With the 2021 premiership run and won, the footy world has turned its attention to the offseason. With news constantly breaking about players seeking new homes, here's your one-stop-shop of all the latest AFL trade and free agency news.
Key Dates:
Free agency period: Friday Oct. 1 - Friday Oct. 8
Trade Period: Monday Oct. 4 - Wednesday Oct. 13
Bobby Hill to Essendon falls through
GWS have refused to trade Bobby Hill to Essendon, with the Giants retaining the speedy AFL forward as cover for superstar Toby Greene.
Hill was determined to end up at the Bombers, despite being contracted at GWS next year, but the Giants shut down any negotiations well before Wednesday night's trade period deadline.
GWS were caught off-guard with the 21-year-old only informing them of his wishes to leave the club five days ago.
Giants football boss Jason McCartney said the Bombers were unable to offer the club anything substantial for Hill, and GWS were adamant on keeping him at the club.
"We rate Bobby really highly ... obviously we haven't got many small forwards on our list and Toby Greene will unfortunately be out for the first five games of the season," McCartney told Trade Radio.
"We need Bobby at his best next year and we look forward to welcoming him back at the footy club with open arms."
Player agent Colin Young, who works with Hill's manager Andrew McDougall, said the trade request was for personal reasons.
"The Indigenous network that can assist him bringing up a child is in Melbourne, and as a 21-year-old for his football, his livelihood and for his parents' wishes, he feels that's the best place to play his footy," Young told Trade Radio.
"We've been talking to Bobby for the last two years about him leaving, he's always wanted to go to Melbourne to be with (cousin) Brad (Hill) and family.
-AAP
Ruck moves getting done late in trade period
Peter Ladhams has completed a move to Sydney, with Port Adelaide securing pick 12 and a future third-round pick in exchange for pick 16 and Ladhams.
Elsewhere, Geelong have picked up ruckman Jonathon Ceglar from Hawthorn. The Cats handed over a future third-round selection in exchange for Ceglar and a future fourth-round pick.
To cover the loss of Ceglar, the Hawks have secured the services of fringe Collingwood ruck Max Lynch. Hawthorn shipped their future third-round pick and Brisbane's future third-round pick for a future third-round pick (tied to Fremantle) and a future fourth (tied to the Suns) from Collingwood.
Meanwhile the Lions secured Geelong ruckman Darcy Fort and pick 41, for pick 50 and Geelong's future third-round pick.
-ESPN Staff
Dockers secure trade for Cat Jordan Clark
Fremantle have secured a late trade for Geelong's Jordan Clark, sending pick 22 and a future third-round pick to Kardinia Park in exchange for Clark and a future fourth-round selection.
Clark struggled to find a spot in the Cats best 22 in 2021 and requested a trade following the season's completion.
-ESPN Staff
Swans grudgingly accept Dawson AFL trade
Sydney have finalised the Jordan Dawson AFL trade through gritted teeth, saying the deal with Adelaide doesn't reflect the player's true value.
But given the Crows had threatened to use the pre-season draft to secure the utility, the Swans were left with little choice.
Adelaide gave up a future first-round draft pick, tied to Melbourne, to secure the services of Dawson.
The Swans are unhappy to lose the 24-year-old, with football manager Charlie Gardiner saying they rated him as highly as any player mentioned during the trade period.
"We worked extremely hard to reach a fair outcome in regard to Jordan, despite challenging circumstances," Gardiner said in a club statement.
"Ultimately, we have settled on a deal that we don't think quite reflects Jordan's true value but is one that, after extensive negotiations, we don't believe we could improve upon.
"After strong consideration, we believed it to be in the best interests of the club to accept the deal available and move forward."
Dawson, who played 64 games for the Swans, wanted to return to SA for family reasons.
-AAP
Lipinski gets his wish, off to Collingwood
Patrick Lipinski has completed a move to the Magpies after Collingwood shipped pick 43 to the Western Bulldogs for the mid/forward.
Starved of opportunity in 2021, Lipinski requested a trade following the Dogs' Grand Final loss.
"I have a lot of friends and people at the Bulldogs I will always be grateful to. I got my chance there," the 23-year-old said.
"To evolve and build on the foundations of my game, though, I know moving to Collingwood is the right thing. It's the right fit.
"There is something of a new beginning taking place at the Pies, with a relatively young list and new coaching staff.
"I'm keen to share in that."
-ESPN Staff
Lobb likely staying put at Dockers
Rory Lobb's hopes of being traded back to GWS appear dead in the water.
Fremantle and GWS have been locked in negotiations since last week over the future of Lobb, with the forward's manager Colin Young even taking a public pot shot at Dockers football boss Peter Bell during the process.
Young had been optimistic a deal would eventually be done, but he announced on Monday that an agreement wouldn't be reached.
"We exhausted all avenues to try and assist GWS facilitate this trade in which we believe all parties would benefit in the long run," Young told afl.com.au. "I advised all parties at 7.30pm Sunday evening by email that this trade would not get off the ground so we should all move on."
Lobb still has two more years remaining on his Fremantle contract in a deal believed to be worth about $700,000 per season.
The 28-year-old, who played 74 games for the Giants before being traded to Fremantle at the end of 2018, had been willing to take a pay cut in order to make his move back to GWS a reality.
But with Fremantle and GWS still a fair way apart on what they each deem to be a fair trade, it seems as though Lobb will remain at the Dockers for at least another year.
-AAP
Tigers, Roos confirm trade to land respective targets Tarrant, Coleman-Jones
Richmond big man Callum Coleman-Jones is officially a Kangaroo after signing a four-year deal.
The Kangaroos handed over a future second-round pick, veteran defender Robbie Tarrant, and pick No.40 this year in exchange for Coleman-Jones, a future fourth-round pick, and picks No.42 and 47.
The Tigers could have picked up Tarrant for nothing via free agency, but they wanted to include him in a trade deal so that it doesn't dilute the compensation pick they'll receive for losing Mabior Chol to Gold Coast.
Tarrant has received a two-year deal with the Tigers.
-AAP
Young makes his way to Carlton; Petrevski-Seton to Eagles
Carlton, the Western Bulldogs, and the West Coast Eagles have completed a three-way trade which has resulted in Sam Petrevski-Seton moving back to Western Australia to join the Eagles.
The former No. 6 draft pick was traded to West Coast, with the Eagles' pick No. 52 going back to Carlton. That was on-traded to the Western Bulldogs for young key pillar Lewis Young.
-ESPN staff
O'Brien signs with Western Bulldogs
Hawks swingman Tim O'Brien has joined the Western Bulldogs as a free agent, signing a two-year deal to make Whitten Oval his home. O'Brien adds to the Dogs' talls stocks after emerging defender Lewis Young was traded to Carlton.
-ESPN staff
Cerra a Blue, Brodie and picks get to Dockers
Fremantle young gun Adam Cerra has got his wish and has been traded to Carlton, with the Dockers receiving the Blues' prized No. 6 draft pick.
Cerra's move is the biggest deal of a quiet trade period so far, with the midfielder's transfer to Ikon Park completed on his 22nd birthday.
As well as Carlton's first-round draft pick, Fremantle get a future third-round selection for giving up Cerra.
Taken by Fremantle with pick five in the 2017 draft, Cerra has played 76 games and finished third in the Dockers' best-and-fairest last year.
But the lure of returning home to Victoria was too strong and Cerra rejected the Dockers' offer to stay in Perth.
It comes after Fremantle earlier on Thursday sealed a dramatic deal with Gold Coast for contracted midfielder Will Brodie.
The Suns traded picks No. 19, 61, 69 and Will Brodie to Fremantle for the Dockers' future second and fourth-round picks.
Gold Coast had been keen to offload Brodie's salary and open up a list spot, while they have also been stocking up on 2022 draft picks.
A tough on-baller, Brodie has played just 25 AFL games across five seasons since he was drafted at pick No. 9 in the 2016 AFL draft and will get a fresh start in Fremantle's midfield.
Pick No. 19 could head Geelong's way as part of a deal for Jordan Clark, with the Cats reportedly previously knocking back pick No. 2
Demons add Dunstan for midfield depth
AFL premiers Melbourne have moved to shore up their midfield depth with the acquisition of St Kilda discard Luke Dunstan as an unrestricted free agent.
The Demons confirmed the move on Wednesday as the annual trade period kicked into gear, following a slow start.
Port Adelaide picked up key forward Jeremy Finlayson in exchange for a future third-round draft selection, while Geelong confirmed they are one of several clubs interested in former Richmond and Adelaide small forward Tyson Stengle.
The Crows warned they could attempt to use the AFL pre-season draft to secure sought-after wingman Jordan Dawson amid an ongoing trade battle with Sydney.
Melbourne had no such issues landing Dunstan, who was a first-round draft pick in 2013 and played 116 games for St Kilda but fell out of favour under Brett Ratten.
Despite that, he received 11 Brownlow Medal votes from his dozen games in 2021 and averaged 25 disposals per outing.
The tough 26-year-old will give the Demons' vaunted midfield group more support following the retirement of Nathan Jones and the departure of Aaron vandenBerg.
"We came into this trade period looking to re-stock the midfield area and Luke fits the bill perfectly," Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb said.
"We are really happy that Luke has chosen to make the move to our club.
"We think Luke's best football is ahead of him and just as importantly, Luke is a terrific cultural fit for our club."
-AAP
Jeremy Finlayson joins Port Adelaide
Jeremy Finlayson has joined Port Adelaide on a three-year deal after a trade was completed with GWS on Wednesday afternoon.
Port will give up a future third-round draft pick to acquire the 25-year-old who has played 66 games and kicked 90 goals since his debut in 2017.
"Jeremy has impressed us during his time at the Giants as a dangerous tall forward due to his athleticism and ability to impact the scoreboard," said Port Adelaide list manager Jason Cripps. "He was very influential as a forward for GWS in their Grand Final year and we believe he offers us great flexibility as a tall forward, second ruck option."
-ESPN
Kreuger leaves Cattery to join Magpies
Geelong tall Nathan Kreuger has become the first AFL player to move clubs during this year's trade period after switching to Collingwood.
After a quiet opening day on Monday in which just the Magpies and Gold Coast swapped draft picks, the trade period has finally begun in earnest.
Kreuger, 22, was given his wish for a fresh start after just two games in three years with the Cats and was traded, along with pick 55, to Collingwood for pick 41.
The Magpies view Kreuger as a target up forward, rather than in defence where he played with Geelong.
Several players, including Jake Kelly (Adelaide to Essendon) and George Hewett (Sydney Swans to Carlton), already swapped clubs once the free agency period began last Friday.
-AAP
Magpies' AFL pick swap to help land Daicos
Collingwood are an important step closer to landing AFL father-son prospect Nick Daicos after swapping a suite of draft picks with Gold Coast.
On an otherwise quiet opening day of the annual trade period, the Suns sent picks 22, 46, 58, 79 and a future fourth-round selection to the Magpies in exchange for future second, third and fourth-round picks.
The deal gives Collingwood a strong enough hand in this year's draft to cover the value index points required to match a bid for highly-rated teenager Daicos, should it come in the early first round as expected.
The Magpies are also keen on bringing in Patrick Lipinski (Bulldogs) and Nathan Kreuger (Geelong).
- AAP
George Hewett commits to Blues
Carlton have added extra grunt to their midfield after officially securing former Sydney on-baller George Hewett as an AFL free agent.
The Swans opted not to match Carlton's reported four-year contract offer to Hewett, a restricted free agent, and will receive an end-of-second-round draft pick as compensation.
Hewett, 25, has therefore immediately joined the Blues after 120 games for the Swans.
"It's so important in the modern game to be able to have depth in numbers in the midfield. George is smart, he's tough and he'll do whatever job the team requires," Blues list manager Nick Austin said. "He's got over 100 games of experience, he's featured in finals and performed well in them.
"He gives us a different look in our midfield group and we think he's someone our fans will really resonate with given his manic attack on the football.
Jake Kelly, Mabior Chol on the move
Jake Kelly has become the first player to officially switch clubs during the AFL off-season after paperwork was lodged for the hard-running defender to complete his move from Adelaide to Essendon as an unrestricted free agent.
Richmond ruck-forward Mabior Chol is also poised to join Gold Coast after the free agency window opened on Friday, while Sydney midfielder George Hewett is set for a move to Carlton under new coach Michael Voss.
Delisted St Kilda on-baller Luke Dunstan is also on the lookout for a new home.
Kelly played 110 games in eight years with Adelaide and became a regular at senior level in 2017 as the Crows reached the Grand Final.
The 26-year-old will reunite with Essendon coach Ben Rutten after the pair were Adelaide teammates in 2014.
Kelly has signed a three-year deal with the Bombers, triggering end-of-third-round compensation for the Crows.
"In our discussions with Jake, he is very excited and motivated by the direction the club is headed," Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said.
"We look forward to seeing what he can contribute to our emerging playing group in years to come."
Chol, 24, has agreed a four-year deal with Gold Coast in a move that will net Richmond an end-of-second-round compensation pick.
- AAP
Cerra pins hopes on Carlton switch
Adam Cerra has nominated Carlton as his preferred destination during the upcoming AFL trade period.
The Blues will have to strike an agreement with Fremantle for the out-of-contract midfielder, with pick six in this year's national draft set to be the central component in the deal.
The Dockers will likely chase a second selection, possibly in the second round, in exchange for a player they took at pick five in 2017 and developed over the past four seasons.
Cerra finished third in Fremantle's best-and-fairest in 2020 and is expected to feature prominently again at this year's Doig Medal count.
The 21-year-old is originally from Victoria and last month requested a trade to his home state for family reasons.
- AAP