Moneyball: All the latest trade and contract news from around the AFL
There’s plenty going right at the Pies in 2025, and the future is looking bright too, with a South African-born draft prospect turning heads after his VFL performance.
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With seven weeks to go before finals, a host of club favourites are still pressing a case to carry on next year, or eyeing the sunset.
Here’s where 15 out-of-contract veterans stand ahead of a host of calls that will tug on the heart strings.
PIES’ DRAFT BOUNTY
Collingwood is thrilled with the return from an ACL tear of 192cm inside mid Doug Kerr, who played in their VFL side this weekend and gives them five NGA and father-son contenders for November’s national draft.
Kerr is South African-born and is in the Oakleigh Chargers side but with his powerful physique has a strong area of strength to hone across this draft year.
He still has to work on his kicking and his spread from contest so isn’t an early draft prospect but joins father-son candidates Oscar Lonie and Tom McGuane and fellow NGA prospects Jai Saxena and Zach McCarthy as Pies-eligible.
McCarthy (three goals) was exceptional in the Vic Metro win over the weekend and shapes as a possible late first-round pick, with Mick McGuane’s son Tom also a top draft candidate.
Collingwood VFL coach Andy Otten told this masthead the club was thrilled to give Kerr a chance at VFL level after five Coates League games this year.
He had 15 possessions and two clearances in the clash against Carlton.
“He is South African born and he tells me he came to Australia when he was two or three so early on. He’s an Oakleigh product who did his knee in mid-May last year.
“So he came in as part of the NGA program and did his rehab at our facilities with our VFL program.
“He worked closely with (coach) Ash Close at Oakleigh and our academy manager Steve Grace and after five weeks of games we were all keen to get a look at him in our VFL program and we were able to get him in on the weekend.
“He’s a big-bodied mid, he’s tough, he likes to compete and he puts heaps of pressure. We were keen to see what he could do against a quality opponent in Carlton’s VFL side. We threw him in for the first bounce and we were pleased with his first game in the VFL.”
GOING NOWHERE
Carlton star Harry McKay is not interested in a fresh start at a rival club despite being raised as a trade prospect.
Carlton has repeatedly poured cold water on the possibility of him being traded, aware rival clubs might be keen to secure one of the very few key position stars in football.
McKay has not been given a single indication from the Blues that they would let him go and does not want to seek a fresh start.
He is still out with a knee concern but started the year brightly by winning two games with late goals for the Blues.
With father-son candidate Harry Dean and NGA candidate Jack Ison both rising up draft boards the Blues would have to be careful anyway about bringing in too many early picks that might be swallowed up by rival bids.
So while the Blues have a list of grumpy players who are not maximising their form, it would take a huge about-face for McKay to move.
Carlton is aware its best four runners in Sam Walsh, Matthew Cottrell, Jagga Smith and Elijah Hollands are all out with injury or personal circumstances.
So while the list clearly needs a rejig it will be vastly improved with that quartet in the team alongside Nic Newman in round 1 as the club’s best small defender and elite kick from the backline.
DESPERATE DEES WAIT ON JUDD
Melbourne is still searching for the signature of quality defender Judd McVee, who is not yet ready to commit to the club as he searches for clarity over his role in coming years.
McVee battled with a long-term hamstring injury early in the year and has been part of the club’s defensive struggles.
The WA boy is not fielding offers from rival clubs but has had the Demons contract offer in front of him since last year and is yet to re-sign.
He would love to play as a more aggressive defender playing higher up the ground and even on the wing at times to use his kicking skills.
But he remains typecast as a last-line lockdown defender on the dangerous smalls that populate the game.
So while it is not panic stations yet, the Demons will be desperately hoping he makes the decision to commit.
The move of star defensive coach Troy Chaplin to the forward line to make space for SANFL coach Nathan Bassett has not helped what is now a leaky defence or the forward line which is yet to click.
The defence was Melbourne’s strength in its premiership years but now concedes 90 points a game.
It comes with the Herald Sun revealing the club will be open to some kind of list shake-up that could see them moving on senior names for trade collateral.
Melbourne’s senior players have some currency but it would be a big call to trade leaders like Jake Lever, Jack Viney and Steven May.
Lever will be 30 by round 1 next year but was dropped this year as he battles ankle concerns.
May will be 34 in January next year and has averaged 2.7 intercept marks a year but also had a poor year by his lofty standards.
Bayley Fritsch is contracted for next year and would have suitors but said earlier in the year he wanted to play out his career at Melbourne.
Clayton Oliver might have to take a $200,000 pay cut per year to be a trade prospect but even then the Demons might have to pay up to $500,000 of his salary for a club to take the rest of his $1 million wage off the books given a deal of up to $1.7m by 2030.
‘RO’ STAYING LOW
Rowan Marshall is keeping a low media profile despite his 150th game given the awkwardness of his own situation but there is at least a model to show him the dual ruck situation with Tom De Koning could work.
His media interviews this season have been few and far between, with Marshall saying in round 3 that he would only want to move from the club’s No.1 ruck spot if it helped the club improve.
He would immediately be the subject of trade bids if the Saints landed Tom De Koning but St Kilda’s view on whether it would entertain them is not known.
As recently as 2020 Marshall finished fourth in the St Kilda best-and-fairest won by Jack Steele.
In eighth place was Paddy Ryder in a reminder that Marshall has played well in concert with another ruckman.
Ryder played three seasons alongside Marshall in a ruck-forward split, playing 14 games in 2020 then 12 games in 2021 and 12 in 2022.
Ryder averaged 300 hitouts a year across those three seasons, with Marshall kicking 13, nine and nine goals.
De Koning’s form against Collingwood last week as a 50-50 forward-ruck was unimpressive.
But St Kilda remains steadfast that it can make the dual ruck situation work.
The Western Bulldogs have made clear to first-round pick Jedd Busslinger they will not be trading him despite his frustration at being shut-out of the senior side.
Clubs will again ask the question of No.13 draft pick Busslinger at season’s end despite a contract for 2026 given his lack of game time this year.
He took on and beat Jesse Hogan in his only full game of the season in his AFL debut then got only 17 minutes of game time as the sub the following week and was dropped.
He would be legitimately concerned about the way forward given James O’Donnell is only 22 and Rory Lobb is in excellent form, with Buku Khamis and Ryan Gardner chosen ahead of him this season.
But the Dogs have been emphatic that they will not consider a trade for him under any circumstances, which means he will honour that deal.
In a terribly thin draft where some clubs are suggesting they might hardly take a selection and will instead upgrade rookies, the Dogs won’t be interested in later picks for Busslinger.
And given his lack of exposure with some clubs concerned he is a third tall, they won’t be giving up first-rounders for him.
So he will have to bide his time in the VFL and hope something changes next season before he comes out of contract with more freedom.
OVER 30s CLUB
Bulldog Jason Johannisen is channelling his great mate Tom Liberatore in pushing hard to get the best of himself into his 30s.
The 32-year-old Norm Smith Medallist is hoping he can extend his career in 2026, insisting his body is feeling good again after a few tough years with injury.
Johannisen has played just 37 games in the past four seasons after a wretched run, but he says Libba is the perfect example to follow as someone who has always strived to overcome adversity and keep getting better.
“We both walked through the (Whitten Oval) at the same time,” Johannisen said. “He has always been an inspiration for me because of his unconditional approach.
“You just always know what you are going to get from him. At different points he has had a lot of adversity, but you just know what this club means to him.”
Johannisen is out of contract at the end of the season and would love to play on if his body stands up – as he expects it to – and if the Bulldogs still want him.
He still forms part of the strong defensive bond in the backline and remains grateful to the club that first took him in a rookie draft in 2011.
Asked if he wanted to play next year, Johannisen said: “For sure, I still love the game, and I still love working with the boys.
“When you are my age, you take it one week at a time. But it means a lot to be a one-club player, especially in a football club that took a chance on me as a young kid.”
He said the 2025 Bulldogs have “more weapons” than the 2016 premiership side, but he knows there is plenty of work ahead.
“We are building nicely. We probably have more weapons than the 2016 team, with (Sam) Darcy and ‘Naughty’ (Aaron Naughton) and with the depth in our midfield.
“But we know we still have plenty of improvement left and hopefully we can stay healthy.”
FOUR MORE YEARS
Hawthorn ruckman Lloyd Meek is edging closer to striking a new four-year deal with the club as he prepares to take on his former club Fremantle in Perth on Saturday night.
Moneyball understands 27-year-old big man could be locked away in the coming weeks, finalising a deal that will take him into his 30s.
Meek has been an outstanding pick-up for the Hawks since being traded to the club in late 2022, establishing himself as a first-choice ruckman in 52 games across the past three years.
The Hawks have locked away Massimo D’Ambrosio and Josh Ward in the past few weeks, with Meek the next player likely to be locked down.
KANGA PACT
Harry Sheezel says the Kangaroos key players have made an informal pact to recommit to the club, insisting hard-as-nails midfielder George Wardlaw is “100 per cent” certain to lock into a new deal beyond 2026.
Wardlaw will miss a second week due to concussion but is tracking well in his recovery, with Sheezel saying he is such an important part of the club’s future.
Wardlaw is unlikely to lock into a new deal until he gets some more continuity in game time but Sheezel and the club remain certain he will be a part of the club deep into the future.
“I think George is trying to focus on getting back to consistently playing footy and getting his body right, but he is 100 per cent going to sign that deal,” Sheezel said.
“He loves the place.”
Sheezel is one of several key North Melbourne players already locked away for a lengthy period, with his deal running through until the end of 2030.
Others who have already recommitted to the club include Luke Davies-Uniacke (2032), Tristan Xerri (2031), Cam Zurhaar (2029), Nick Larkey (2029), Jy Simpkin (2029), Colby McKercher (2028) and Paul Curtis (2028).
SON OF A GUN DESPERATE TO EARN NEW DEAL
North Melbourne’s Cooper Harvey is determined to throw everything into securing a new deal with the Kangaroos after making his return to the senior side in last week’s Centenary match against Western Bulldogs.
The son of AFL games record holder Brent Harvey, Cooper played his first AFL game in more than 700 days last Thursday and wants to build on that after an injury-interrupted 2024 saw him not add to his three senior games in late 2023.
A phone call from coach Alastair Clarkson last week gave the 20-year-old hope that he can keep the family tradition rolling on at Arden St.
“I love the North Melbourne Football Club,” Harvey said. “If the opportunity comes up (to get a new deal), I would absolutely love it.”
“It meant so much to me (to play in the club’s Centenary game). Last year was tough. I had a syndesmosis injury early on and was in and out of form.
“I’ve been able to be more consistent this year (in the VFL) and hopefully I can keep working hard on getting opportunities.”
Harvey kicked a long 50m goal against the Bulldogs last week and had 15 disposals, a career-best return in his four games to date.
Cooper Harvey with a goal that would make his legendary dad proud!
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) July 3, 2025
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/aqwOBW1Beppic.twitter.com/0FmrYzmVjB
He even spent some time in defence and took one of the kick-ins.
“It felt like I had a lot of opportunities but I didn’t make it count all the time,” he said. “The goal was good.
“I played a bit down back in the last quarter, which was a bit of a random switch, but I really loved it. I miss kicking goals, but I’m happy to play where they want me to play.”
Cooper’s father was one of the star attractions at North Melbourne’s celebration of 100 years in the VFL-AFL, but his brother, Hudson, also tossed the coin before the start of the game.
PIE IN LIMBO
Mature Magpie Lachie Sullivan is happy to wait on a new contract as he fights to bed down a spot in Craig McRae’s best side.
The former Footscray VFL star played possibly the best of his 21 AFL games on Friday night in Collingwood’s take-down of Carlton, gathering 20 disposals and a spectacular spinning goal.
Sullivan was signed by the Pies in February last year alongside Josh Eyre and Jack Bytel, and was the only member of that trio to survive on the list into this year, when he signed a one-year deal.
He said talks on a contract for 2026 hadn’t picked up any pace.
“I haven’t heard much, we will see,” he said.
“Hopefully they can give me something but we will see.”
Sullivan, 27, said he was still “pinching myself” as an AFL player playing in front of more than 75,000 fans against Carlton.
“To think this is my job is unbelievable,” he said.
“I like to be present in every moment and enjoy it. I am lucky to be given a chance by the Pies and forever in debt so it is surreal.”
Sullivan will have to hold his spot with the likes of Beau McCreery, Bobby Hill and Jordan De Goey hoping to get back into the front half of the team before finals.
Sullivan is part of a massive group of almost 20 players without a deal for next year, such as Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Billy Frampton, Jeremy Howe, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Tom Mitchell and Will Hoskin-Elliott.
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