Moneyball: Follow all the latest trade, free agency and contract news

GWS is eyeing off a Demons academy player — and the Giants could pull a trade and draft surprise with the No.2 pick they secured from Collingwood.

The Giants are sizing up high-leaping Mac Andrew. Picture: Michael Klein

Greater Western Sydney is seriously considering using its first selection on Melbourne’s Sudanese next generation academy player Mac Andrew in what is shaping as the Demons’ gift to the competition.

But the Giants could end up trading their No.2 overall pick to a rival to shuffle several spots back down the order if it’s confident it could still secure Andrew, with Richmond and Geelong chasing an early draft pick.

MORE: EVERY PLAYER WITHOUT A CONTRACT FOR 2022

The Demons remain furious they cannot pick 200cm ruck-forward Andrew despite a massive investment in a player rivals concede has been fast-tracked because of Melbourne’s support.

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As an athletic tall who is still several years from emerging as a regular senior player, clubs believe he has the same repeat efforts and sparkling gifts Melbourne ruckman Luke Jackson has brought to the competition.

The Dandenong Stingrays ruckman was born in Egypt to South Sudanese parents and, before this year, was not part of the Vic Country teams.

As part of new rule tweaks, clubs cannot match bids for NGA players if rivals bid on them within the first 20 selections of the draft, with that rule to be expanded to the first 40 selections next year.

The Giants are sizing up high-leaping Mac Andrew. Picture: Michael Klein

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who was an NGA product last year, was always going to be a star of the competition, despite the Dogs’ support, but rivals say the Demons’ work on Andrew since he was 14 has made him the player he will become.

GWS traded for Collingwood’s first-round pick last year and, at best, thought the selection could end up around No.10.

Instead, as the Pies won just two of their last nine games, the Giants pulled off one of the great trade heists to secure the No.2 overall pick, which will shuffle to pick four after a pair of father-sons are taken off the board.

Rivals believe Andrew could go between picks 5-10 so, if rivals like Richmond are determined to secure that GWS pick, the Giants would be open to offers.

He is unlikely to be on the draft board when the Giants use their next selection at No.13.

Geelong is another club keen to secure an early selection by trading a package of its selections for a top-10 pick.

For a GWS side with three rucks in Braydon Preuss, Kieren Briggs and Matt Flynn, the decision to draft Andrew would come knowing there was no rush for him to make an instant impact.

Andrew’s manager is the brother of Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca. Picture: AFL Photos

Andrew is managed by Hemisphere’s Julian Petracca, brother of the Melbourne Norm Smith Medallist Christian.

Hemisphere Management Group has had an excellent draft lead-in, securing Andrew, Northern Knights midfielder Josh Ward, Vic Country key defender Josh Gibcus and Sandringham Dragons midfielder Finn Callaghan.

AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan said the sky was the limit for Andrew.

“He emerged from nowhere and, within a couple of weeks, we put him into the Australian Under 18 team and he played against Geelong’s VFL side over the Anzac Day weekend,” he said.

“And he did well in that game, some of his athletic movement for a kid of 200cm who is quick, can mark it … People just said, ‘Wow, how big is the upside of this guy?’.

“He played quite well in the Vic Metro v Vic Country game in July, he did some exceptional things in the air.

“He is a very balanced young fellow, communicates well in the team, loves the game.

“He is certainly in love with footy and he’s very advanced, so it’s a conundrum for Melbourne.”

Adam Cerra has nominated Carlton as his club of choice. Picture: AAP Images

Cerra tells Dockers he wants to be a Blue

Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra will ride shotgun alongside Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh in the Blues’ midfield next season after officially requesting a trade to Ikon Park.

Cerra chose the Blues over Melbourne and formally told both clubs on Wednesday

As News Corp reported last month, Sydney Swans’ free agent George Hewett will also move to the Blues in a bid to significantly upgrade the midfield unit for new coach Michael Voss in 2022.

Carlton and Fremantle will continue negotiations over a trade deal to send Cerra, a silken playmaker, to Carlton in a swap which is certain to include Carlton’s pick No. 6.

The Dockers may also ask for a secondary pick for the man who has blossomed in purple since he was taken with pick No. 5 in the 2017 national draft.

The 21-year-old has played 76 games and finished third in the club’s best and fairest last year.

Fremantle football manager Peter Bell said the Dockers wanted fair compensation for the young star playmaker.

“Earlier today Adam informed us that Carlton is his club of preference to continue his AFL career,” Bell said.

“We’ll now begin negotiations with Carlton to ensure that our club receives adequate compensation for a player of Adam’s quality and character.”

Carlton midfielder Sam Petrevski-Seton wants a fresh start at West Coast next season.

He’s back: Bombers sign Tiger champ Rance

Essendon has scored a coup in securing the services of Richmond premiership defender Alex Rance as a part-time development coach.

The five-time All-Australian played a one-off game for the Bombers VFL side in the last state league game this year, giving rise to speculation he might even stage an AFL comeback.

But the 31-year-old will instead come on board as a development role, reuniting with senior coach Ben Rutten and assistant coach Blake Caracella, who were both at Richmond at stages of Rance’s stellar league career.

Rance will work alongside the club’s development coaches Leigh Tudor and Cam Roberts, working with the Bombers’ key-position players, as well as the first-to-fourth year players in the Jack Jones Academy.

Alex Rance played for Essendon's VFL team against the Southport Sharks. Picture: Deion Menzies/Highflyer Images

“I’m really excited to join the Bombers as a development coach for next season,” Rance said. “I couldn’t think of a better place to start my journey as a coach in the AFL.”

“Having familiar faces in ‘Truck’ (Rutten) and ‘Cara’ (Caracella) around to work with was really appealing to me.

“I really enjoyed my experience with the VFL Bombers up in Queensland earlier this year and I loved helping those young players grow and learn, which will be a big part of my role.

“I can’t wait to get started and help the club towards success.”

Rance’s enjoyment in working briefly with the VFL side late this year fuelled his intention to get involved even further as a coach.

Alex Rance was a five-time All-Australian with the Tigers.

Essendon general manager of football Josh Mahoney said the club was buoyed by Rance’s acquisition to the coaching staff.

“We have a young, developing group … and Alex will bring leadership and a high-performance mindset to the entire squad, as well as focusing on developing the fundamentals of our key position players,” Mahoney said.

“We look forward to Alex’s contribution to the club in helping develop our players who are looking for continual improvement.”

Rance shocked the footy world after he retired from his brilliant AFL career in late 2019 after 200 games and one premiership (2017) with the Tigers.

Can Voss save top-10 flop from Blues it?

Carlton could lose a second top-10 pick for very little in coming weeks as it ponders whether to offer Lochie O’Brien a contract.

The Blues will surely extend O’Brien a lifeline to see whether Michael Voss can help instil some competitive spirit in the No. 10 pick from the 2017 national draft, selected as a classy wingman who has played only six games in the past two seasons.

Sam Petrevski-Seton, the No.6 pick in the 2016 national draft, is headed for West Coast but Fox Footy has reported the Blues might be interested in securing 195cm utility Jarrod Brander in a trade.

Will the Blues offer Lochie O’Brien a new deal? Picture: AAP

O’Brien has been squeezed out by runners including Jack Newnes and could still be forced to find a home elsewhere as a delisted free agent.

Sydney free agent George Hewett will get to Carlton as early as Friday when free agency opens with the Swans certain to allow him to get to the Blues with free passage.

His four-year deal at around $450,000 would likely only secure third-round free agency compensation for Sydney.

Dogs, Pies set for new trade war

Patrick Lipinski has told the Western Bulldogs he wants to be traded to Collingwood in a deal that will see Luke Beveridge’s side dig in its heels over his trade value.

The 23-year-old is keen for more opportunities after being overlooked for the entire second half of the season.

From Round 11 onwards, he played only 51 minutes of football as the Round 16 sub, unused in his only other clash in the same role in Round 20.

But the Dogs’ three-year offer, which he will ignore to get to Collingwood, made clear to him that they believe he has a bright future.

Both clubs locked horns over how much the Pies were to pay of Adam Treloar’s contract this year and their views on what Lipinski is worth could be some way apart.

Patrick Lipinski wants to get to Collingwood in the trade period. Picture: Brendon Thorne

The Dogs and Pies have father-son priorities and need to bring in more points so the Dogs might prefer to receive a selection in this year’s draft.

Collingwood will go into points deficit in its bid to bring in Nick Daicos so would be more likely to offer a late future draft pick.

Lipinski indicated to the Dogs that he was keen to get to a club where he could play regular senior footy after being used as a wing and not an inside midfielder in 2021.

The No.28 selection in the 2016 national draft will be a ready-made strong-bodied midfielder for the Pies as they fast-track a young on-ball brigade next year.

The Dogs have also made clear they are keen for Mitch Wallis to play on next year, but there is uncertainty about whether they have actually offered him a contract.

In any other year, Wallis would have been snapped up as an experienced mid-forward with great leadership but clubs including the Suns and Brisbane have no list spots available.

Blues set to pay up for Cerra

Carlton is set to hand over a second draft pick in addition to pick 6 to land Adam Cerra.

The Herald Sun understands Cerra will officially pick Carlton as his club of choice in the next 48 hours despite Melbourne’s strong recent interest.

The Demons had always been keen to land Cerra, a move which prompted the Dockers to ask for Luke Jackson as part of a potential deal.

Jackson is going nowhere, but players like Angus Brayshaw and James Harmes, who could have been parts of a swap, are now premiership heroes who are untouchable.

So Carlton will be able to broker a deal that will require them to again hand over a top-10 pick after giving up pick 8 for Adam Saad last year.

The Dockers will demand another selection as well as pick 6, and will likely secure it after strong early talks between the two parties.

The No.6 pick will filter back to pick eight after father-son bids for Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos, and will come in a draft that has three or four standouts then perhaps a dozen even players in a bunch from picks five onwards.

Adam Cerra will be in navy blue in 2022.

The Dockers will be taking a player who has played as few as six official games in the past two seasons if they take a Victorian in that part of the draft.

While WA and SA-based players have barely been affected by Covid, most Victorian teens have played such little football the draft could be a lottery.

If the Blues were taking Cerra in the draft they would be prepared to use pick 3 or 4 so clearly will have to hand over more than the pick which will secure the eighth-best player in the draft.

That pick could be a later selection in this year’s draft or a future pick, with Fremantle keen to go to the draft as well as secure Geelong’s Jordan Clark.

Carlton’s draft hand this year is 6, 25 and 61, but they would be reluctant to give up both 6 and 25 for Cerra.

Most clubs who have secured ready-made talents of Cerra’s calibre have given up a first-rounder and a second-rounder, or two first-rounders and secured a second-rounder back.

Cerra at 21 is set to record another strong best-and-fairest finish in the Doig Medal on Saturday night after finishing equal third alongside Andrew Brayshaw last year.

Melbourne’s chase for Cerra, who is best mates with Demon Ed Langdon, would also have been tough from a salary cap perspective.

Luke Jackson, out of contract next season, has suddenly becomes one of the hottest commodities in football after his exceptional Grand Final.

The Demons will have to find cap space for him and Bailey Fritsch, who is also out of contract next year, with West Coast sure to make inquiries given Nic Naitanui is coming to the end of his career.

Luke Jackson can expect plenty of interest from rival clubs.

The big cap squeeze on premiership Dees

Melbourne faces a tight salary cap squeeze in order to keep some of its premiership-winning heroes across the next few years, but chief executive Gary Pert believes the club can keep the bulk of its talent-rich playing list.

Much of the focus in the coming months will be working on securing new deals for several of the club’s young stars who are coming out of contract at the end of next season.

Headlining the players with one year left on their current deals are grand final heroes Luke Jackson and Bayley Fritsch.

The Demons’ salary cap pressure will come from the lucrative, long-term deals already in place for stars Christian Petracca, Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney, Steven May and Jake Lever.

Oliver is contracted until the end of 2023, but the Demons will be looking to extend that sooner rather than later – and it won’t come cheap after he took his game to a new level this season.

Pert said the Demons faced the challenge every modern premiership side confronted, but was confident it could deftly sort out the deals.

“We’ve got a list that is pretty strong and there’s going to be a bit of pressure on us from a salary cap point of view,” Pert said on SEN.

“We will explore all the (trade) options, but I think not only have we got a talented list, but anyone who was looking at the players that ran onto the ground after the grand final … quite a few of them deserve to be playing at the highest level and just weren’t able to get out on the ground because our list was so fit.”

Jackson turns 20 on Wednesday and after winning a Rising Star award and a premiership medal in his second season is hot property.

But the ruck/forward, who helped to swing the fortunes of last Saturday’s grand final in that crucial third term, has insisted he wants to remain loyal to the Demons, despite the two WA clubs salivating at the thought of one day luring him home to Perth.

Fritsch, 24, looks set for a big pay rise after almost kicking 60 goals including six in the grand final.

The prolific goalkicker could be worth $600-650,000 on the open market, but he told New Corp before the grand final that his heart was on staying with the Demons long-term.

Charlie Spargo, Harrison Petty, Jake Bowey and Tom Sparrow all have one more year remaining on their contracts.

Exciting small forward Kysaiah Pickett is contracted until the end of 2023.

Regular senior footy has eluded Cat Charlie Constable. Picture: Michael Klein

What’s next for senior footy-starved Cat?

Under-utilised Geelong midfielder Charlie Constable is open-minded about his future.

Constable, 22, managed only three games this season – the opening three rounds – and has played only 12 games across three seasons.

His manager Marty Pask said if an opportunity arose, his client would look at it, though he said it was possible he could remain with the Cats.

“They’ve got a very open mind in terms of where he may sit in 12 or 18 months down the track, but should an opportunity arise now and it’s a good one … obviously he’d look at it,” Pask said on Trade Radio.

“I‘d like to look at him in the marketplace as somebody that is getting a player they can rely on and count on and to give him an opportunity because he thoroughly deserves it.

“We’ll know more in the next couple of weeks, but we’re very open minded where he sits.”

Jordan Clark will head home to WA. Picture: Michael Klein

Clark set to walk away from Cats

Geelong’s last-ditch efforts to keep Jordan Clark will come up short as Fremantle prepares to offer a mid-20s selection for the contracted Cats wingman.

Clark is set for key meetings with the Cats this week, having already spoken about his desire for a move in his exit meeting.

It is understood senior Cats figures including coach Chris Scott and chief executive Steve Hocking have contacted him in the past week to assess whether he would remain at the club.

But he is expected to officially ask for a trade, with the Cats already fully aware of his intention to move to Fremantle.

Departing defensive coach Matthew Scarlett was reluctant to play him in his backline at times which left Clark feeling it would be extremely difficult to break into the team.

The Herald Sun reported on Monday the Cats were prepared to let him go for a pick in between Fremantle’s first and second-round selections – 8 and 27 – to release him from his contract.

Fremantle’s view is that the No.15 draft pick in the 2018 national draft is worth a pick around the early 20s after an 18-game debut season but only 14 games in the past two years.

And given clubs can easily interchange picks with a series of complicated pick swaps, moving up from 27 to a slightly earlier pick would be easy enough.

It would allow the Dockers to take pick 8 and Carlton’s No.6 selection to the national draft to bolster their exciting playing stocks.

Rory Lobb told the club in his exit meeting he had no intention of asking for a trade despite speculation about his future.

If a Melbourne suitor had emerged he might have been keen to assess whether he could find a way to Victoria, but given his $700,000-a-year salary and age (28) he will almost certainly stay put.

If Geelong was able to secure a pick at around 20 for Clark, the Cats would have picks 30, 32, 34, 52 plus the Clark pick and a later selection for Nathan Kreuger, who is likely to land at Collingwood.

The Cats handed over pick 42 to Carlton for SANFL player Kreuger three years ago to select him as a state-league player after the Blues were handed access to several state-league talents as part of an AFL assistance package.

They believe having given him three years of coaching and development he is ready to blossom so will be reluctant to let him go for a pick later than 42.

Can Suns midfielder Will Brodie find another club? Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Suns midfielder on market

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew says if a rival club offered midfielder Will Brodie the certainty of more game time, they would be open to a trade.

Brodie and the Suns went to the market last year, but nothing eventuated, and after only five games again this season, he could be looking at chasing a new home for 2022.

“We mutually explored our options together last year. You just never know,” Dew told News Corp.

“This is the quietest it has been in the four years I have been here at the Suns in terms of league-wide talk about trading.

“I think a little bit of that is about the list size and salary cap adjustments. It is either going to be quiet or (there will be) a late flurry.

“Will wants to stay but he is also open if someone comes to him and gives a heavy promise that he will play regular senior footy he is probably open to that.

“We will keep the dialogue open with him like we did last year. We are in constant contact.

“We are not here to try and stifle someone’s career. If someone sees a rock solid spot for him then that will be his decision to explore. He is contracted so in our view he is required unless he wants to explore something else.”

Western Bulldogs assistant Steven King is headed to the Gold Coast Suns. Picture: Michael Klein

Dogs assistant heads way north

The Western Bulldogs have lost Steven King to Gold Coast where he will become a right-hand man to Stuart Dew, but have promoted Ashley Hansen to King’s former role as senior assistant coach.

Geelong had been keen to add Ashley Hansen to their new-look coaching panel.

But King’s departure to the Gold Coast saw the Bulldogs offer Hansen a promotion, with the club saying on Tuesday he would step up as the club’s senior lieutenant to senior coach Luke Beveridge.

King has held multiple roles at the Dogs over the past decade and was an integral part of the 2016 premiership set up on top of this year’s grand final appearance.

The Geelong premiership ruckman had been a senior assistant to Luke Beveridge since 2019 and will now move to Queensland with his family to fill a key role for the Suns.

Dew’s side finished 16th in a disappointing result with the 42-year-old senior coach out of contract at the end of next season.

Hansen has been with the Bulldogs since 2013, and has been in charge of the club’s forwards for the past four seasons.

Chris Scott is certain to stay at Geelong. Picture: AFL Photos

Scott to commit to Cats

Chris Scott is certain to coach out his contract at Geelong next year as the Cats also retain Nigel Lappin despite interest from his good mate Michael Voss at Carlton.

Amid chatter about whether Scott would remain at Geelong next year, he has got on with business as he prepares to refresh his coaching panel after three key departures.

Lappin was in demand because he is so accomplished across many levels – at selection, in development and as a great sounding board to his Lions premiership teammate.

The Cats have hired James Kelly after his aborted tenure at Essendon and have their sights on Western Bulldogs assistant Ash Hansen, but could also elevate coaches from their development team.

Scott has made clear in conversations he is powering ahead with his planning, with Geelong believing he will sign a contract extension over the summer.

If he remained out of contract next year, there would be discussion about whether the league might poach him to coach Gold Coast or whether Ken Hinkley was in position to return to the Cats.

But a contract extension in the off-season would provide clear air for another tilt at the flag.

Craig Lambert has a reputation as one of the best welfare people in the business. Picture: Getty Images

Will Pies, Lions come calling for key Giant?

Craig Lambert made a successful return to GWS as a welfare staffer this year and could be in demand at clubs including Collingwood and Carlton.

Lambert was suspended by the AFL for a year in 2017 after Lachie Whitfield evaded a drugs test, but was in the Giants hub for the last few months as they flew across Australia.

It was one of many reasons why the club’s hub operated with so much harmony, compared to last year’s disastrous finish to the season.

The club got him back to help foster the “connection” between the players, with the young Giants securing a welter of signatures from players including Josh Kelly, Sam Taylor and Jesse Hogan.

His wife Melissa has a full-time role at the Giants but, with welfare such a critical area, his old mates Justin Leppitsch (Collingwood) and Michael Voss (Carlton) will surely seek him out.

Lambert has a reputation as one of the best welfare people in the business despite the Whitfield controversy.

Originally published as Moneyball: Follow all the latest trade, free agency and contract news