Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
The biggest dominoes of the AFL trade period have already fallen, but many players are still waiting to find a new home.
Nick Blakey and Lachie Whitfield became the last big fish traded on Tuesday, ahead of the window closing at 7.30 AEDT on Wednesday.
Blakey, one of five Sydney players embroiled in the Pullman Hotel scandal, joined North Melbourne in return for a swag of draft picks including No.6 in this year’s edition.
North Melbourne list boss Brady Rawlings said the 26-year-old star’s acquisition was huge, as the Kangaroos push to end their 10-year finals drought under new coach Jaymie Graham.
“It’s been well documented for many years we’ve probably struggled to get a player of this sort of calibre through,” he told reporters.
“Hopefully it opens the door for many more signings in future years.”
Whitfield, 32, is also headed south to Carlton, with GWS bolstering their draft hand after parting with the two-time All-Australian defender.
Blakey and Whitfield joined Zak Butters (Port Adelaide to Western Bulldogs), Toby Greene (GWS to Geelong), Lachie Neale (Brisbane to Collingwood), Zach Merrett (Essendon to Hawthorn), Ben King (Gold Coast to Hawthorn) and Rowan Marshall (St Kilda to Geelong) as this year’s biggest free agency and trade moves.
Clubs appear to have taken heed from last year’s frantic deadline day scenes, when Merrett and Marshall were left high and dry following their unsuccessful trade tilts.
Plenty of lesser-known players will be hoping they don’t fall into that camp in 2026.
After landing Blakey, North Melbourne will look to cap off the trade period with a deal for young Adelaide defender Nick Murray.
Essendon are pursuing Brisbane’s Keidean Coleman after the injury-prone Lion requested a trade to the Bombers.
Coleman, 26, has managed just 15 senior games in the past three seasons after starring in Brisbane’s narrow 2023 grand final loss to Collingwood.
The Bombers have baulked at giving up either pick No.17 or No.21 in this year’s draft for the running half-back after offering pick No.27.
West Coast still have eyes for Melbourne’s former captain Jack Viney and defender Trent Rivers, a Perth native.
Collingwood have publicly conceded a deal for Richmond premiership player Jayden Short is “unlikely” and talked down the prospect of trading away defender Dan Houston or midfield-forward Jordan De Goey.
Brisbane’s Will McLachlan wants to get to Melbourne, Luke Pedlar is seeking a rare trade from Adelaide to Port Adelaide and North’s Josh Goater is pushing for a move to Hawthorn.
