The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-10-04 · by Marc McGowan, Jon Pierik
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.
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that → open → 2027
In truth, negotiations have been bubbling along for months for some players.
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negotiations → bubble → players
The big questions are: Will Zach Merrett make it to Hawthorn at his second attempt?
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Merrett → make → attempt
Will Gold Coast match Hawthorn’s free agency offer for Ben King and thereby force a trade?
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Coast → match → trade
Where will Melbourne heart and soul player Jack Viney land?
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Viney → land → ?
We examine every club and which players are on the market.
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players → examine → market
Follow our live blog every weekday during the trade period, which closes at 7.30pm on Wednesday, October 14.
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which → follow → Wednesday
The Crows were in the box seat for Zac Bailey, only for Bailey to remain a Lion on an eight-year deal.
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Bailey → remain → 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.
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who → set → Melbourne
Murray, who has managed 78 games in six seasons with the Crows, including 11 this year, is contracted for another two seasons.
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who → manage → seasons
Fellow tall backman Jordon Butts has already left for the Bulldogs in free agency.
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Butts → leave → agency
The Crows have been linked to Suns defender Charlie Ballard.
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Crows → link → Ballard
Bigger picture, they are expected to make a play for St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Hawthorn’s Will Day next year.
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they → expect → Milera
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.
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McLachlan → lose → Essendon
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.
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them → receive → selection
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.
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focus → lock → 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.
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they → add → No.2
Carlton also hope to land Giant Lachie Whitfield, while ex-Magpie Wil Parker will join as a delisted free agent.
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Parker → hope → 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.
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Riley → request → deal
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.
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output → remain → 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.
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they → secure → defender
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.
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who → confirm → 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.
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he → remain → 2030
Scott Pendlebury will cross to Gold Coast.
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Pendlebury → cross → Coast
Again, the focus at Bomberland is Merrett, who, for the second-straight season, is seeking a trade to Hawthorn.
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who → seek → 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 –
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Hawks → report → selection
but the Bombers have rebuffed this.
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Bombers → rebuff → this
It’s unclear what will satisfy Essendon when it comes to relinquishing their seven-time best-and-fairest, and former skipper.
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it → ’ → time
Merrett is contracted for 2027.
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Merrett → contract → 2027
The Bombers are chasing Melbourne premiership veteran Jack Viney, who could replace Merrett in the midfield.
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who → chase → midfield
Out-of-favour Cat Jack Bowes has requested a trade to the Bombers.
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Bowes → request → Bombers
Darcy’s future remains a point of debate despite the Dockers insisting the ruckman will remain at the club.
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ruckman → remain → club
He fell out of favour this season with Luke Jackson dominant, while Mason Cox was the preferred second ruck in their finals campaign.
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Cox → fall → campaign
Darcy, 28, is contracted until the end of 2030.
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Darcy → contract → 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.
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he → tell → 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.
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discussions → say → role
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.
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Cats → disappoint → 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.
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they → join → Marshall
The Cats have offered pick 32 as the crux of the deal, but St Kilda want Geelong’s top pick.
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Kilda → offer → 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.
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Swan → chase → incident
…and 58 more, not listed.
The Aporia
