The AgeCredit: Artists
It’s the season to be 30-plus as another weekend passed with influential performances from seasoned stars such as Carlton’s Nick Haynes, Kangaroo Luke Parker and Collingwood’s Jeremy Howe in round 13.
The shift in thinking about how long players can play is apparent, with older premiership teams and Collingwood, Geelong and Brisbane playing great footy with experienced lists.
And don’t think there isn’t a market for the 30-pluses, given 11 players born before 1996 changed clubs in last year’s trade period. The idea was to add the finishing touch to a flag contender, experience to a cellar-dweller or give an individual a chance to chase a premiership at the end of his career.
It’s made decisions on whether to retire, chase or extend players in that age bracket tougher than ever.
Money Talks looks at players on your list born in 1995 or earlier to assess which approach each club should take.
Players in bold are contracted beyond this season.
Adelaide
Should play on: Alex Neal-Bullen, Rory Laird, Brodie Smith.
Clubs should chase: Reilly O’Brien, Taylor Walker.
Hard list call ahead: Kieran Strachan, Chris Burgess, Matt Crouch.
Walker’s future will be the big question facing the Crows. He is in good form, but if they wanted to hand the forward line to Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty, his skill would be hard for other clubs to overlook. Leaving O’Brien unsigned is a gamble as they look at Essendon’s Sam Draper. Smith has revived his career with his role essential in the modern game. – Peter Ryan
Taylor Walker remains a star, but it’s difficult to imagine him playing for another club. Credit: Getty Images
Brisbane
Should play on: Dayne Zorko, Ryan Lester, Lachie Neale, Darcy Fort, Linc McCarthy, Charlie Cameron, Oscar McInerney.
Clubs should chase: Darcy Gardiner.
Hard list call ahead: Sam Day.
The Lions recruited Day as a stop-gap solution after Joe Daniher’s retirement, and it’s unlikely he goes around again. A second ACL rupture complicates things for McCarthy, so there is some doubt, but it would still be a surprise if he didn’t score another contract. Fort is a quality ruck back-up, and the rest are stars or senior regulars – but Gardiner is interesting. He had rival interest previously, and is a spare-parts man for Brisbane. – Marc McGowan
Carlton
Should play on: Nick Haynes, Nic Newman, Adam Saad, George Hewett, Blake Acres, Patrick Cripps, Sam Docherty.
Clubs should chase: Zac Williams, Mitch McGovern.
Hard list call ahead: Orazio Fantasia.
Williams is contracted until 2026, but they might try to move him off the books as he is too-often injured. McGovern, who has a contract trigger for next season, has not cemented a spot and is out of contract, so another club might take a punt on unlocking the key to his talent. Haynes has been a revelation. – Peter Ryan
Haynes overcame a shaky start to become a revelationCredit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Collingwood
Should play on: Darcy Cameron, Jack Crisp, Jame Elliott, Jeremy Howe, Dan McStay, Tim Membrey, Brody Mihocek, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom.
Clubs should chase: Mason Cox.
Hard list call ahead: Tom Mitchell.
Craig McRae wondered after the Pies’ win over Melbourne whether it was good or bad that Howe, Pendlebury and Sidebottom were his best players. All three are performing strongly, and only a physical breakdown would stop them continuing, while Elliott is in career-best form. The only queries are Cox and Mitchell, who is building form and fitness in the VFL after a long-term foot injury. As for Cox, Cameron is Collingwood’s clear No.1 ruckman and Oscar Steene and Iliro Smit are emerging. – Marc McGowan
Essendon
Should play on: Zach Merrett.
Clubs should chase: None.
Hard list call ahead: Dylan Shiel, Todd Goldstein.
The Bombers are looking at players 28-and-under as they want to build their leadership from below. It’s against the trend, but they need to re-establish their list. Goldstein has been essential, but retirement is looming, while Shiel shapes as a tough but necessary cull at season’s end. – Peter Ryan
Fremantle
Should play on: Jaeger O’Meara, Alex Pearce.
Clubs should chase: James Aish.
Hard list call ahead: Nat Fyfe, Michael Walters.
Fyfe and Walters are Dockers greats, but in the twilight of their careers and injuries are catching up with them. Their experience is valuable for a youngish squad, so list boss David Walls needs to weigh things up, but it would never be a delisting situation with these two. Aish is no longer a senior regular, and might need to try and find a fourth club. – Marc McGowan
Geelong
Should play on: Patrick Dangerfield, Mark Blicavs, Tom Stewart, Jeremy Cameron, Tom Atkins, Jack Martin, Jake Kolodjashnij.
Clubs should chase: Jed Bews.
Hard list call ahead: Rhys Stanley, Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie.
Stanley has been brilliant in the past month and deserves another year. Bews is too good to not be playing in the AFL, while injury has cruelled Cam Guthrie’s past three seasons. – Peter Ryan
Rhys Stanley has been vital for the Cats in the past monthCredit: Getty Images
Gold Coast
Should play on: Sam Collins, Nick Holman, Jarrod Witts.
Clubs should chase: Sean Lemmens, Alex Sexton.
Hard list call ahead: David Swallow.
Swallow is barely hanging on in his age-33 season, but deserves to play in the Suns’ inaugural final as a loyal servant if Damien Hardwick can somehow fit him in. Lemmens and Sexton have largely fallen out of favour, and will be touch-and-go to score another deal or even find a new club. Collins and Witts remain vital contributors, while Holman is the blue-collar role player every coach loves. – Marc McGowan
GWS Giants
Should play on: Toby Greene, Jake Stringer, Lachie Whitfield, Josh Kelly, Jesse Hogan.
Clubs should chase: Stephen Coniglio.
Hard list call ahead: Callan Ward, Lachie Keeffe.
Coniglio remains underrated, with injury restricting him to only three matches this season, so perhaps a fresh start could give the Giants a reasonable return while he is in contract and allow him to chase a flag. Ward is waiting to make a call until after ACL surgery, but it would be a shock if he kept playing. – Peter Ryan
Hawthorn
Should play on: Karl Amon, Tom Barrass, Jack Gunston, Jarman Impey, James Sicily.
Clubs should chase: Sam Frost.
Hard list call ahead: Luke Breust.
The time has sadly come for Breust, one of the greatest small forwards of all-time, but Gunston has done plenty enough to go on if he chooses. Amon, Barrass, Impey and Sicily are among the Hawks’ most important, but ex-Demon and Giant Frost has tumbled down the defensive pecking order and will likely be in the market for a fourth club. – Marc McGowan
Melbourne
Should play on: Jake Melksham, Max Gawn, Shane McAdam, Christian Salem, Jack Viney.
Clubs should chase: Steven May.
Hard list call ahead: Tom Campbell, Tom McDonald, Jack Billings.
The Demons should consider working out whether a strong club such as Sydney would offer them something significant for May, and move past him. A great player, he could become what Brian Lake was for the Hawks at the end of his career. Kozzie Pickett is likely to extend his contract. Melksham has rocketed back into form, while Gawn, Viney and Salem are stalwarts. McDonald is a tough call. – Peter Ryan
Pickett is vital to Melbourne’s futureCredit: AFL Photos
North Melbourne
Should play on: Aidan Corr, Jack Darling, Luke McDonald, Luke Parker.
Clubs should chase: None.
Hard list call ahead: None.
There isn’t much to see here. Darling and particularly Parker have provided what the Kangaroos wanted as experienced recruits and are signed beyond this season, while Corr will reach a contract trigger for another year and ex-captain McDonald remains a key cog in a backline that needs him. – Marc McGowan
Port Adelaide
Should play on: Willie Rioli, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Aliir Aliir.
Clubs should chase: Ollie Wines.
Hard list call ahead: Travis Boak, Rory Atkins.
Brownlow medallist Wines has had plenty of chances to leave and never taken the bait, but he is playing excellent football and could decide, with Ken Hinkley departing, to try a new environment. Boak is probably in his last season but remains an important cog in the group. – Peter Ryan
Tom Lynch is still a focal point up forward for Richmond.Credit: Getty Images
Richmond
Should play on: Nathan Broad, Toby Nankervis, Nick Vlastuin.
Clubs should chase: Tom Lynch.
Hard list call ahead: Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia.
The Tigers’ handling of their remaining veterans will be fascinating. Lynch is Richmond’s sole dependable target among a group of promising key forwards, but does he want to finish his career this way? He probably stays, but an opposition club in the premiership window would be crazy not to ask the question. McIntosh is a hard-working role player, but his future depends on whether they want more kids playing. Prestia is still more than capable when he plays, but injuries are increasingly dogging him. – Marc McGowan
St Kilda
Should play on: Brad Hill, Mason Wood, Jack Macrae, Jack Sinclair, Jimmy Webster.
Clubs should chase: Rowan Marshall, Jack Steele.
Hard list call ahead: Zak Jones.
Clubs should do what they can to entice contracted pair Marshall and Steele to try a new environment. The skipper gives the impression he would play better without the weight of captaincy on his shoulders, while Marshall’s attitude may depend on whether Tom De Koning accepts the Saints’ offer. Jones is a competitor, but the question must be asked, while the rest have been solid enough to keep their spot. – Peter Ryan
Sydney Swans
Should play on: Harry Cunningham, Brodie Grundy, Jake Lloyd, Dane Rampe.
Clubs should chase: Taylor Adams.
Hard list call ahead: Robbie Fox, Joel Hamling.
The Swans’ recruitment of Adams remains odd, and he is a fringe player in the second season of his three-year deal. List boss Chris Keane will be contemplating the best way to stagger the veterans’ exit, and it might be Fox and Hamling as the first to depart, given how well the others are going. Cunningham is contracted for 2026, which helps his cause. – Marc McGowan
West Coast
Should play on: Tim Kelly, Jayden Hunt.
Clubs should chase: Elliot Yeo.
Hard list call ahead: Jeremy McGovern, Dom Sheed.
Yeo is contracted for two more seasons, but they should encourage him to explore his options. Of course, his presence is beneficial to Harley Reid, so they could weigh that up when deciding whether to dangle him in the market. McGovern’s future is subject to the concussion panel, while Sheed had a poorly timed knee reconstruction. – Peter Ryan
Western Bulldogs
Should play on: Marcus Bontempelli, James Harmes, Jason Johannisen, Tom Liberatore, Rory Lobb, Adam Treloar.
Clubs should chase: None.
Hard list call ahead: Taylor Duryea, Liam Jones, Anthony Scott.
The Bulldogs’ veterans, from “Bont” to “Libba”, Lobb and Treloar, remain among the club’s best, while Harmes and Johannisen have shown their worth. Jones has spent time in the VFL, and the Dogs have some developing tall defenders, so this is a situation to monitor. Scott struggled with injuries last year and is stuck in the VFL after a pre-season knee setback put him behind the eight-ball, while Duryea is a fringe option, too. – Marc McGowan
