Money TalksCredit: The Age
Essendon are keen to lock in emerging forward Nate Caddy on a long-term deal as they begin their reset under Brad Scott.
The 19–year-old is contracted on a standard playing contract until the end of 2026, but the Bombers are interested in starting talks to lock in a player who shapes as a key plank in the resetting of their list well beyond his initial, mandatory three-year deal.
Caddy was subbed out of the team’s disappointing loss to Adelaide at the MCG, but he shapes, alongside first-year small forward Isaac Kako, as a player with great promise.
Isaac Kako and Nate Caddy were close friends before they became Bombers. They’ve already shown glimpses of their star potential.Credit: Getty Images
The club is also confident in the development program they have mapped out for all their young players as they attempt to extract the best out of a list that has come under scrutiny after their loss to the Crows.
Talks have not yet begun but four competition sources, who wanted to remain anonymous when discussing player contracts, said discussions could escalate in coming weeks as all clubs consider when to start negotiations for players picked with selections Nos.1-20 in the 2023 national draft – the first crop to be drafted on mandatory three-year contracts.
Caddy, who was pick No.10 in the 2023 national draft, is one of 16 players in that group who are yet to extend their time beyond 2026 at the clubs that drafted them, as the market changes in response to the first contract being three years instead of two.
None of the first five picks in that year – including West Coast’s Harley Reid, North Melbourne’s Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma, Gold Coast’s Jed Walter and Hawthorn’s Nick Watson – have extended beyond 2026 as yet, although Reid has worn most of the focus.
The only four top-20 players from the 2023 national draft who have already extended beyond 2026 are Gold Coast’s Ethan Read and Melbourne pair Caleb Windsor and Koltyn Tholstrup, who are tied up until 2028, and Sydney’s Will Green, who is signed until 2027.
When the first contracts spanned two years, clubs were almost automatically extending their high draft picks out to a four-year deal – with players in that boat commanding contracts around $400,000-plus in their third and fourth seasons.
There is little doubt on current form that the Eagles’ Reid and the Hawks’ Watson will earn massive deals when they enter their fourth seasons.
There is a school of thought that those players might already be locked in for their first four years if the old arrangements had stayed in place. North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel and Collingwood’s Nick Daicos signed automatic extensions after being drafted, before signing long-term deals.
Nick Watson’s value is increasing with every game. He is one of 16 players from the 2023 national draft on mandatory three-year deals who are yet to extend.
Credit: Getty Images
Several player managers have been concerned about the unintended consequences of the decision to lengthen players’ first contracts and mused with this masthead whether the change will be positive for non-Victorian clubs.
However, this masthead spoke to three list managers on the condition of anonymity who said the market for top-20 draft picks beyond their first standard deal had not yet been established, given the first crop don’t have to re-sign until the end of next season.
Although Essendon are keen to lock in Caddy on a longer-term deal, and his exposed form is good, other situations may see a two-year extension being preferred to keep everyone’s options open, or a five-year deal to take the player through to free agency.
There is also uncertainty around the list management rules relating to Tasmania’s entry into the AFL in 2028, with two players in that crop – McKercher and the Western Bulldogs’ Ryley Sanders – highly rated Tasmanian products.
Their next deals will be fascinating, as signing a one-year extension would ramp up speculation they were open to a move to their home state’s new club, while a longer-term deal would obviously rule them out of being part of the first Devils intake.
Although the mandatory three-year deals are standard, they carry incentives related to awards and games played for players who perform at a high level in their first three seasons. Club officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the amount of money players earned in their opening years is therefore more fluid now.
That means the amount of money they earn by the end of the second year may act as a guide for their next deal.
– Peter Ryan
Hawks’ contract squeeze
The sudden depth at the Hollywood Hawks, particularly through the midfield, is set to make for an interesting few months ahead, to see which players are prioritised.
James Worpel, who was Hawthorn’s club champion in 2019 and has finished top five three times since, is a free agent, but also sidelined with an ankle injury. Worpel’s absence has enabled top-10 pick Josh Ward to break into the senior side, and he averaged 23 disposals, five tackles and 3.5 clearances across the past fortnight.
Ward is also out of contract at season’s end, as is 2024 All-Australian squad member and breakout star Massimo D’Ambrosio. New deals for Worpel and D’Ambrosio are not imminent, while Ward is trying to solidify his spot after starting the season out of the Hawks’ first-choice line-up.
Hawks star and former Bomber Massimo D’Ambrosio.Credit: Getty Images
Jai Newcombe (2026), Conor Nash (2029) – after rejecting St Kilda’s interest – Will Day (2027) and Cam Mackenzie (2026) have all re-signed, so they have plenty of on-ball depth. That could result in tall midfielder Henry Hustwaite (2026) exploring his options, while Finn Maginness (2027) has evolved into a forward.
Also of interest is veteran defender Sam Frost’s situation. Hawthorn dropped him last week after the arrivals of Tom Barrass and Josh Battle, and with James Sicily continuing to spend most his time in defence.
Sydney and St Kilda inquired about Frost in the off-season, but the 31-year-old chose to stay at the Hawks after reaching a contract trigger for 2025. However, last year’s season-ending foot bone stress injury harmed his chances of leveraging rival interest into extending his contract beyond this year.
Others out of contract at Waverley Park include No.1 ruckman Lloyd Meek, forward Sam Butler and veterans Luke Breust and Jack Gunston, who could be in their final year. Negotiations are progressing on a new deal for Meek.
– Marc McGowan
Contract trigger for an important Roo
Valuable and versatile North Melbourne defender Aidan Corr is poised to reach a contract trigger that will extend his stay at the club until the end of next year.
A turf toe injury kept Corr to only two games in his first season at Arden Street in 2021, but he has since played at least 19 games each year and the first two of 2025.
Aidan Corr (pictured here in a one-on-one battle with Jacob van Rooyen) has become a strong contributor at the Kangaroos after overcoming injury issuesCredit: Getty Images
The 30-year-old arrived from the Giants as a restricted free agent on a five-year deal and his 195-centimetre height and speed have enabled him to play on various forwards in a North defence where he has carried significant responsibility at times.
One Roo who will have to wait to discover his fate is forward-ruck Callum Coleman-Jones, who still faces another couple of months out with an Achilles injury. Talks about extending his contract will not kick off until he is back playing.
– Marc McGowan
Scouts think rule should get with the times
AFL representatives continue to meet with recruiting staff on their annual club visits.
One topic clubs are raising, and are keen to raise, with the league’s national talent development and competitions manager Paul Hamilton and head of talent pathways Nicky Couston is the anti-density rules, including whether they can be scrapped for this year’s national under-18 championships.
Before the AFL introduced the 6-6-6 rule in 2019, the under-18s were already operating with anti-density rules, where five players from each side must remain in each half, including two apiece in the 50-metre arcs, at every stoppage. A free kick is paid if the rules are not adhered to.
The idea was to reduce congestion and create more one-on-one contests, but talent scouts would rather be able to assess prospects in a setting more replicable to the AFL.
– Marc McGowan
The Tasmanians to watch
Every AFL draft is compromised these days, with prospects tied to clubs via academies or father-son rights, but the 2025 edition is the last unaffected one for a while before Tasmania’s list starts taking shape.
The new club’s exact concessions are still being thrashed out, but more will hopefully be known by about mid-season. Something Tasmania is set to have access to is the best local prospects who would otherwise be eligible for the 2026 draft.
Those Tassie teenagers will have the option to be pre-listed and subsequently sit out the 2027 AFL season to instead play for Tasmania’s VFL team.
Recruiting sources, who spoke to this masthead about draft matters on the condition of anonymity, listed tall swingman Charlie Bovill, speedy winger Hugh McCallum, midfielder Ryder Bugg, forwards Brodie Speed and Ben Barwick, and ruckman Ewan Dillon as the ones to watch.
Bugg and Dillon, who was Tasmania’s MVP, earned All-Australian honours at last year’s AFL under-16 championships.
– Marc McGowan
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