Trade Targets ~ Free Agency & MSD player movements

[Take_a_Screamer]

Yes, Collingwood mean business...
Graham Wright is a genius.

“We will be at the front of the queue”: Collingwood ready to move for 2024 off-contract stars
“We are a place where people want to come and play football.”
https://www.zerohanger.com/we-will-be-at-the-front-of-the-queue-collingwood-ready-to-move-for-2024-off-contract-stars-146442/

[Take_a_Screamer]

Summary Outline of article from The Age
Get more discussion by visiting the link.

A big call to make: Your club’s free agents for 2024
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-big-call-to-make-your-club-s-free-agents-for-2024-20231214-p5erim.html
By Marc McGowan. January 1, 2024

Your club’s 2024 free agents. (Key: * Previously delisted, ^ Previously a free agent)

Adelaide (8 )
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James Borlase*, Will Hamill*, Elliott Himmelberg, Mitch Hinge*, Ben Keays*, Rory Sloane^, Brodie Smith^, Taylor Walker^

Brisbane Lions (6)
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Jarrod Berry, Darragh Joyce*, Ryan Lester*, Jarryd Lyons*, Hugh McCluggage, Dayne Zorko^

Carlton (5)
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Matt Cottrell*, David Cuningham^, Sam Durdin*, Caleb Marchbank, Jack Martin*

Collingwood (5)
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Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jeremy Howe^, Oleg Markov*, Scott Pendlebury^, Steele Sidebottom^

Hoskin-Elliott finally reaches free agency in his eighth season as a Magpie and at 30 years of age, after playing his first five years in the AFL as a Giant. He has played no fewer than 18 matches in any of previous seven years in black and white, so opportunity has not been lacking, and it would be a surprise if he departed. Pendlebury (36 in January), Sidebottom (33 in January) and Howe (33) are in the twilight of their careers, but remain key players for Collingwood and will likely go on as long as their form warrants. Markov became a cult hero at his third AFL stop after signing at the start of pre-season and ending the year as a premiership player. Can he back up his career-best campaign in 2024?

Essendon (2)
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Dyson Heppell^, Andrew McGrath

Fremantle (4)
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Bailey Banfield*, Ethan Hughes*, Matt Taberner^, Corey Wagner*

Geelong (13)
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Jed Bews^, Patrick Dangerfield^, Mitch Duncan^, Zach Guthrie, Tom Hawkins^, Jack Henry, Emerson Jeka*, Jake Kolodjashnij^, Mark O’Connor, Brandan Parfitt, Rhys Stanley^, Tyson Stengle*, Zach Tuohy

Gold Coast (8 )
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Ben Ainsworth, Levi Casboult*, Sam Day*, Nick Holman*, Sean Lemmens^, Darcy MacPherson, David Swallow, Jarrod Witts

GWS Giants (6)
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Isaac Cumming, Nick Haynes^, Lachie Keeffe*, Adam Kennedy*, Harry Perryman, Callan Ward^

Hawthorn (6)
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Luke Breust^, Blake Hardwick, Harry Morrison, Conor Nash, Cooper Stephens*, Chad Wingard*

Wingard will spend much of next season recovering from a ruptured achilles tendon. The Hawks put the dual All-Australian forward back on the senior list via the pre-season draft, after delisting him before Collingwood made a shock play for him....

Melbourne (4)
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Marty Hore*, Tom McDonald^, Jake Melksham*, Joel Smith

North Melbourne (5)
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Hugh Greenwood*, Bigoa Nyuon*, Toby Pink*, Liam Shiels*, Cam Zurhaar

Port Adelaide (6)
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Travis Boak^, Charlie Dixon^, Francis Evans*, Todd Marshall, Trent McKenzie*, Quinton Narkle*

Richmond (9)
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Noah Cumberland*, Jack Graham, Dylan Grimes^, Dustin Martin^, Kamdyn McIntosh^, Ben Miller*, Sam Naismith*, Toby Nankervis, Dion Prestia

St Kilda (7)
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Josh Battle, Tom Campbell*, Tim Membrey, Seb Ross^, Liam Stocker*, Jimmy Webster^, Mason Wood*

Sydney Swans (6)
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Harry Cunningham^, Ollie Florent, Robbie Fox*, Will Hayward, Lewis Melican^, Sam Reid*

West Coast (6)
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Liam Duggan, Andrew Gaff^, Jamaine Jones*, Josh Rotham, Zane Trew*, Elliot Yeo^

Western Bulldogs (6)
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Lachie Bramble*, Taylor Duryea*, Tim English, Jason Johannisen^, Tom Liberatore^, Lachie McNeil*

[WhyPhilWhy?]

Tim English...

[stui magpie]

^
I don't think Wright will be offering any Ruckmen long term big $ deals, which is what it would take to attract him.

[Charlie Oneeye]

Hugh McCluggage

[derkd]

The dogs have a crazy number of key talls, not all will fit into the same 22.

Jamarra ugle-hagan - Forget Ben King, if the Pies are going to throw everything and the kitchen sink at anyone. Jamrra is the guy. I think the dogs have a crazy deal in front of him 10 years at 15mil.

Aaron Naughton - I don't think he is a forward, I think he is a defender being played out of position. Plays well, don't get me wrong... but West Coast or Fremantle ate going to come knocking with silly offers, and as the W.A clubs always seem to do....over pay to get a player back home who then doesn't live up to the money.

Sam Darcy - could be worth monitoring, has had injuries, very young and raw...but where will the dogs fit him in? Could be be squeezed out in a few years?

Jordan Croft - another f/s tall that has to be fit in somewhere? Will take years to develop and could yet be anything.

[LaurieHolden]

With those veterans noted (Howe, Pendlebury, Sidebottom) effectively in the departure lounge, we'll need some durable 100+ gamers to fill the experience void as we push into the 2025 / 2026 seasons.

Of that ^ RFA list, if any of the following made their way to the 'whatever we're calling it now' Centre at season '24 end, I'd be content.
Established players that wouldn't require list disrupting contracts to land.

Any movement would likely involve bundling picks / players in the 2024 trade period / draft given our 1st round pick has gone to Freo as part of the Schultz trade, leaving us with 2 x second round picks.

IN: Round 2 (Hawthorn), Round 3 (Hawthorn)
OUT:Round 1 (Fremantle), Round 2 (Hawthorn), Round 4 (Essendon)

After burning their 2022 draft capital on Luke Jackson, it's worth noting Freo have 3x 1st round picks and as a result I won't be surprised if they came after Ed Allan in the 2024 trade period.
If we had the son of a former Captain lining up for another Club, we'd be doing everything to get him back, as should Freo. If that ever did eventuate, let's make it hard for them.

Ben Keays (113)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-adelaide-crows--ben-keays

Andrew McGrath (134)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-essendon-bombers--andrew-mcgrath

Isaac Cumming (75)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-greater-western-sydney-giants--isaac-cumming

Harry Perryman (108)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-greater-western-sydney-giants--harry-perryman

Blake Hardwick (147)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-hawthorn-hawks--blake-hardwick

Harry Morrison (91)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-hawthorn-hawks--harry-morrison

Jack Graham (117)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-richmond-tigers--jack-graham

Josh Battle (100)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-st-kilda-saints--josh-battle

Oli Florent (142)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-sydney-swans--oliver-florent

Will Hayward (137)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-sydney-swans--will-hayward

Liam Duggan (158)
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-west-coast-eagles--liam-duggan

[The Black and White Lion]

The reality is there will be no like for like instant replacements for Howe, Pendles, Sidey or WHE.

Particularly on the wing where Sidey and WHE's run and endurance will be hard to replace. Teams can regenerate if you can afford to rotate players through there and build some experience. Pendles general play will be hard to top but Naicos is on the way and will seemingly grow into that everywhere role. Howe's half back / third tall role is probably the simplest of the group to replace, whilst his marking is matched by Moore and IQ perhaps it's the loss of his maturity and growth in leadership that will be harder to cover.

Crisp, Mihocek, Elliot and Mitchell won't be far behind over the next few years so there's spots through the mid and forward half to consider too.

Fly, Wright's intern & Hine have to see some up side in any of the potential recruits that's going to help fill a gap and help us improve. Much like 5 years ago, our team is going to look quite different in 3 to 5years time.

Of the FAs not sure we want a stopper like Keays, Cumming was much improved in 2023 and Perryman consistent but reckon they'd both stay under Kingsley, don't know about Morrison, McGrath's best could be behind him - he's never really delivered but could yet prosper at the Don's, not sure Battle would leave leadership at the Saints unless a major falling out under Ross like at Freo.

I'd look closer at the FA's below though:
Hardwick's toughness is an asset down back. Duggan's field kicking and run off half back is class. Graham's general play is strong and Florent's pretty nimble through the mid. Hayward's that high half floater most similarly to WHE.

[LaurieHolden]

^ I would hope Duggan is gettable if he was looking to come back to Vic. but as co-Captain, the task if harder. Given WCE are at least 4 years off from finals when Duggan would be in the twilight of his career, the lure of a crack at another flag might be the additional carrot required.

For the same reason apart from the go home factor, Graham would be ideal, but I suspect Dimma will be looking to lure him to GCS for the invaluable finals experience he would bring to them over the coming years.

I love to secure Hardwick for the reason you state and Florent for the outside class.

[inxs88]

Reckon Dimattia does the job of a Duggan in 2025 but with greater pace and upside.

[Take_a_Screamer]

Matt Taberner?
https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-fremantle-dockers--matthew-taberner

Every AFL club’s trade storyline to watch in 2024
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/department-of-trade/afl-2024-trade-storylines-to-watch-at-every-club-rumours-whispers-latest-news-dustin-martin-to-gold-coast-suns-western-bulldogs-bailey-smith-tim-english-jamarra-uglehagan/news-story/7e08fa61ccbba1e3616ec92cc6ab59c9

COLLINGWOOD

Mid-season trade period buyers?

Amid talk of the AFL implementing a mid-season trade period in 2024, it could appeal to the reigning premiers as a club firmly in the premiership window looking to top up its list. That’s a big part of the idea of it. Dan McStay’s ACL injury in December was a massive blow to the Pies, particularly given the club’s lean key position stocks. McStay is one of Collingwood’s most important players from a structure perspective and thus one it could least afford to lose, showing his worth with four goals across two finals series before suffering a heartbreaking knee injury in the prelim. And so the Pies could survey the market for another key position player – perhaps Matt Taberner – to help cover the loss of McStay.

[LaurieHolden]

Taberner has just never got his body right, cruelled by injuries. Would need a pretty stringent medical, bloke can play though.
These articles rarely look past names & positional requirements so who knows what their living / lifestyle arrangements are. I wouldn't expect a big money contract to be put in front of him, it'd have to be similar to McStays.
Trouble is what then happens in 2025? Could Taberner or McStay go to FB? Might extend Taberners career and continue the long line of gifts from Freo.

[The Black and White Lion]

Reckon mid season trade will end up being for lower end versatile players as back ups for injury. Given it’s a trade, you have to give something of equal value. What kind of player in a contender is going to want to leave given todays player bargaining power. Will teams trade future draft picks only? That value might be hard to equate given the ladder positions aren’t final. Just look at the Pies rise in 22 and Giants rise in 23.

It might only work between two teams in contention who are willing to give and take for short term gain.

I can understand non AFL teams preferring an MST instead of a draft as their year is free from disruption.

Personally I think a Player Loan type deal (financial only) could be a better all round deal than a trade. They do this a lot in the round all game. Might mean a cap space deal is required to stop teams loading up and rorting the system

[Pies2016]

^^^
Just for clarification, the AFL has recently advised there will be little likelihood of any mid season trade period being introduced in 2024.
However, there are a number of additional trading mechanisms that could debut in 2025.
1) mid season trade period as above
2) trading draft picks for salary cap relief is also well down the track. Example only could be that Collingwood trade pick 25 to the Roos for them to absorb $200,000 of our salary cap.
3) On trading of National draftees on draft night ONLY. Example only could be Collingwood draft a WA kid at pick 6 and the Eagles then offer up picks 9 and 15 in return for that player to make his way to the Eagles.

I’m all for any mechanisms that offer clubs to be more flexible with their list management. The AFL is big business, so offering up more solutions and options to make clubs better seems like sound business practice to me.

[lazzadesilva]