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AFL Trade Rumours: Kelly, Johannisen, Martin, Schache and more

Expert
4th April, 2017
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Josh Kelly of the Giants is set to make the big bucks as of 2018. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Expert
4th April, 2017
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3061 Reads

Yes, I know, we’re only two weeks into the AFL season. There are still 21 whole rounds of footy and a finals series to go! And yet, AFL trade rumours is a year-round business these days.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand those who just want to focus on football when the season is actually running, but if you like me are just a wee bit obsessed with trades, free agency, drafting and list management, then any time of the year is a good time to talk shop.

So what rumours have surfaced so far?

Unsurprisingly there is a lot of interest going into Dustin Martin and Nat Fyfe, the two biggest names on the official list of free agents released last month.

Fyfe just yesterday however reiterated his plans to sign with the Dockers at some point this year, and hasn’t been strongly linked with any particular clubs at this stage, so the majority expect he’ll remain at Fremantle.

Dustin Martin, on the other hand, has so far been linked to North Melbourne and Collingwood – North are reportedly willing to offer something in the realm of a million a year for five years, while Eddie McGuire was happy to say on radio that he’d like to have Martin at the Pies next year.

Dustin Martin Richmond Tigers AFL 2017

Martin isn’t the only high-profile player on the Kangaroos radar however, with former AFL executive Brian Waldron claiming that the Roos have offered Greater Western Sydney’s Josh Kelly a nine-year contract worth a million a year. AFL.com.au confirmed the Roos were making the offer.

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That’s a gargantuan deal, on the level of the Lance Franklin and Tom Boyd moves of recent years, but would make a degree of sense for North – Kelly offers a lot of the qualities they need most, and his father Phil played for the Roos once upon a time. Kelly is out of contract at the end of the year.

North have been happy to toss big contracts at opposition players in recent years, if rumours are true, but are yet to have any of those darts hit the board. It will be interesting to see if 2017 is the year they finally land a big fish.

Kelly isn’t the only Giant being courted by Victorian clubs, with out of contract Devon Smith linked to the Cats.

That doesn’t seem likely though – the Cats gave up their 2017 first-round pick to land Zach Tuohy last year, and may be preoccupied with potentially bringing Gary Ablett home from the Gold Coast.

Jason Johannisen will be a story to follow with, the premiership Bulldog and Norm Smith Medallist publicly putting off contract talks until the end of the year and reportedly looking for a bit of a bigger paycheck than has been forthcoming from the Dogs.

Jason Johannisen kisses the AFL Premiership Cup

Growing up in Western Australia, Johannisen has been linked to a potential return to Fremantle, who may have room in the salary cap if they continue to move on senior players, and have shown a desire to poach homegrown talent back from Victoria.

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My gut feel however is that Johannisen is more likely to stay than go – he fits into the Dogs’ system and while he might have to accept less to stay, it’s worth it to be at such a well-run club. Maddy Friend said something similar on Monday.

Josh Schache is said to be the target of the Richmond Tigers, with the former No.2 draft pick off contract at the end of the year. He has expressed his happiness to be at the Lions on several occasions but talk is cheap, and he hasn’t yet put pen to paper on an extension that the Lions surely by now must have offered.

New Gold Coast co-captain Steven May is one to keep an eye on, with rumours that Hawthorn are pursuing his signature. He’s obviously now a leader at the Suns, and although he is out of contract at the end of this year, he is expected to re-sign.

Lachie Whitfield too is one for the watchlist – though he doesn’t come out of contract until the end of 2018, St Kilda are reportedly interested in him adding some midfield class. They have an extra first round pick to play with this year.

The Saints are also said to be a suitor for Josh Kelly, but would be unlikely to put down an offer of the same size that North Melbourne is reportedly doing.

Lastly, there is of course always talk about Bryce Gibbs, with Steven Trigg at Carlton saying he would be “very surprised” if the Crows don’t make another play to trade in Gibbs at the end of 2017. Gibbs is contracted until the end of 2019.

One final note to remember is that the salary cap is set to massively increase over the next few seasons, if rumours regarding the new Collective Bargaining Agreement are true. That alone could mean big things for player movement – watch this space.

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