By Peter Ryan
Melbourne have offered key forward Tayla Harris a one-year deal to remain with the Demons after a trade with Hawthorn failed to eventuate ahead of Wednesday’s AFLW trade deadline.
The key forward – one of the most recognisable figures in the competition – now has to decide whether to accept Melbourne’s offer, or take her chances in Monday’s AFLW draft with no guarantee she would end up at her club of choice.
Harris, 27, had made it clear she wanted to become a Hawk, but Hawthorn were unwilling to hand over pick No.14 to make the trade happen after a week of negotiations ended in a stalemate.
Tayla Harris is one of AFLW’s biggest namesCredit: Getty Images
A competition source familiar with the negotiations, who wanted to remain anonymous because the issue remained sensitive, said the Demons would welcome their premiership forward back into the fold, even though they were open to trading her at the right price.
The Demons traded Lily Mithen to the Gold Coast for pick No.2 as they look to replenish their list, with Mithen keen to make the move north if Melbourne could be compensated. The Suns were happy to trade their pick as they have academy graduates, including the highly rated Havana Harris, set to join the club.
Meanwhile, Essendon’s Amber Clarke was traded to St Kilda for pick No.8 late in the trade period, with the Bombers agreeing to let the No.4 pick from the 2022 national draft make the move. Giant Nicola Barr also joined the Saints as Grace Kelly went from RSEA Park to the Adelaide Crows. Collingwood nabbed Fremantle’s Airlie Runnalls for a third-round selection.
Premiers North Melbourne made their undefeated 2024 team even stronger by snaffling Richmond star Eilish Sheerin on the final day of the trade period.
The Kangaroos handed over their first-round pick, No.18, in exchange for two-time All-Australian Sheerin, 32, on Wednesday morning.
A mature-aged recruit who joined the Tigers in 2022, Sheerin was a revelation, earning back-to-back All-Australian berths as a defender before moving into the midfield in 2024, when she averaged 18.4 disposals and 7.4 tackles per game.
Sheerin’s departure from Richmond, for a relatively low price, is eyebrow-raising given she had finished second behind Monique Conti in their best and fairest in three consecutive seasons.
Also on Wednesday, Essendon’s Ash Van Loon headed to Sydney and Swan Ella Heads joined Port Adelaide as part of a four-way trade also involving the Brisbane Lions.
A handful of draft picks were also involved in the deal, including Port swapping pick No.15 for Brisbane’s No.17 while shuffling later selections.
The Bombers claimed the Lions’ pick No.35.
After falling out of favour at North Melbourne in 2024, Lulu Pullar departed for Sydney in exchange for picks No.49 and No.51.
With AAP
MAGAREY MEDALLIST TO BECOME A SAINT
St Kilda are set to sign ruckman Harry Boyd as a rookie as they bolster their support for matchwinning ruck-forward Rowan Marshall with the pre-season supplemental signing.
Boyd, 26, tied for the 2024 Magarey Medal in the SANFL with Sturt’s Will Snelling and helped Norwood to the grand final under Jade Rawlings, who has joined Fremantle as an assistant coach.
Rowan Marshall will have a partner at the Saints with Harry Boyd to join the club as an SSP rookieCredit: Getty Images
The Redlegs lost the grand final to Glenelg, but Boyd found himself on AFL clubs’ radars after another consistent SANFL season, having also won the Jack Oatey Medal for best on ground in Norwood’s 2022 premiership.
He also won the club best and fairest that year, having relocated from Shepparton to play in the SANFL in 2021.
Boyd attracted interest from St Kilda ahead of the national draft and also spoke to the Western Bulldogs but was not picked up. The Saints asked him to train with the aim of offering him a rookie spot during the pre-season supplemental selection period if he impressed.
Two competition sources familiar with the situation confirmed the club had decided to sign him and paperwork was being finalised.
The Saints delisted big forward Jack Hayes and veteran back-up ruckman Tom Campbell at the end of the season. Melbourne snapped up Campbell as the Saints went on the lookout for a mature-aged ruckman to either play alongside Marshall or be a back-up in case he was injured.
They drafted former basketballer and SANFL ruckman Alex Dodson, who played for Sturt and South Australia in the under-18 national championships with selection 53. He is expected to need time to develop, while Boyd shapes as a late developer who could perform at senior level immediately.
Fremantle signed former Geelong and Port Adelaide forward Quinton Narkle on the opening day of the pre-season supplemental selection period and Essendon signed former Lion defender Jaxon Prior just days later.
The pre-season supplemental selection period remains open until February 19.
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