AFL trade period 2026: Team by team guide
The AFL trade period officially opens on Monday when the list managers from all the clubs gather at Marvel Stadium to get serious about the deals that will shape their teams for 2027.
In truth, negotiations have been bubbling along for months for some players. The big questions are: Will Zach Merrett make it to Hawthorn at his second attempt? Will Gold Coast match Hawthorn’s free agency offer for Ben King and thereby force a trade? Where will Melbourne heart and soul player Jack Viney land? We examine every club and which players are on the market.
Follow our live blog every weekday during the trade period, which closes at 7.30pm on Wednesday, October 14.
Adelaide
Draft picks: 13, 32, 33, 41, 54, 90
Key players: Nick Murray, Luke Pedlar
The Crows were in the box seat for Zac Bailey, only for Bailey to remain a Lion on an eight-year deal. The Crows are set to lose Pedlar to Port Adelaide, but have a call to make on whether they trade key defender Murray, who has a five-year offer from North Melbourne. Murray, who has managed 78 games in six seasons with the Crows, including 11 this year, is contracted for another two seasons. Fellow tall backman Jordon Butts has already left for the Bulldogs in free agency. The Crows have been linked to Suns defender Charlie Ballard. Bigger picture, they are expected to make a play for St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Hawthorn’s Will Day next year. – Jon Pierik
Brisbane Lions
Draft picks: 18, 39, 40, 51, 57, 77, 95
Key players: Keidean Coleman, Will McLachlan, Sam Marshall
The Lions are likely to lose Marshall, who has requested a trade to St Kilda, while forward McLachlan has been linked with Essendon and Melbourne. Lachie Neale is off to Collingwood as a free agent, but Brisbane received only pick 39 as compensation, which will not help them match a bid on potential top-10 academy selection Caylen Murray. Out-of-favour defender Coleman is open to a fresh start at a different club. – Marc McGowan
Carlton
Draft picks: 11, 16, 23, 24, 59, 70, 88
Key players: Hudson O’Keeffe, Flynn Riley
The Blues have locked in ex-Swans key forward Joel Amartey through free agency, and their primary draft focus is matching a bid on Cody Walker, the son of former Blue Andrew Walker. Their top two selections in the draft add up to 2396 value index points, and they can also go into draft deficit, meaning they will have enough points to cover a bid up to No.2. Carlton also hope to land Giant Lachie Whitfield, while ex-Magpie Wil Parker will join as a delisted free agent. Ruckman O’Keeffe has requested a trade to the Western Bulldogs, while Riley is keen to move to the Magpies on a three-year deal. – Jon Pierik
Collingwood
Draft picks: 9, 28, 66, 68, 75, 86
Key players: Scott Pendlebury, Dan Houston, Jordan De Goey, Harry DeMattia
The Magpies are determined to remain in the premiership mix, and have landed three-time Brisbane premiership star Lachie Neale, who proved through a tumultuous 2026 campaign that his on-field output won’t be impacted by off-field headlines. A fourth-round pick will be enough to secure Giants forward Jesse Hogan, while they have met with Richmond’s rebounding defender Jayden Short. List boss Justin Leppitsch confirmed the Magpies were open to trading Jordan De Goey, who has a year left on his contract, but wants a long-term deal. Dan Houston’s future remains a point of interest, although he is contracted until the end of 2030 and his management has declared he is going nowhere. Scott Pendlebury will cross to Gold Coast. – Jon Pierik
Essendon
Draft picks: 1, 19, 60, 78
Key players: Zach Merrett, Jordan Ridley
Again, the focus at Bomberland is Merrett, who, for the second-straight season, is seeking a trade to Hawthorn. As reported by this masthead, the Hawks have offered picks 15 and 25 in this year’s draft, along with a future selection – either a second- or third-round draft pick – but the Bombers have rebuffed this. It’s unclear what will satisfy Essendon when it comes to relinquishing their seven-time best-and-fairest, and former skipper. Merrett is contracted for 2027. The Bombers are chasing Melbourne premiership veteran Jack Viney, who could replace Merrett in the midfield. Defender Ridley is on Geelong and North Melbourne’s radar. Out-of-favour Cat Jack Bowes has requested a trade to the Bombers. – Jon Pierik
Fremantle
Draft picks: 17, 38, 58, 76, 94
Key players: Sean Darcy, Nathan O’Driscoll
Darcy’s future remains a point of debate despite the Dockers insisting the ruckman will remain at the club. He fell out of favour this season with Luke Jackson dominant, while Mason Cox was the preferred second ruck in their finals campaign. Darcy, 28, is contracted until the end of 2030. Wingman O’Driscoll has told the club he is exploring his options, having rejected a three-year contract offer amid interest from the Western Bulldogs. The Dockers say they have not expressed interest in luring ex-Magpie Bobby Hill or Sydney’s Chad Warner home, while their discussions with ex-Tiger Nathan Broad are purely about a coaching role. – Jon Pierik
Geelong
Draft picks: 14, 34, 55, 73, 91
Key players: Gryan Miers, Jack Bowes
The Cats were disappointed to miss out on Zak Butters, but can now use that money to load up on other talent. Giants great Toby Greene officially joined on Friday as a free agent, while they are again haggling with the Saints over a trade for ruckman Rowan Marshall. The Cats have offered pick 32 as the crux of the deal, but St Kilda want Geelong’s top pick. The Cats are also chasing Essendon defender Jordan Ridley, and are open to discussing Nick Blakey, should the Swan be determined to leave the club after the alleged Pullman Hotel incident. Miers has completed a medical at West Coast, but remains keen to stay at Geelong, but Bowes has requested a trade to Essendon. – Jon Pierik
Gold Coast
Draft picks: 65, 79, 83
Key players: Charlie Ballard, Ben King (restricted free agent), Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Matt Rowell
King will head to Hawthorn on a seven-year, $9 million deal, but the free agency compensation – pick No.7 – may not satisfy the Suns, who could match the Hawks’ offer and force a trade for the star goal-kicker. Gold Coast have yet to indicate whether they will offer Ugle-Hagan another one-year deal, while Rowell is an intriguing case. The 2025 Brownlow medallist has a year to run on his contract, and is weighing up a return home to Victoria. If a sweetheart deal was put before the Suns now, would they move early? Gold Coast may need to engineer a late trade to secure unrestricted free agent Scott Pendlebury, so any compensation from the AFL for King is not diluted. Ballard is likely to stay at the club despite rival clubs’ interest. – Jon Pierik
GWS
Draft picks: 7, 26, 29, 48, 84
Key players: Harry Himmelberg, Jesse Hogan, Jake Stringer, Lachie Whitfield
The Giants already decided not to offer contracts to Hogan and Kieren Briggs, and were comfortable with Stringer’s decision to move back to Victoria, but were hoping to retain Green, who is off to Geelong. Whitfield is poised to become a Blue after completing a medical after GWS were open to shedding his salary as they prioritise their younger group. A fourth-round pick will seal Hogan’s passage to Collingwood early in the trade period, while Briggs joined Richmond on a four-year deal. GWS may look to add more ruck depth and had explored interest in Bulldogs big man Tim English. – Marc McGowan
Hawthorn
Draft picks: 15, 25, 27, 35, 69, 92
Key players: Sam Butler, Finn Maginness, Will McCabe, Noah Mraz, Max Ramsden, Jack Scrimshaw
They already had some wins when in-demand duo Bailey Macdonald and Calsher Dear re-signed. Ben King and Zach Merrett will be Hawks by the end of the player movement period, but how those deals look remains to be seen. North’s Josh Goater has also requested a trade to Hawthorn. Gold Coast are publicly threatening to match any Hawks free agency offer for King, which would trigger a trade, but that is to be determined – and could impact what Hawthorn can offer Essendon for Merrett. The Bombers are trying to convince the Hawks to include developing defender Mraz in any Merrett deal, but Hawthorn are adamant that won’t happen. Fringe players Butler (West Coast) and Maginness (Western Bulldogs) have opposition interest. – Marc McGowan
Melbourne
Draft picks: 6, 10, 47, 87
Key players: Trent Rivers, Jack Viney
The Demons missed out on Hawk Calsher Dear, who decided to stay in brown and gold. However, once-prized Roo Zane Duursma wants to join Steven King’s squad and that deal will require some haggling to determine his current value after being the No.4 pick in 2023. Lion Will McLachlan is another possible addition. Viney played just once this past season due mostly to injury, but Melbourne are going in a different midfield direction and encouraged him to explore his options. West Coast and Essendon are duelling for Viney’s signature, and it is unlikely he will net a strong return as effectively a salary dump. Rivers was once considered a big part of Melbourne’s future, but there have been constant murmurings that he might pursue a fresh start this off-season, which is yet to eventuate. – Marc McGowan
North Melbourne
Draft picks: 5, 45, 64, 72, 82
Key players: Zane Duursma, Josh Goater, Tom Powell
The Kangaroos’ No.1 off-season target is contracted Adelaide key defender Nick Murray, who they have presented with a five-year contract. That deal rests on the Crows’ willingness to let him go, and what North would offer to tempt them to relinquish defensive depth. Powell is a South Australian, so is often raised a potential part of any Murray trade. Duursma wants to join Melbourne, while Goater is keen to be a Hawk, so the Roos can expect to be busy in this year’s trade period. Contracted Bomber Jordan Ridley is a target, but his preference is believed to be Geelong. They were also keen on Cat Jack Bowes, but he nominated Essendon instead. Could they pivot to players such as Hawthorn’s Jack Scrimshaw and/or Max Ramsden? – Marc McGowan
Port Adelaide
Draft picks: 4, 22, 30, 44, 46, 63, 81
Key players: Tom Anastasopoulos, Zak Butters, Ollie Lord, Todd Marshall
Butters is the big one here, and specifically, what the Power will garner from his impending move to the Western Bulldogs. They will score pick five if they choose not to match the Dogs’ enormous nine-year deal, worth up to $18 million. That scenario remains a likely outcome, even after the AFL blocked their proposed side trade that involved Marshall also heading to the Kennel, Port paying a large chunk of his salary, and scoring two first-round picks in return. However, league rules prohibit a club losing a free agent from paying the salary of another player going to the same club, for integrity reasons. It is still probable that Marshall is in different colours next year, with both parties open to a move. Crow Luke Pedlar wants to join the Power. – Marc McGowan
Richmond
Draft picks: 2, 20, 42, 61
Key players: Jayden Short
The Tigers have already bolstered their ruck division with the free agency addition of ex-Giant Kieren Briggs, after they initially pursued his teammate Nick Madden. Briggs inked a four-year deal that positions himself as Richmond’s long-term successor for captain Toby Nankervis. Short is exploring his trade options, including meeting with Collingwood, but this masthead previously confirmed that fellow veteran Nick Vlastuin is not interested in continuing his career elsewhere. They did attempt to recruit Zak Butters, but were never considered as a genuine frontrunner. The Tigers will bring in another top talent in the draft and may be involved in some peripheral trades across the next 10 days. – Marc McGowan
St Kilda
Draft picks: 8, 49, 67, 85
Key players: Rowan Marshall, Mattaes Phillipou, Alix Tauru
Fringe Lion Sam Marshall has requested a trade to the Saints, who continue to add secondary players from other clubs as they try to return to the finals. Marshall wanted to join Geelong last year and is again pursuing that move, which should eventuate this time. The Cats have so far knocked back St Kilda’s interest in Lawson Humphries and Sam De Koning, while they are also reluctant to part with their first-round selection. The Tauru saga is a fascinating one, and could still have another twist, but the likeliest outcome is he remains a Saint. Another of St Kilda’s top-10 picks, Phillipou, who is reportedly on a $1 million-a-year salary, was raised in trade dispatches, but club football boss Lenny Hayes denied he was up for grabs. Hayes also revealed it was unlikely they would broker a trade for Bulldog Rory Lobb. – Marc McGowan
Sydney Swans
Draft picks: 36, 37, 50, 52, 74, 93
Key players: Nick Blakey
Key forward Joel Amartey has already left in free agency for Carlton after the Swans traded for ex-Blue Charlie Curnow a year ago. That netted Sydney a second-round pick as compensation. The Blakey situation will remain a talking point until it gets shut down. Blakey, who is contracted for five more seasons on a lot of money, is believed to be open to a move to Geelong, but this is a complex situation and any potential deal would require the Cats giving up something significant. – Marc McGowan
West Coast
Draft picks: 3, 21, 43, 56, 62, 71, 80
Key players: N/A
The Eagles are actively pursuing talent to hasten their rebuild, with Jack Viney, Gryan Miers and Sam Butler among the opposition players on their wish list. They are in a two-way battle with Essendon for Viney, while they have undertaken medical testing on Miers, but he ideally wants to stay at Geelong. Hawthorn’s Butler has never played more than nine games in a season, so could be keen on a fresh start, but is contracted for one more season. Melbourne’s Trent Rivers, who hails from Western Australia and is rumoured to be considering his options, could emerge as a target if he requests a trade from the Demons. – Marc McGowan
Western Bulldogs
Draft picks: 12, 31, 53, 89
Key players: Tim English, Rory Lobb
The Bulldogs already signed ex-Crows defender Jordon Butts in free agency, and superstar midfielder Zak Butters is also headed their way, whether in restricted free agency or a trade with Port Adelaide in a major coup. A proposed side deal in Butters negotiations that would have seen the Power send Todd Marshall to the Dogs and pay a chunk of his salary in return for two first-round picks won’t happen. However, Marshall could still find his way to Luke Beveridge’s club – just not in that exact fashion. Out-of-favour Hawk Finn Maginness, who is contracted for 2027, is on the Bulldogs’ radar, while Docker Nathan O’Driscoll could be a name to follow. Ruckman English is expected to remain at the club for next season, while St Kilda have indicated any deal for Lobb was unlikely. – Marc McGowan
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
