Free agency begins in four days. Trading opens in a week! The AFL’s silly season is firmly on the horizon, so I have gathered together here every rumour and tidbit that has found my ear.
Below, club-by-club, is every player who we’ve seen quality rumours surface about during the season, with a quick little update on where they’re at and what might happen.
» All the latest trade rumours
» Key dates for free agency and trades
» Complete list of free agents
» Every club’s draft picks
Adelaide Crows
Cam Ellis-Yolmen – Wants more opportunities after excellent SANFL form throughout 2016, but a suitor is yet to emerge. Contracted for 2017.
Ricky Henderson – Unrestricted free agent who may move to look for greater opportunity. Collingwood have shown interest in past years.
Jarryd Lyons – Not happy with offer from Crows and likely to move, probably to Victoria, unless offered a better deal. Out of contract.
Scott Thompson – Unrestricted free agent yet to sign for 2017 with the Crows but it’s believed a one-year deal is in the works. Melbourne interested if that falls through.
Brisbane Lions
Josh Green – Small forward looking at options after falling out of favour this year. Carlton have shown interest in past years. Out of contract.
Pearce Hanley – Rumoured to be on the way out despite lengthy, lucrative contract. Reportedly sick of playing in losing team. Some sources said a move to Gold Coast was a done deal, but Geelong also interested. Contracted until end of 2019.
Tom Rockliff – Expected to lose the captaincy, reportedly not happy with contract extension offer from Lions. Has been linked to Adelaide, St Kilda. Contracted for 2017.
Carlton Blues
Andrejs Everitt – Might look at options after falling out of favour under new coach Brendon Bolton. Gold Coast were interested once upon a time. Out of contract.
Bryce Gibbs – Some sources say he is interested in a trade to Adelaide, but happy to stay at Carlton on current contract if no deal can be made. Contracted until end of 2019.
Zach Tuohy – Uncontracted beyond this year, looking at offers from Sydney and North Melbourne. May still decide to remain with Carlton.
Collingwood Magpies
Nathan Brown – Restricted free agent. Contract offer from Collingwood is on the table but may look to move elsewhere. North Melbourne reportedly interested.
Travis Cloke – Officially requested a trade some time ago. Reportedly has agreed to contract terms with Western Bulldogs. Contracted for 2017.
Jack Frost – Fell out of favour this year, but Brisbane are reportedly interested in his services. Out of contract.
Marley Williams – In and out of the team this year, reportedly wants a trade home to Western Australia. Richmond also reportedly interested. Contracted for 2017.
Jarrod Witts – Looking for more opportunities as a ruckman. GWS were interested last year but he said no. Port Adelaide, Brisbane interested. Out of contract.
Essendon Bombers
Michael Hibberd – Has officially requested a trade to the Melbourne Demons. Contracted for 2017.
Fremantle Dockers
Hayden Ballantyne – Wants to be traded to West Coast, but open to offers from interstate clubs as well. Contracted for 2017.
Michael Barlow – Dockers don’t seem interested in retaining him so looking for a new home, probably in Victoria. Out of contract.
Zac Clarke – Unrestricted free agent. Likely to move to a new club in search of more opportunities but hasn’t been linked to any specific destinations.
Chris Mayne – Unrestricted free agent. Certain to move to a Victorian club according to his manager. Collingwood believed to be most likely. Richmond, North Melbourne also interested.
Michael Walters – GWS reportedly keen as part of possible trade for Cam McCarthy or Rory Lobb, but hasn’t given any indication he wants to leave. Contracted until end of 2018.
Geelong Cats
Shane Kersten – Out-of-favour goal-kicker likely to move for more opportunity. Fremantle in his home state of Western Australia have some interest. Out of contract.
Steven Motlop – Some sources believe he could be traded to Richmond as part of a deal for Brett Deledio. Contracted for 2017.
Nathan Vardy – Likely to move to a new club looking for more opportunity. Port Adelaide and GWS interested. Out of contract.
Gold Coast Suns
Jaeger O’Meara – Has officially requested a trade to Hawthorn. Out of contract.
Dion Prestia – Has officially requested a trade to Richmond. Out of contract.
David Swallow – Has been linked to a move to North Melbourne or a club in his home state of Western Australia, but looks likely to stay. Contracted for 2017.
GWS Giants
Will Hoskin-Elliott – Likely to move in search of more senior opportunities. Has been strongly linked to Collingwood. Contracted for 2017.
Rory Lobb – Reportedly looking at a trade back to Western Australia with both Fremantle and West Coast interested. Contracted for 2017.
Caleb Marchbank – Has officially requested a trade to Carlton. Out of contract.
Cameron McCarthy – Wanted a trade to Fremantle last year and didn’t get it. Departed the club due to homesickness at the start of the year and hasn’t returned. Contracted for 2017.
Jack Steele – Expected to move elsewhere for more senior opportunities. Has been strongly linked to St Kilda. Out of contract.
James Stewart – Expected to move to a new club looking for more senior opportunities. Has been linked to Cartlon, Collingwood and Essendon. Out of contact.
Adam Tomlinson – Wanted a trade to Carlton last year and didn’t get it. Found a spot in Giants’ best 22 towards end of the season and might decide to stay. Contracted for 2017.
Hawthorn Hawks
Kaiden Brand – Youngster reportedly wants a trade, looking for more opportunity. Out of contract.
Luke Breust – Some sources said the Hawks told him he would be trade bait this off-season, but the Hawks have since denied it. Contracted for 2017.
Brad Hill – Reportedly requested a trade to join brother Stephen at Fremantle, but hasn’t been made official. Contracted for 2017.
James Sicily – Several sources have speculated he could be part of deal with Gold Coast to secure Jaeger O’Meara. Contracted for 2017.
Melbourne Demons
Chris Dawes – Demons don’t seem to be interested in retaining the former Pie, so he will probably be looking for a new home. Out of contract.
Lynden Dunn – Fell out of Melbourne’s best side this year. Brisbane are interested in the veteran to give the backline the benefit of his experience. Contracted for 2017.
Colin Garland – Similar situation to Dunn though a specific suitor hasn’t emerged. Contracted until the end of 2018.
Jack Grimes – Restricted free agent. Was told he won’t get a new contract offer from the club so will be looking for a new home.
Jesse Hogan – Doesn’t seem likely to move but there are always rumours. Would be a move home to Western Australia if anything. Fremantle, West Coast both keen. Contracted for 2017.
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Aaron Black – Key forward has spent much of the last two years in the VFL, open to all opportunities. Western Australian by birth but has been most strongly linked with Port Adelaide. Contracted for 2017.
Nick Dal Santo – Hasn’t ruled out playing on at a third club after North decided not to offer a new contract. Has been linked to Collingwood. Not a free agent, but is out of contract.
Drew Petrie – Unrestricted free agent. Will likely move to West Coast as ruck/forward depth after not being offered a new deal by North, but only if the Eagles can find room for him.
Lachlan Hansen – Fell out of North’s best 22 this year. One of several experience key position defenders that the Brisbane Lions are interested in. Contracted for 2017.
Brent Harvey – Unrestricted free agent. Hasn’t ruled out playing on after not being offered a new deal by North. Was briefly linked to Collingwood, but Pies have denied it.
Daniel Wells – Unrestricted free agent. Expected to sign with Collingwood on a three-year deal reportedly worth $1.8 million. Also linked to Geelong.
Port Adelaide Power
Hamish Hartlett – Has been told by Port that they want to trade him for a high pick. Gold Coast keen but he wants to move to a team pushing for success. Has been linked to Adelaide and St Kilda, while Richmond and North Melbourne both made offers last year. Contracted until the end of 2021.
Matthew Lobbe – Looking at his options to find a club where he can be the No.1 ruck. Bulldogs offered a first round pick for him last year but value has decreased and they may have lost interest. Contracted until the end of 2019.
Richmond Tigers
Reece Conca – Has made a mutual agreement with the Tigers that he’ll be at a new club next year. Western Australian could return home to Fremantle or West Coast. Out of contract.
Brett Deledio – Has been repeatedly linked by some source to a move to Geelong, possibly in exchange for Steven Motlop. He’s denied it publicly a few times though. Contracted for 2017.
Ben Lennon – Young forward has told the club he wants out, looking for more opportunities. Contracted for 2017.
Ivan Maric – Been overtaken by Shaun Hampson as the Tigers’ No.1 ruckman now, Tigers haven’t offered a new deal. A number of clubs reportedly interested in him as ruck depth. Not a free agent but is out of contract.
Tyrone Vickery – Restricted free agent. Expected to sign a deal with Hawthorn. Tigers have made noise about matching the offer, but are unlikely to.
St Kilda Saints
Sam Fisher – Unrestricted free agent. Saints yet to make decision on whether or not he’ll get a new deal. Wants to play on and might do so at another club if Saints say no.
Sydney Swans
Tom Mitchell – Expected to request a trade to Hawthorn. Carlton keen if the Hawks can’t get the deal done. Out of contract.
Dean Towers – Former first round draft pick looks likely to depart in search of more opportunity. Out of contract.
West Coast Eagles
Mitch Brown – Unrestricted free agent. Likely to look for opportunities elsewhere given a lack of game time this year. Not clear who is interested.
Tom Lamb – Youngster hasn’t been able to crack into West Coast’s best side and is expected to ask for trade home to Victoria. Out of contract.
Eric Mackenzie – Hasn’t been the same since doing his ACL at the start of 2015 and wasn’t a lock for the Eagles this year, could look elsewhere. Contracted for 2017.
Western Bulldogs
Lin Jong – Toured the Collingwood facilities earlier in the year, causing a storm in a teacup. Gold Coast are keen. Out of contract.
Will Minson – Unrestricted free agent. Hasn’t been a first choice player for some time but clubs are interested in him a ruck depth.
Koby Stevens – Could join a third club after falling out of favour at the Bulldogs this year. Essendon believed to be the leading contenders for his services. Out of contract.
Have I forgotten anyone? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll give you my thoughts.
Don Freo
Guest
If Barlow's shoulder recovers, I want him at Freo. He is a beauty.
Don Freo
Guest
Grey and De Luca will be re-Rookie drafted later. They have been told that by Freo.
Don Freo
Guest
Would Hoges get a game ahead of Cloke? Who'd buy the drinks after the game?
13th Man
Guest
impossible now Lobb has signed on, they will get CamMac but that's it. Would love them to try get Pickett off GWS but more likely will go for Petresvski-Seton in the draft with pick 3 who is just as good
Nev
Guest
Obsessed with Hawthorn
Raimond
Roar Guru
on health and welfare grounds Geez. He's a grown man who signed a contract he doesn't want to fulfill. Some sort of deal will be done anyway.
Asd
Guest
Cloke isn't a good fit he's a spud on top of that
Asd
Guest
Maybe schoenmaker or broost. Don't think they could afford the latter
13th Man
Guest
De Boer was unfortunate to be delisted, I reckon he has a future at another club, sad to see him go. Would have got rid of Suban before him. Mzungu, Clancee Pearce, Jack Hannath not so sure about, good servants but really it was time. Hopefully we keep Barlow and Silvagni (far better than Dawson) Delisting Grey is absurd!!!!!
13th Man
Guest
yeah no chance of Freo trading Walters, absolute star and after Fyfe and Neale, our best player. Losing Ballantyne means there is no chance. The fact is now both Lobb and Hogan have re signed this morning meaning our best possible options are probably to get McCarthy, Hill and Kersten and keep the no 3 draft pick and pick up a KPP like Tim English.
Macca
Guest
De Boer and Pearce were just delisted - along with Mzungu, Hannath, Grey and Deluca. That brings the total players out to 10 after the retirement of captain Matthew Pavlich and the delistings of Anthony Morabito, Sean Hurley and Tanner Smith. I wouldn't be surprised to see the total rival the blues 15 changes from last year by the end of trade period - which is quite a bit for club supposedly with blinding talent from top to bottom.
Macca
Guest
Dalgety - that depends on your definition of hard ball. I would say that BOTH parties have an obligation to get the deal done - Freo would find it hard to argue that a player they offered 2 first round picks for last year is worth very little this year but GWS need to realise he is not going to play for them and having been out for a year isn't going to command a premium.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
It may be that the AFLPA may weigh in on this if GWS want to keep playing hardball and apply to have McCarthy released as a delisted free agent on health and welfare grounds.
Don Freo
Guest
Guess what? They didn't get #1 draft pick. What's more, Freo's reserves and Freo AFL got over 11 to 13 wins. They won the WAFL premiership and were the last side in the AFL to beat the Premiers (with 8 players that had played less than 20 games). Still, Eric, I am a humble man. Don't feel compelled to keep telling everyone how accurate I am. Who, do you think, is interested in little ol' me? BTW, what were all your predictions? I don't remember you making any. Maybe your comments are just less remarkable than mine.
mds1970
Roar Guru
McCarthy is contracted for 2017, so walking to the pre-season draft isn't an option. GWS have power of veto - McCarthy doesn't get to Freo unless a trade is done. So if Freo don't come to the party with an acceptable offer, McCarthy can either sit out of footy for another year or come back to GWS and honour his contract.
eric
Guest
Don Freo said | May 9th 2016 @ 4:15pm ......Freo, however, won’t get #1 draft pick with 11 to 13 wins this season
Macca
Guest
he won't go to the blues - they are only looking at taking players under 24.
johno
Guest
De Boer could be good depth for teams like Norths, Clues, Tigers, Dees. Any team that can be scored freely against. He's a decent negating in and under mid.
johno
Guest
Trading Walters is the second worst thing Freo could do after trading Fyfe
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Different list profiles Don, but you do make a good point there. I guess I'm hoping / rather myself someone like Brand than what is being tossed around with Lyndon Dunn looking to be heading North! YUCK