Where the AFL’s biggest stars sit as all eyes turn to bye period meetings and negotiations
Adelaide has cap space to lure two $1m players to South Australia and is set to throw a large chunk of its bounty at in-demand Saint Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. See the full trade state of play here.
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The AFL’s bye rounds are the perfect time for ‘think music’ or for the penny to drop.
Many players put off early contract discussions until the bye before spending that time deciding to sign offers from clubs.
Others use it as a nice deflection, aware their mind is already made up about jumping ship later in the year.
Here is the Herald Sun’s update on the big stars and what the bye rounds means for them.
NASIAH WANGANEEN-MILERA (ST KILDA)
St Kilda is prepared to match $10 million deals for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as the club sweats on its biggest re-signing decision in the past decade.
The 22-year-old is already St Kilda’s best player — and his management would like him to be rewarded in line with that performance.
Industry sources believe Adelaide is offering around $1.2 million a season on a deal of up to eight years for the star half back and midfielder.
Adelaide has so much cap space they could afford to bring in two players on a million bucks a year.
The St Kilda view is that the longest current rival offer is eight years rather than 10.
It is understood St Kilda is prepared to match both the length and financial terms of that eight-year contract at $1.2 million a year.
When CBA rises are factored into a deal it would take Wanganeen-Milera well past $10 million in earnings for the contract.
They would also be prepared to offer him ten years if he wanted to sign on for that long.
St Kilda remains uneasy about his prospects given he has indicated his happiness at the club but so far has made no move to commence contract discussions.
It would surprise if Adelaide and Port Adelaide don’t make some kind of pitch across the bye – if they haven’t already – but the Herald Sun has consistently reported that St Kilda is in a good position.
He isn’t particularly homesick, he is loving life with housemates Mitch Owens and Marcus Windhager, he believes in Ross Lyon and he’s playing some midfield as well as half back.
St Kilda is open on offers – two years, four years, eight years – given SA clubs are prepared to offer lifetime offers.
He’s just not in a hurry to commit yet.
SAM DRAPER (ESSENDON)
Essendon and Sam Draper remain some way apart on a new deal as he takes the time to consider his future as an unrestricted free agent.
The Dons have offered him a deal of up to four seasons but the financial terms would not have him leaping to sign away his free agency rights.
Given it is the biggest decision of Draper’s career he will not hurry given he also has rival suitors in Victoria as well as the Adelaide Crows.
But he will have to take a holistic view of his career in a season where he played mostly key forward as the club tried to also satisfy second ruck Nick Bryan.
Draper made a decent fist of that new role but he is more likely to thrive playing as a first ruck with plenty of game time.
With Draper having torn his achilles, talks are progressing slowly in a market where the futures of Tom De Koning, Rowan Marshall and Reilly O’Brien are uncertain.
St Kilda is confident Marshall, contracted to 2027, will be happy playing more forward time if TDK arrives but clubs will try to pry him out of Moorabbin.
CHARLIE CURNOW AND HARRY MCKAY (CARLTON)
Carlton has absolutely no plans to trade its best two players Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, adamant it would not even listen to offers for its star duo.
Reports this week have suggested the Blues are open for business on trades for its megastars.
But Carlton views Curnow in particular as its unicorn – an irreplaceable star who will be part of its long-term future.
It would be preposterous to trade him any time let alone in a weak draft with few key tall prospects of his calibre.
McKay has also won two of the club’s four games this season off his own boot.
Carlton’s view this week is that it is an unwelcome distraction which has no validity within the club.
Michael Voss will likely be coaching for his future next year and he would be in fantasy land to voluntarily trade Curnow in the same month where he is likely to lose free agent Tom De Koning.
New CEO Graham Wright will have ideas on the list makeup but will be part of a list management team.
Carlton has not given up hope of retaining De Koning but Wright’s list management views will be different to the Pies salary cap dump because Collingwood had no choice except to jettison stars including Brodie Grundy and Adam Treloar.
Carlton can make prudent, careful decisions, having looked past Dan Houston specifically to save cap space for De Koning and 2026 free agent Sam Walsh.
While its cap is tight, it is not in need of a Collingwood-style fire sale.
BRAYDEN MAYNARD (COLLINGWOOD)
Maynard and the Pies are now in detailed talks on his future and he is destined to sign on for a deal likely to be four years.
Those talks between his management and Pies list boss Justin Leppitsch are down to the tin-tacs so you can lock him away as a Collingwood player for life unless something goes badly wrong.
It will mean the chance to secure a first-round compensation pick is gone – and maybe the collateral for a player like Matt Rowell – but it is great news heading into a King’s Birthday clash against his nemesis Melbourne.
MATT ROWELL (GOLD COAST)
In this case the delay is making Gold Coast mighty nervous.
The glass-half-full approach is that he is process-driven and concentrating purely on football and hasn’t really turned his mind to his contract.
The glass-half-empty approach is that the Suns hoped he would commit by round eight, then round 10, then round 12, after the Herald Sun revealed over summer he would push talk into the season.
Every Gold Coast official believes he has never been more invested and is confident he will ignore rival offers.
They haven’t officially offered him a two-year deal to free agency yet and he isn’t defined by money.
Until his management makes that call the Suns will be holding his breath.
JUDD MCVEE (MELBOURNE)
Keen to stay despite his status as a WA local, the plan has always been for him to wait until the season develops until a deal is brokered.
His management is in town from WA this week and with the exciting defender having recovered from a high grade hamstring the Demons will be confident they can ward off local interest.
LUKE JACKSON (FREMANTLE)
The Dockers have the bye this week so while Jackson has time off he won’t be using it considering rival clubs.
He remains steadfast that he is keen to remain in Perth, even if he would like to be the Dockers’ first ruck.
So while his management is in Melbourne this week there will be no discussions with rival parties or the Demons on his future.
The message is clear – he’s staying at the Dockers.
TOM DE KONING (CARLTON)
Two years ago the Blues were still trying to frantically raise their offer – aware TDK was gone -until he suddenly came back to the club and shocked them by signing a two-season deal.
Carlton is still talking tough, adamant all is not lost.
But talks are in the “no timeline” phase, which means they are pretty much off.
Industry talk prevails that the Saints would front-end his first-year deal to give him as much as $2 million a year and $1.7 million a season across seven seasons.
It could be a win-win for both clubs given it will clear badly needed cap space but it will be heartbreaking given he would like to remain at Carlton but won’t be given the once-in-a-lifetime deal.
MILES BERGMAN (PORT ADELAIDE)
St Kilda hasn’t made formal contact with Bergman despite the continued link, perhaps in part because they are keen to get Port target Wanganeen-Milera signed up first.
He has been keen to get to the Port Adelaide bye before even considering his future but is playing more midfield this year.
The bayside boy also has the Western Bulldogs as a suitor and while he is continually linked to a return home he has recommitted to the Power before.
JACK SILVAGNI (CARLTON)
He wants to stay, the club is keen to keep him and confident he will remain.
He is likely to secure a pay rise but perhaps not the huge deal his dad (St Kilda list manager Stephen Silvagni) might want for him given his free agency status.
This is a scenario where he will need to find a suitor – not yet available – if he wants to really find leverage to drive up the Blues price.
And it isn’t apparent that there is one yet.
JAMES WORPEL (HAWTHORN)
The Hawks are adamant their only priority is signing the restricted free agent.
That doesn’t mean they haven’t handed him a deal (of up to four years) that will give him pause to look around.
Does he want to sign a two-year contract that allows the inside mid to get to Tasmania for a big pay check?
Does he want to hold off and consider interest from St Kilda and Melbourne, which could be preliminary or could end up as very real?
OLLIE DEMPSEY (GEELONG)
His management caught up with the Cats recently with options including a four-year deal to free agency on the table.
He deserves to get paid as footy’s dynamic young wingman and has a role at Geelong which rewards his skills.
LEEK ALEER (GWS)
The plot thickens, with Aleer keen to stay but aware he was being shut-out of this side.
He has found his way into the side in the past fortnight, and so the two-year deal offered by the Giants might look a bit more attractive right now.
Still, if he wants opportunity and a long-term deal of up to $900,000 a season he will find a way to St Kilda.
MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (WESTERN BULLDOGS)
Find someone who backs in their own ability like Marcus Bontempelli.
Any other player by now would have re-signed to ensure they get contract certainty in case of a serious injury given it is so apparent he isn’t going anywhere.
The Bont just isn’t in a hurry.
The Dogs have had the bye and he has concentrated on his injury rehab.
Thee stories about him meeting rival clubs are wrong.
But he is now six weeks back from his calf concern so with coach Luke Beveridge on track for a new two-year deal there is no conceivable reason for talks to be delayed much longer.
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Originally published as Where the AFL’s biggest stars sit as all eyes turn to bye period meetings and negotiations
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