ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Chris De Silva and Dean Bilton
During the AFL trade period live updates, Essendon is no longer in the running for Nick Blakey, a banned defender from Sydney. St Kilda and North Melbourne are now leading contenders for Blakey, with the Saints preparing an offer to test Sydney's resolve. The article also mentions that today marks the free agency deadline day for players like Zak Butters, adding to the ongoing speculation and potential changes in player movements across clubs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Tasmania Devils have unveiled their inaugural AFL team, featuring eight top teenage players from across Australia. These young stars, including Victorian Jake Miller and Griffin Barker, are committed to the Devils despite being eligible for next year's national draft, with the aim of joining the league in 2028.
Meanwhile, the AFL trade period is underway, with clubs actively pursuing blockbuster moves. Key players like Nick Blakey, a suspended defender from Sydney, are sought after by multiple teams including St Kilda and North Melbourne. Other notable trades involve Aidan Schubert moving to Hawthorn and Rowan Marshall transferring to Geelong in exchange for draft picks.
The trade period has already seen intense negotiations and discussions around potential deals, with the season only just concluded. Clubs are strategizing to strengthen their rosters ahead of future seasons, highlighting the competitive nature of player transfers during this time.
Written for “AFL Trade Period” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
St Kilda and North Melbourne have emerged as the favourites to land banned Sydney defender Nick Blakey, with the Saints preparing an offer to test the Swans' resolve.
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Saints → emerge → resolve
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Choose what information you see below by using filters
Who could Sydney use to replace Blakey?
uncertain
Sydney → choose → Blakey
Who might fill mid back at Swans when Lizard scuttles off?
- Drew
This is a good question, Drew!
uncertain
This → fill → Swans
It's safe to say you can't simply find a like-for-like replacement for a player like Nick Blakey because he is so unique.
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he → say → Blakey
Sydney's backline is going to look different next year with no Blakey (presumably), as well as no Callum Mills and I'm expecting no Dane Rampe.
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I → go → Rampe
I wonder whether the Swans chase another halfback from another club.
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Swans → wonder → club
If not, I could see someone like Matt Roberts or Braeden Campbell being used as a distributor off halfback.
uncertain
someone → see → halfback
Will we have more LW beef today?
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we → have → beef
Shame you had to close the blog last night just when the argy bargy between the two LWs was becoming the most interesting part of the day.
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bargy → have → day
Hopefully they will continue on .
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they → continue → ?
As far as Blakey’s move to North is concerned it would do a lot for his bank account but long-term he’d be a big fish in a little pond with no realistic chance of dragging North up on his own.
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he → concern → own
- Phillip
I know Phillip, shame the LW beef came so late in the day!
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beef → know → day
I've got to push back on you a little here on the North stuff though.
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I → get → stuff
I actually think the Kangaroos list is chock full of talent and adding someone like Nick Blakey could supercharge that side.
uncertain
adding → think → side
What else do we have on our plate for today?
Are we expecting much action today?
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we → expect → action
Apart from all the speculation on The Lizard, is there anything else we’ll see?
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we → see → Lizard
- Fred
There is still some news rattling about surrounding the 'mega deal' that was reported yesterday.
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that → be → deal
Tom Morris says that deal will no longer include seven clubs, as he reported yesterday, saying it will likely be involving five clubs.
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it → say → clubs
However, the AFL is yet to tick that one off and no one knows exactly what the moving parts are.
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parts → tick → one
Elsewhere, today is the free agency deadline day, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with Zak Butters.
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what → see → Butters
Gold Coast also has until 4:15pm to match the offer to Ben King, if they don't, it'll mean King heads to Hawthorn and the Suns receive a compensation pick.
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Suns → have → pick
Who is left in the Blakey race?
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Who → leave → race
Which clubs are left in the blakey race
- Blake's
It is down to St Kilda and North Melbourne when it comes to Nick Blakey's new team.
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it → leave → team
I guess Sydney is technically in it as well as Blakey still has five years to run on his deal, but it seems as though the Swans are prepared to trade him.
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Swans → guess → him
In case you missed yesterday's action
Rowan Marshall was the only player to secure a move yesterday on day four of the trade period, as all the chatter surrounded Nick Blakey.
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chatter → miss → Blakey
If you missed it, here's a blow-by-blow recap of all of yesterday's action (or lack thereof).
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recap → miss → action
What Blakey addition would mean for North Melbourne
If Nick Blakey is to walk through the doors at North Melbourne, it would genuinely be one of the biggest moments in the club's recent history.
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it → mean → history
It has been a dour last decade for the Kangaroos since making consecutive preliminary finals in 2014 and 2015.
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It → make → 2014
The Roos famously big-game hunted on multiple occasions since that time and failed.
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Roos → hunt → time
North has thrown huge money at Dustin Martin, Josh Kelly, Andrew Gaff and others over the last decade, but none have been willing to come to Arden St.
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none → throw → St.
Will Blakey be the one to turn the tide?
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Blakey → turn → tide
It feels like we're on the verge of finding out.
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we → feel → verge
Key Event
Saints prepare major trade offer to entice Swans
So we left things last night with North Melbourne seemingly in the box seat to acquire Nick Blakey after offering him a reported $11m contract.
Blakey is understood to have met St Kilda last night and according to Channel 7's Tom Morris, the Saints have indicated that they would send the Swans three first-rounders in a trade package.
uncertain
they → prepare → package
St Kilda holds picks 8 and 14 in this year's first round courtesy of the Rowan Marshall deal yesterday.
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Kilda → hold → deal
I'd presume they'd add their 2027 first-rounder to that package.
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they → presume → package
Also some overnight news is that despite some Swans links, Blakey will not be headed to Essendon having not met with them.
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Blakey → head → them
That always seemed like the play to me, they're two parties on two different timelines.
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they → seem → timelines
Welcome to ABC Sport's live blog of day five of the AFL trade period as we pray for some more movement.
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we → welcome → movement
The headline act has become Nick Blakey over the past 24 hours.
Will he leave the Swans?
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he → become → Swans
Where will he go?
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he → go → ?
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
