outing of his 29-game career on Sunday, gathering 28 disposals filling in for Jayden Short at half-back in a thrilling win over West Coast.

Banks is one of multiple slow burn Tigers from the 2021 draft, when Richmond selected Josh Gibcus (pick 9), Tom Brown (17), Tyler Sonsie (28), Banks (29) and Judson Clarke (30).

Brown re-signed until the end of 2027 last week, before his game-winning tackle against the Eagles.

Mansell is a multiple North Launceston premiership player who was a category B rookie with North Melbourne before a stint in the SANFL saw him signed as a Tigers summer rookie.

He is contracted to the end of 2026 but new Collingwood recruiting boss Derek Hine has earmarked local talent as priority targets for the new Devils side.

Like fellow north Tasmanian Seth Campbell, he is contracted to the end of 2026.

The Tigers will be desperate to lock away Campbell long-term given he is currently ranked in the top 20 AFL players on AFL rankings.

Mansell told this masthead on Tuesday he had no intention of returning home after finally making the grade as an AFL small forward who kicked 21 goals to finish seventh in the Jack Dyer Medal last year.

Rhyan Mansell. Picture: Getty Images

“Firstly (Tasmania) would want to have me but I am very happy at Richmond,” he said.

“I am looking at growing my leadership there and being in that next wave of blokes to be there for the next premiership at the Richmond footy club.

“It is very exciting in the forward line. Seth is buzzing, Steely (Green) and Sammy (Lalor), it’s a young group and they keep us on our toes and Tom Lynch is the pop of the group. It’s fun.”

Showcasing Richmond’s Indigenous jumper on Tuesday, he said he was thrilled to be back in the side after his contentious three-match ban for pushing Liam O’Connell into key talls Lynch and Anthony Caminiti.

“I wasn’t really expecting it,” he said of the ban.

“I didn’t think anything really happened and then after the game it blew up on my phone and I thought I might be in trouble here. We thought we had a good argument at the tribunal but you can see where the AFL is going with it. We will accept the issue and work on it and move forward.

“There were a few (previous pushes of similar force), obviously it was disappointing to get three but it is what it is and I have to move on.”

Jed Bews. Picture: Michael Klein

RACE ON FOR BEWS RECORD

Premiership Cat Jed Bews has laughed off the chase to catch his father in Geelong games as he happily waits on a contract for 2026.

Bews made an excellent return to the field on Sunday against the Giants, playing his first game at any level for the season after a kitchen knife finger injury cost him two months on the sidelines.

The defender was thrown straight in to an undermanned defence missing Tom Stewart, Jack Henry, Lawson Humphries and Jake Kolodjashnij in a sign of faith from Cats coaches.

Bews’ career appeared to be heading towards an end 12 months ago when he played in the reserves until round 20, but he held his spot in the senior side through finals and earned a 2025 contract.

The 31-year-old said he hoped good form would help him do similar this year.

“I will just play and enjoy my footy, hopefully all of that takes care of itself in the background,” he said.

Bews will almost certainly not catch his father Andrew for total senior matches, given his tally of 172 sits well behind Andrew’s 282.

But a good run this year and another season could see him reel in Andrew’s Geelong tally of 207, before ‘the Rat’ joined Brisbane.

Jed chuckled at the chance of running his old man down.

“I was lucky because he never got a premiership and I was lucky to get that,” he said.

“He can’t beat that. Both mum and dad are happy to support me and get to every game they can.”

Originally published as Moneyball: All the trade and contract news around the AFL