This year’s trade period promises to be one of the busiest yet, with player agents and club chiefs predicting significant movement. We take a look at how your club is shaping up
ADELAIDE (finished 14th)
Draft picks: 5, 23, 77.
Who could be on the move: Matt Crouch was dropped three times in 2022 and spent the season’s last month stuck in the SANFL. He is contracted for one more year but has been urged to look for a new home. Big Billy Frampton is out of contract and seemingly Collingwood-bound. Contracted swingman Fischer McAsey, the sixth pick from 2019, hasn’t played an AFL game since 2020 and has been linked to a move to Carlton.
What do they need and who could they target: Adelaide need pace, goals and, given their long history of player exodus, a focus on SA-born talent. Izak Rankine ticks all those boxes. A five-year deal reportedly worth over $800,000 a season will be brokered to land Rankine from Gold Coast. It will cost the Crows their No. 5 selection as well as likely a 2023 third-rounder. Uncontracted Magpies wingman Caleb Poulter, a Woodville-West Torrens junior, has been linked to Adelaide.
Suns young gun Izak Rankine.Credit:Getty Images
BRISBANE LIONS (finished fourth)
Draft picks: 15, 33, 44, 69.
Who could be on the move: The ironically named Dan McStay will leave Brisbane and join Collingwood as a free agent after nine years at the Gabba as the Magpies look to beef up their attacking zone of the ground, and young small forward Tom Berry wants to move to Gold Coast in search of more opportunities after managing only 20 games in four seasons.
What do they need and who could they target: The Lions are set to bolster their midfield stocks, with Bulldogs best and fairest Josh Dunkley nominating Brisbane as his club of choice. Dunkley has been one of the Dogs’ most consistent performers in the Luke Beveridge era and is fresh from producing probably the best season of his career. Jack Gunston will serve as a more than handy replacement for McStay up forward after the triple premiership Hawthorn sharpshooter announced he wants to head to the Gabba as a free agent.
On the move: Free agent Dan McStay is almost certain to become a Magpie.Credit:Getty Images
CARLTON (finished ninth)
Draft picks: 10, 28, 62, 64, 82.
Who could be on the move: Paddy Dow, having won the VFL best and fairest, may seek greener pastures. Will Setterfield has been told he can explore his options, for the Blues will wait until after the trade period to determine if there is a spot for him.
What do they need and who could they target: The Blues need more run and grunt through the midfield, particularly missing an injured George Hewett late in the campaign. They are firmly in the hunt for Fremantle wingman Blake Acres, with club insiders hopeful what shapes as a three-year deal can be completed quickly. They have also been linked to Adelaide swingman Fischer McAsey, although they have cooled on him because of his recent injuries.
The Blues are firmly in the race for Fremantle wingman Blake Acres, in abid to add greater run.Credit:Getty Images
COLLINGWOOD (finished third)
Draft picks: 16, 42, 47, 48, 87.
Who could be on the move: Well, you haven’t been reading the paper if you aren’t across Collingwood so to recap: Brodie Grundy. He will probably cross to Melbourne in what amounts to a salary dump. The Demons want him to replace the outgoing Luke Jackson, Collingwood want more salary space not more than $900k a year tied up in a ruckman. The likelihood is Collingwood pays about $300,000 a year and Melbourne give up a first-round pick. If Collingwood pay less they get a worse pick. Jordan De Goey and Collingwood had been wrangling over the terms of a new five-year contract – two years with a trigger for three more – for the restricted free agent. But the two parties have finally come to terms. Oliver Henry may be on the way to Geelong. Caleb Poulter has had some minor interest.
What do they need and who could they target: They will bring in key forward and second ruck Daniel McStay from the Brisbane Lions. He’s a free agent, so they get him for nothing. Will bring in Bobby Hill from Greater Western Sydney for a late pick and key-position player Billy Frampton from Adelaide to play key back and replace Jordan Roughead. They are interested in Tom Mitchell from Hawthorn but only if Grundy goes out. And they like Brayden Fiorini from Gold Coast – probably for a very late draft pick as a salary dump from the Suns.
ESSENDON (finished 15th)
Draft picks: 4, 22, 40, 58.
Who could be on the move: At this stage it only looks as though out-of-favour key-position player Aaron Francis will be on the way out of Tullamarine. The former top-10 draft pick could only manage four games this season, for a career total of just 54 in seven seasons, and a fresh start for him at Sydney beckons. The Swans’ track record of turning the careers of maligned players around should enthuse him.
What do they need and who could they target: Desperately need a gun pressure small forward to replace Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, while another key forward to assist Peter Wright and the emerging Harry Jones wouldn’t go astray either. One or two big-bodied midfielders would be high on the agenda, and some key defensive reinforcements would be welcome as well. The Dons are reportedly interested in talented St Kilda defender Hunter Clark, who has been strongly linked to North Melbourne.
FREMANTLE (finished sixth)
Draft picks: 13, 72.
Who could be on the move: A host of Dockers look set to be on the way out during this exchange period with wingman Blake Acres all but certain to wind up at Carlton and key forward Rory Lobb strongly linked to the Western Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Griffin Logue and Darcy Tucker are reportedly intent on landing at North Melbourne. Ruckman Lloyd Meek has also been mentioned in trade dispatches.
What do they need and who could they target: With Lobb and Meek potentially departing, Fremantle need a big man to come into the club, and they’re in the box seat to get their hands on a very exciting one in Melbourne premiership ruckman Luke Jackson. The 21-year-old might have been slightly down this year on his 2021 output, but the way he helped guide the Demons to their drought-breaking flag suggests he has a bright future. Should form a lethal ruck combination with Sean Darcy. Gold Coast forward Josh Corbett is a target as well.
GEELONG (finished first)
Draft picks: 18, 36, 46, 51, 54, 60.
Who could be on the move: Joel Selwood, Shaun Higgins and Luke Dahlhaus have retired while five players were delisted. Francis Evans may join Port Adelaide as a delisted free agent providing a list spot is available while Quinton Narkle could attract some interest as a delisted free agent. Esava Ratugolea may consider whether he is better off exploring opportunities elsewhere. Speedster Max Holmes is contracted for the next two seasons while Cooper Stephens, who has battled to cement a spot, is locked in until 2023.
Tanner Bruhn wants to head to the Cats, having rejected a two-year deal to remain a Giant.Credit:AFL Photos
What do they need and who could they target: They don’t need much, but a key forward to replace Tom Hawkins and slot in alongside Jeremy Cameron is sure to be on their horizon in the next few years. They will look to trade in Tanner Bruhn from the Giants and hope to satisfy Collingwood with a deal for Oliver Henry. Both are locals taken in the 2020 national draft. Gold Coast’s Jack Bowes has been of interest to the Cats all season, but may come carrying a rare top-10 draft pick as a bonus. Their ruck situation seems reasonable as they have high hopes for Toby Conway and Shannon Neale, although they flirted with pursuing Brodie Grundy and their football department was very keen on Jordan De Goey.
GOLD COAST (finished 12th)
Draft picks: 7, 25, 31, 34, 43, 52, 67, 70.
Who could be on the move: As has been the case for most of their existence, the Suns could lose a decent chunk of their playing list in the upcoming exchange period, but the collective quality of the 2022 edition of departures won’t hurt them too much in the long run. Outside of Izak Rankine, who wants to be traded to Adelaide, the likes of Jack Bowes, Josh Corbett, Brayden Fiorini and Jeremy Sharp have been on the fringes.
What do they need and who could they target: The Suns have all but secured the services of tough St Kilda defender Ben Long. List manager Craig Cameron doesn’t expect to wait too long for the paperwork to be lodged.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY (finished 16th)
Draft picks: 3, 21, 39, 57, 59, 75.
Who could be on the move: The Giants will lose at least four prominent players, for Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto want to join the Tigers on seven-year deals, Tanner Bruhn has nominated Geelong as his preferred destination, and Bobby Hill will head to Collingwood. Xavier O’Halloran, a first-round selection in the 2018 national draft, faces an uncertain future, as the Giants seek to ease their salary-cap pressures.
What do they need and who could they target: The Giants appear in a semi-rebuild. They have Melbourne forward Toby Bedford firmly in their sights. They have also met Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy, but the two parties are unlikely to become an item, according to Giants list boss, Jason McCartney.
