AFL trade period player movement is expected to kick up a gear from Monday, with star forward Jeremy Cameron leading a host of big names yet to learn where their playing futures lie.
Cameron (GWS), Adam Treloar (Collingwood), Josh Dunkley (Western Bulldogs), Ben Brown (North Melbourne) and Essendon duo Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia are all among the group of players in limbo after the jostling of clubs during the opening few days of the annual exchange window.
The trade period, which began last Wednesday, concludes this coming Thursday.
It is playing out with clubs still in the dark about the size of next year’s playing lists and salary cap amid AFL-enforced cost-cutting in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “bizarre” situation – as described by Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert – serves as an unusual backdrop that makes this period tricky for clubs to successfully navigate.
Cameron has been the subject of a tug-of-war between Geelong and GWS, who matched the Cats’ bid for the restricted free agent in order to force a possible trade.
The 2019 Coleman Medal winner formally requested a move to Geelong and the two clubs remain in contact.
The Cats hold three first-round draft selections after securing extra picks from West Coast in a trade for midfielder Tim Kelly last year, and could be forced to use one or more of those in their efforts to land Cameron.
The Giants have already secured troubled forward Jesse Hogan from Fremantle in exchange for pick 54, and are hopeful of landing a first-round draft selection from Essendon in exchange for wantaway midfielder Jye Caldwell, who was taken with pick 11 in the 2018 draft.
The Bombers hold picks six and seven in this year’s draft and are trying to land Dunkley from the Bulldogs while also negotiating a deal that would send Saad to Carlton, the dashing defender’s preferred destination.
Fantasia appears set to move home to South Australia, with Port Adelaide needing to come up with an attractive offer to persuade the Bombers to part with their injury-prone small forward, who is contracted until the end of next year.
Dunkley, a premiership player contracted to the Bulldogs to 2022, shocked the club with a request to be traded and cited a desire to spend more time as an on-baller with Essendon.
He was used in a range of roles, including short spells in the ruck, by the Dogs this year.
The Bulldogs are interested in out-of-contract Brisbane ruckman Stefan Martin, who could be a valuable ruck partner for emerging tall Tim English.
The Dogs are also monitoring Treloar’s situation after Collingwood’s stunning decision to attempt to offload the midfielder with five years to run on his contract.
The messy situation has come about with the Magpies trying to manage their tight salary cap, with star forward-midfielder Jordan de Goey yet to re-sign with the club.
Fellow Magpie Tom Phillips could land at Hawthorn as a replacement for Geelong-bound Isaac Smith, while Gold Coast tall Peter Wright has attracted interest from Essendon.
Brown has led North Melbourne’s goal kicking in four of the past five years but had a disappointing 2020 season and has been told he is unwanted by the Kangaroos, who are still searching for a new coach.
He has requested a move to Melbourne, who have indicated they will not give up a first-round draft pick in order to get the deal done.
Classy veteran Shaun Higgins could also leave the Kangaroos, with Geelong a likely destination.
St Kilda’s Luke Dunstan and the Giants’ Jackson Hately (both Adelaide), Geelong’s Nakia Cockatoo (Brisbane), Melbourne’s Mitch Hannan (Bulldogs) and Brisbane’s Alex Witherden (West Coast) have all attracted interest from rival clubs.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Spare a thought for the 36 players (minimum) who will most likely have lost their chance at an AFL career because of arbitrary list size changes. One saving grace is that it appears that the Eastern States will be forming a mega-comp that may actually rival the SANFL and WAFL for relevance as well as ability to produce mature age recruits from the 90+ players falling off AFL rosters who will look to resurrect their AFL ambitions. One name I'll throw around early and who might not make it past the rookie draft is Mitch O'Neill. The kid was killing it as a bottom-ager at the 2018 U18 National Champs, then made the U18 All Australian side again last year, but injuries late in the season saw him slide out of the National Draft to get picked up by the Eagles in the Rookie Draft. Got injured this preseason, then got caught in Tasmania by Covid, spending a total of 6 weeks in quarantine, only to finally arrive in the Hub when West Coast decided to cancel its remaining scratch matches due to the size of their injury list. Zero games and delisted at age 19. Ouch!
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Just a thought to do with the inability of GWS to get full value out of their draft picks. Would the AFL allow a club to subsidise a players transfer to GWS in return for a high draft pick. Suppose GWS would like a $300k player at another club — a good solid citizen rather than a star. That club pays $200k of the player’s contract at GWS, they top it up to make a total of $400k. The player is happy to transfer to GWS and the club gets a high draft pick in return.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Cameron leaving frees up $700k, a cheap replacement for say $300k leaves them $400k — I wouldn’t describe that as plenty and the $300k player will want to go there.
Stix
Guest
GWS can pay more for Geelongs younger players that are already under contract eg on 300-400k per year. You want an extra 100-150k per year to play with the Giants - Done GWS want players. Cameron leaving in the trade opens up plenty of Cash.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
I believe pick 11 involved more than Devon Smith.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Essendon have a pick ahead of Carlton and probably feel that they can rebuild the relationship — it is a draft and players can’t pick and choose, especially if a player isn’t asked to move interstate.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
How could GWS pay more for any Geelong player? I can’t see how they can even match Geelong’s bid for Cameron without having half their list on minimal contracts. This stream of high draft picks only generates an exodus as soon as most of these players can leave. They are not a destination club either, this is a real problem for them — how do they recruit good honest citizens on standard contracts which make up half a team’s top 22.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Stix, players can nominate their contract deals in the PSD but pretty sure they can’t in the National draft.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
nope ,depth player at best,sleeps with the light on also,has some qualities but has had many opportunities and cant hold down a spot
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Don't know the kid...any good?
Maxy
Roar Rookie
I will throw in Riley Bonner with that second rounder...done deal
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Pies have De Goey deal sitting waiting to sign off but can only do that with space freed up I believe..so if they get that desperate they may well give away Stephenson for a second round.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
I predict that Saad will get his wish and be playing for the Blues but via the preseason draft, not during the trades.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
You now get an inside understanding of how us Freo fans feel. Fortunately I think Alcock & co have moved us in the right direction....hope so anyway.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Ok,cant see Port doing that,they have a eye on next years draft apparently so think future first is not up for grabs, first pick this year is 28 or 29.I would assume they have a vision going forward and they would have rocks in there head if they do not try and get Isaac Rankine out of the Gold Coast ASAP. They will need some strong picks going forward to achieve that,much prefer Rankine than Fantasia,even if we have to wait a year to get him
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Me too WASS. How Ned Guy still has his job is beyond me. He must play good tennis along with Bucks, Sanderson and Harvey. I'd be offering SOS a job.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I am really hoping the Pies are bluffing with Stephenson. He doesn't want to go which makes it more likely he will stay. He is a pick 6 chosen ahead of Aaron Naughton who the club was sold on and switched to Stevo last minute. A first round pick would be the only way they can let him go IMO.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
what would pies want for stephenson? apparently Fantasia has told Essendon he will not be returning to see out his contract next year,cant see Port handing over future 1st next year so where would that leave Fantasia!! Perhaps Stephenson could be a better option for us
Stix
Guest
Anyone have this thought. Geelong says to their players - Anyone want to go play for GWS, they will give you a longer contract and more money now who's putting their hand up? So if no one wants to go play for GWS the best thing they can do is get the best draft picks for Cameron quick-smart giving more time to use the picks trying to get players from other clubs.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Probably fair value in hindsight.