This was published 5 months ago
Thanks so much for joining our coverage of the AFL trade period. We’ll be back tomorrow for more club moves and trade news.
Do you have a burning query, or something you’re a bit confused by on the player-movement front?
Send your questions to realfootypod@theage.com.au and our dedicated sport reporters will answer them for you.
See you tomorrow.
Sam McClure’s scoop senses are tingling, are Zak Butters and Zach Merrett about to execute their exit strategies and blow the trade period wide open?
On today’s episode of the Real Footy podcast, Sam tells us he thinks something is afoot, but he’s not sure what. He joins Peter Ryan to talk about day four of trading, including Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s redemption story and Steven May’s prospects of finding a new club.
Here it is for your listening pleasure:
“I’m playing at Port next year.”
With those simple words to Seven News, Zak Butters has moved to allay any fears Port Adelaide fans had that he might be on the move in this trade period.
Seven’s cameras caught Butters at the National Golf Club today after an image of his tee-off booking alongside Essendon pair Darcy Parish and Sam Durham caused a stir on social media earlier today.
The final member of their foursome was player manager Peter Lenton, who counts Butters and Durham among his clients.
Butters entered this year’s trade period as the most intriguing “pre-agent” in the AFL. With one year left on his contract at Port Adelaide and plenty of suitors keen to lure him home to Victoria, there is a school of thought that the Power should cash in on his value by trading him out for a wealth of riches this year, rather than risking the possibility of him letting his contract expire and walking as a free agent in 12 months’ time.
Asked by Seven whether Port Adelaide fans should be concerned to see him fraternising with the Bombers, Butters said, “They shouldn’t be worried at all [it’s] just a game of golf”.
Is this a sign Geelong thinks its chances of securing Rowan Marshall are slipping?
The Cats announced late on Thursday they had signed veteran ruckman Rhys Stanley to a one-year contract.
Coincidentally, Stanley started his career as a Saint before crossing to Geelong, a move Marshall, also a ruckman, is hoping to replicate in this trade period.
Stanley was the Cats’ premiership ruckman in 2022 and in this year’s grand final. But there was a school of thought in footy circles that his prospects of a contract in 2026 would be linked to the club’s success landing Marshall.
Melbourne have secured the player they hope will one day succeed Max Gawn as the club’s No.1 ruckman.
The Demons sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to St Kilda for emerging big man Max Heath, who showed promise in four games this year as a key forward and ruckman.
Heath, who turns 23 this month, agreed to a three-year deal with Melbourne, as this masthead revealed last month.
There has been some movement in the Charlie Curnow dealings today, with Gold Coast forward Ben Ainsworth shaping as one of the chess pieces that can see Curnow join the Sydney Swans.
Ainsworth is a strong chance to join Carlton, in what would be a multi-club deal obviously including draft picks going to Carlton as well as the Suns forward.
Sydney forward Will Hayward is another potential player who could land at Carlton, who have made clear that they will drive a hard bargain for Curnow.
Geelong, the other potential landing place for Curnow, have not made the same inroads in discussions as the Swans.
Bailey Smith’s social media activity is causing some concern at Geelong, with chief executive Steve Hocking admitting they will look at the star’s headline-grabbing posts.
Hocking also strongly denied there was a cover-up in the AFL investigation of the Cats’ third-party payments, which resulted in a $77,500 fine – $40,000 of it suspended.
He added former Geelong chief financial officer Simon Kelleher, who now works at the AFL, was kept out of the league’s extended audit of the club.
While Smith’s move to Geelong and his comeback from a knee reconstruction have been undoubted successes this year, he is a lightning rod for controversy.
Trade history has been made in a deal that sends West Coast’s All-Australian forward Liam Ryan to St Kilda.
The Saints sent a 2026 second-round selection to the Eagles, who traded Ryan and a 2027 third-round pick. This is the first time a pick two years in the future has been involved in a trade.
The deal comes after St Kilda withdrew their interest in GWS defender Leek Aleer.
The Giants had asked for that 2026 second-rounder in early discussions.
Ryan is the fourth recruit for the Saints this off-season, behind ex-Blues Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, and former Sun Sam Flanders.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has arrived at the Gold Coast ahead of his medical with the Suns and has spoken with Nine.
When asked if he expected to sign with the Suns, Ugle-Hagan replied, “hopefully soon”.
The 23-year-old also confirmed there was no bad blood between himself and the Western Bulldogs.
“I will have love for them [the Western Bulldogs] forever.”
Brisbane want pick 16 from Adelaide in exchange for dual premiership player Callum Ah Chee.
The Lions have not received an offer for Ah Chee, who turned 28 today and has requested a trade to the Crows on a five-year deal. The Lions have offered four years and a trigger for a fifth.
The Crows’ next pick after 16 does not come until 48, which will not satisfy the Lions, but list boss Justin Reid said this week the club would not be giving up their first-round selection.
Pick 16 will likely be pushed out several spots once father-son and academy selections are factored in.
The Lions are after points to claim highly rated academy prospect Daniel Annable, who is tipped to go in the first five, but picks 16 and 17 would give the reigning premiers flexibility to trade up the order or shuffle selections into next year’s draft.