The 2023 AFL season is heating up, but players are already beginning to weigh up their futures beyond the year’s end. Here’s a roundup of the latest AFL trade rumours.
For a full list of free agents and out of contract players, check out our list here.
Adelaide Crows
Tom Doedee – Joined Brisbane as a restricted free agent on a four-year contract, having not taken kindly to a reduced contract from Adelaide. Is currently recuperating from a ruptured ACL. The Crows received an end of first-round compensation pick.
Elliott Himmelberg – Still has a year to run on his contract, but the key forward fell out of favour in 2023 and was pursued by GWS, where his brother Harry plays. However, no deal was struck.
Shane McAdam – Was traded to Melbourne for a future second-round pick. Shocked the Crows by requesting a trade to the Demons, citing lack of opportunities after just seven AFL games in 2023.
Brisbane Lions
Tom Fullarton – Was traded to Melbourne in exchange for pick 47. Managed just 19 games in four years at the Lions, including none in 2023. Impressed in the VFL this season.
Jack Gunston – Was traded to Hawthorn as part of a complicated deal that saw the Hawks receive Brandon Ryan in return. Caused a shock by requesting a trade back to Hawthorn after just one year at the Lions.
Rhys Mathieson – Is expected to seek opportunities elsewhere after spending all of 2023 in the Lions’ VFL team. Out of contract and yet to be offered a new deal by Brisbane.
Carlton Blues
Paddy Dow – Was traded to St Kilda as part of a major four-club swap involving the Western Bulldogs and Essendon as well.
Zac Fisher – Was traded to North Melbourne, along with pick 17, in exchange for picks 21 and 25. Reports have suggested he could receive as large as a five-year contract from the Kangaroos.
Collingwood Magpies
Taylor Adams – Was traded to Sydney for pick 33.
Trent Bianco – Managed just one senior game at the Magpies in 2023, but prolific VFL form has seen him attract interest from rival clubs. Was delisted at the end of the season.
Jack Ginnivan – Was traded to Hawthorn as part of a sizeable pick swap, after emerging as a late-Trade Period target for the Hawks. The arrival of Lachie Schultz saw both club and player become open to a trade, with Ginnivan seen as a potential target from mid-season after falling out of favour.
Essendon Bombers
Massimo D’Ambrosio – Was traded to Hawthorn in the dying moments of the Trade Period in exchange for pick 61 and a future fourth-rounder. As a mid-season rookie ending his second year, the Bombers would have lost him for nothing as a delisted free agent had a deal not been struck.
Dylan Shiel – Has been linked to St Kilda as the Bombers look to clear some of his hefty salary in their books, with a potential complicated deal involving wantaway Saint Jade Gresham in the works. Under the mooted deal, the Saints would receive a first-round compensation pick for losing Gresham as a restricted free agent, and would then trade that pick to the Bombers for Shiel.
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher – Was traded to Port Adelaide in the dying moments of the Trade Period, along with pick 73 and two future fourth-rounders, in exchange for Xavier Duursma.
Fremantle Dockers
Sean Darcy – Will be a restricted free agent at the end of 2024 and offers are already coming in, with reports suggesting Geelong have offered a five-year deal worth $1 million per season. However, the Dockers remain confident the star ruckman, who hails from Cobden in Victoria’s south-west, will re-sign with them.
Joel Hamling – The key defender has headed to Sydney on a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent.
Liam Henry – Was traded to St Kilda, along with a future fourth-rounder, in exchange for the Saints’ future second- and fourth-round picks. Officially requested a trade out of Fremantle and to St Kilda early in the trade period after picking the Saints over Hawthorn.
Lachie Schultz – Was traded to Collingwood in exchange for picks 34 and a future first-rounder, after shocking the Dockers by requesting a move while still contracted.
Geelong Cats
Esava Ratugolea – Was traded to Port Adelaide in exchange for picks 25, 76 and 94 after tense negotiations with the Power. The Cats initially rejected Port’s offer of pick 25 alone, instead looking to include youngster Ollie Lord as part of the trade, which the Power knocked back instantly.
Gold Coast Suns
Chris Burgess – Was traded to Adelaide, along with pick 14, in exchange for the Crows’ picks 23 and 26.
Mabior Chol – Was traded to Hawthorn, along with pick 62, in exchange for a future second-round pick.
Elijah Hollands – Reunites with brother Ollie at Carlton after being traded to the Blues as part of a pick exchange.
Ben King – Is once again a person of interest for rival clubs, but is expected to not seek a trade until the end of his contract in 2024. Collingwood lead a long list of suitors trying to lure the key forward back to Victoria.
Brodie McLaughlin – A pre-season supplementary selection who was delisted without making his AFL debut, McLaughlin has reportedly become a person of interest for several clubs, having dominated the VFL in 2022 for Frankston.
Jeremy Sharp – Looks almost certain to return home to his native Western Australia, having not appeared for the Suns in 2023. Requested a trade to Fremantle during last year’s trade period which didn’t eventuate, and it seems certain he will be a Docker next season, potentially as a delisted free agent.
GWS Giants
Matt Flynn – Signed with West Coast as an unrestricted agent on a three-year deal.
Nick Haynes – Has a heavily backended contract, but no trade offer was sufficient for the Giants to consider a trade.
Hawthorn Hawks
Tyler Brockman – Was traded to West Coast in exchange for picks 44 and 63, though Fremantle made a late bid for the Western Australian, reportedly offering him a four-year deal.
Jacob Koschitzke – Was traded to Richmond in exchange for pick 49.
Brandon Ryan – Was traded to Brisbane as part of a complicated deal that saw the Hawks receive Jack Gunston in return.
Melbourne Demons
Brodie Grundy – Was traded to Sydney in exchange for pick 46 and a future second-rounder, with the Dees also shifting the entirety of the ruckman’s salary to the Swans’ books. Collingwood will continue to have to pay their share of his wage.
James Harmes – Was traded to the Western Bulldogs in exchange for a third-round pick.
James Jordon – Officially signed as an unrestricted free agent with Sydney on the first day of the AFL’s free agency period. The Demons have received an end of second-round compensation pick, which is currently pick 39.
Clayton Oliver – Reports surfaced that the Demons were willing to trade the star midfielder, amid rumours of a rift between the club and their star midfielder. However, the Dees confirmed they had sorted out their differences, though they have called on Oliver to improve his professionalism.
Harrison Petty – Has been linked with a return home to South Australia, specifically Adelaide, as the Dees look to trade their way up the draft order and make a play for West Coast’s pick 1. Has two years left on his contract.
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Todd Goldstein – Joined Essendon as an unrestricted free agent on a one-year contract. after 315 games with the Kangaroos.
Ben McKay – Has joined Essendon as a restricted free agent, with North Melbourne receiving a compensation pick currently sitting at 3 in return. The Bombers beat out Hawthorn and Sydney for the key defender’s services.
Tarryn Thomas – Will see out his contract with North Melbourne to the end of 2024 despite interest from Essendon and Sydney. Endured a turbulent off-season with a series of serious allegations levelled against him, but finished the year strongly at AFL level.
Port Adelaide Power
Xavier Duursma – Was traded to Essendon in the dying moments of the Trade Period in exchange for Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and a trio of late picks.
Orazio Fantasia – Is out of contract and set to meet with GWS, who are interested in the small forward. Denied reports he is seeking a return to former club Essendon during the season, having endured another frustrating run with injuries since being traded to the Power in the 2020 trade period.
Scott Lycett – Has been offered a severely reduced contract by the Power and could move on or retire, with the club bringing in Ivan Soldo from Richmond and Jordon Sweet from the Western Bulldogs as ruck rivals.
Ollie Wines – The Power quashed rumours the 2021 Brownlow Medallist is being targeted by Geelong. Is contracted until the end of 2026.
Richmond Tigers
Dustin Martin – Once again speculation was rife that the triple Norm Smith Medallist could head elsewhere for 2024, perhaps to Gold Coast and likely new coach Damien Hardwick. However, nothing happened… for now at least.
Bigoa Nyuon – Was traded to North Melbourne for pick 65.
Dion Prestia – Reports surfaced that Prestia is interested in a return to Queensland to finish his career with either Brisbane or old club Gold Coast, the latter of which would mean a reunion with former Tigers coach Damien Hardwick. Is contracted through to 2024 and a trade is unlikely to be facilitated until it ends, especially with the Suns’ focus on bringing in top Academy recruits this off-season.
Ivan Soldo – Was traded to Port Adelaide, along with pick 50, in exchange for picks 41 and 49, a future second-round pick tied to Fremantle and the Power’s future fourth-rounder.
St Kilda Saints
Jack Billings – Was traded to Melbourne in exchange for a future third-round pick.
Nick Coffield – Was traded to the Western Bulldogs as part of a major four-team swap involving Carlton and Essendon as well.
Jade Gresham – Joined Essendon as a restricted free agent, with the Saints receiving an end-of-first round pick (21 at the time it was awarded) as compensation.
Daniel McKenzie – Attracted interest from Gold Coast. Is yet to be offered a contract by the Saints for 2024 after an injury-plagued season.
Sydney Swans
Dylan Stephens – Was traded to North Melbourne, along with pick 25, in exchange for pick 44 and the Kangaroos’ end -of-first round AFL assistance package selection in 2024. Appeared in the 2022 grand final but fell out of favour in 2023, and according to reports could receive as much as a four-year contract.
West Coast Eagles
Tom Barrass – Was at the centre of fierce rumours suggesting he would walk out on the Eagles despite being contracted until 2027, but re-committed to the club mid-season.
Western Bulldogs
Hayden Crozier – Having fallen out of favour in the last two seasons, the defender has been linked with Carlton, but would likely only take him as a delisted free agent. Is out of contract at the Bulldogs.
Bailey Smith – The Dogs rubbished rumours Smith could depart, having attracted spectulation after falling out of the midfield rotation late in the season, with Geelong and Hawthorn among interested parties. Is contracted until the end of 2024.
Jordon Sweet – Traded to Port Adelaide in exchange for pick 50. Managed just 11 games in five seasons at the Dogs behind first-choice big man Tim English, and none in 2023.
