While free agency opened last week, the trade period officially gets under way on Monday from 9am.
And we’re all set for one of the biggest exchange windows in recent memory, with several big-name stars linked to moves… and the biggest bombshell yet was dropped just hours before it all kicked off.
Check out all the trade and free agency news for Monday October 3 in our live trade blog below.
Trading Day begins 5pm EST on Fox Footy, Monday October 3 – daily news and analysis of the AFL trade period. Stream it live or on-demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
6AM – NO.1 PICK BOMBSHELL ROCKS TRADE PERIOD BEFORE IT STARTS
It’s been revealed North Melbourne’s Jason Horne-Francis fears continued chaos at the club amid the Alastair Clarkson/Hawthorn racism saga are partly driving his trade request.
The 2021 No.1 draft pick shockingly asked for a move back home to South Australia on Sunday night, less than 12 months after he joined the Kangaroos.
The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reported Horne-Francis “never settled” at North Melbourne and the instability of the club, which sacked coach David Noble at mid-season amid a second consecutive wooden spoon campaign, has helped him make the call.
Horne-Francis was famously dropped for a game back home in Adelaide after he missed an ice bath post-match, and he felt a “lack of support” from the club amid the speculation around his future.
The situation with Noble was a difficult one, and Ralph reported Horne-Francis was “close to tears” after the former coach’s now-infamous spray following a woeful loss to Brisbane.
Noble’s frustrations with Horne-Francis saw him “(make) clear to his recruiters Horne-Francis was not what was advertised in one of many flashpoints that saw three of his recruiting team leave the club”, Ralph wrote.
Making matters worse is the cloud around Alastair Clarkson’s future. The Kangaroos had hoped he would join the club on November 1 and bring much-needed experience and stability after four coaches in four seasons (Brad Scott, Rhyce Shaw, David Noble and Leigh Adams).
But the allegations of mistreatment by First Nations players and their families saw Clarkson step back from the Kangaroos coaching job, until the Hawthorn situation is cleared up – which could easily run deep into next year.
“From New York to Bali” | 00:53
Port Adelaide is the front-runner to secure Horne-Francis’ services and could offer up their 2022 and 2023 first-round picks for him – the former currently pick No.8, which will then drop to No.9 after a draft-night bid on Brisbane’s Will Ashcroft.
Using the AFL Draft Value Index, the combination of pick 9 this year and a top-10 pick next year (which would occur if the Power miss the finals) would roughly equal or exceed the value of the No.1 pick.
But if Port sends its future first-round pick away, and then qualifies for the 2023 finals, they would be paying less than the value of the No.1 pick for Horne-Francis.
The Draft Pick Maths
Value of No.1 pick alone = 3000 points
Value of No.9 pick (Port’s 2022 first-rounder, pushed back a spot by Ashcroft bid) + a top 10-pick (2023 first-rounder if Port misses finals) = minimum 2864 points, maximum 4469 points
Value of No.9 pick + a pick in 11-18 range (2023 first-rounder if Port plays finals) = maximum 2798 points, minimum 2454 points
6AM – WHAT DEALS GET DONE FIRST?
The trading game officially begins from 9am – so what deal goes through first?
Karl Amon’s free agency move from Port Adelaide to Hawthorn was officially the first switch of the trade period – although not a trade as such.
Of other free agency swaps, you sense that Lion Dan McStay’s to Collingwood, Hawk Jack Gunston’s to Brisbane and Demon Jayden Hunt’s to West Coast won’t be too far behind.
Trades historically take a little longer to go through – an even more likely prospect this year given how much clubs have on their plate – as they feel each other out and the bargaining showdowns begin.
Giants footy boss Jason McCartney confirmed last week that Bobby Hill would get to the Magpies, so that shouldn’t take took long to facilitate either.
Gold Coast adding Ben Long from St Kilda should be pretty straightforward too considering the Suns’ surplus of picks.
Follow our live AFL trade chat below!
