Source : the age
Zak Butters’ impending move to the Western Bulldogs could evolve into this year’s “mega deal” if Port Adelaide decide to match the free agency offer for their outgoing superstar midfielder.
As the AFL’s trade period started on Monday, Bulldogs player acquisition and strategy manager Michael Regan said that a multi-club deal was among the options to try to appease the Power’s demands for Butters, a triple All-Australian.
Another scenario if Port Adelaide were dissatisfied with negotiations after potentially matching the Dogs’ nine-year, $18 million offer for Butters is to send him to the pre-season draft, where Richmond could grab him for free, although Power list boss Jason Cripps hoped to avoid that.
“We’re exploring all different options, whether it be trade involving players, involving picks, moving picks, sliding picks,” Cripps said.
“We don’t have the exact answer [on] which way it’s going to play out.”
Three trades have already been agreed to – two involving Collingwood – with Scott Pendlebury heading to the Gold Coast for pick 65, and Jesse Hogan becoming a Magpie as selection 75 went to the Giants.
But the blockbuster deal of the day was ex-Essendon skipper Zach Merrett crossing to Hawthorn for picks 15, 25 and the Hawks’ 2028 second-rounder.
Pendlebury could have joined the Suns as an unrestricted free agent, but Gold Coast wanted to make a trade to avoid diluting their compensation pick for Ben King, which would be No.7 if they don’t match Hawthorn’s offer.
This is Hogan’s fourth stop after starting at Melbourne, before a tumultuous two-year stint at Fremantle, then a resurgence at GWS that included winning the 2024 Coleman Medal.
Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch, who also signed dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale from the Brisbane Lions on a three-year free agency deal, said Monday’s trades were “tick-the-box” agreements, but that a deal for premiership Tiger Jayden Short would be tougher to complete.
Leppitsch said list spots, salary cap space and what the Tigers asked for were all factors in Short joining the Pies.
“We’ve had an early indication from Richmond what they would like, and it’s still a bit far off from us, so there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge for that one,” Leppitsch said.
Jordan De Goey will also be a name to follow as the Collingwood star seeks one “last contract”. Leppitsch left the door ajar for De Goey to be traded after Steele Sidebottom’s retirement and Pendlebury’s Gold Coast move.
He also hinted he would be open to trading Dan Houston if the defender or an opposition club inquired about him, neither of which has happened.
Elsewhere, St Kilda football boss Lenny Hayes said they were willing to trade wantaway ruckman Rowan Marshall to Geelong – a year after he tried unsuccessfully to get to the Cattery – but only if the deal “works well for us”.
This masthead reported that the Saints wanted the Cats’ first-round pick and a player, potentially Lawson Humphries or Sam De Koning.
However, Geelong’s general manager of football Andrew Mackie has ruled out giving up their first-round selection for Marshall.
Hayes said on Monday that the Saints wanted a pick or a player, and when pushed on St Kilda’s specific stance, said it could be a combination of both.
The Saints also need to broker a deal with Brisbane for midfielder Sam Marshall, who has requested a trade to Moorabbin.
Melbourne are another club that will be busy in the next week-and-a-half.
North Melbourne’s out-of-contract forward Zane Duursma, the No.4 pick in the 2023 draft, wants to join the Demons, but Kangaroos list boss Brady Rawlings still hoped to “talk him around” if a suitable trade could not be struck.
Melbourne’s premiership midfielder Jack Viney had initial interest from West Coast and Essendon after the Demons encouraged him to explore his options, but the Bombers have decided to prioritise their younger on-ballers.
It means Viney must choose whether to stay in red and blue or become an Eagle.
West Coast also have interest in another contracted Melbourne player, Trent Rivers, who is from Western Australia and will be a free agent next year. Fremantle list boss David Walls said on Monday they were not going to pursue Rivers.
Essendon’s list manager Matt Rosa confirmed their interest in Geelong’s Jack Bowes.
Injury-cursed Bombers defender Jordan Ridley wants to get to the Cats, and Rosa said there was a possibility that Bowes could be tied into that.
Carlton are keen to bring in Giant Lachie Whitfield, who is set to join fellow veterans Greene, Hogan and Jake Stringer in departing GWS. But Giants recruiting manager Adrian Caruso confirmed that Harry Himmelberg was staying at the club.
Of course, all the talk about draft picks and what players are worth only really makes sense if you put into context of how the draft works.
The below graphic shows what picks each club presently has up its sleeve , heading into next month’s national draft.
Here’s something for the Magpies fans: a photo of your new recruit Jesse Hogan in the black and white.
Hogan joined the Pies today from Greater Western Sydney in a trade for draft pick 75.
It means the straight-shooting key forward lands at his fourth AFL club.
A No.1 draft pick, he started at Melbourne way back in 2015.
In a statement credited to the club’s list manager Mark McKenzie, who said:
“We are delighted to welcome Zach, his wife Alexandra, and their son Jude to Hawthorn.
“A seven-time best and fairest winner and three-time All-Australian, Zach has long been celebrated as one of the most elite midfielders in the AFL and he will play a key role in our side for many years to come.
“In addition to his relentless desire to succeed, Zach’s professionalism and competitiveness are second to none – he’s the sort of player that drives high standards and helps make others around him better.
“We are very excited about what Zach brings to our club, I’m sure he’s incredibly motivated to get to work with his new teammates and help propel Hawthorn towards its next premiership.”
Essendon have thanked their departing former skipper Zach Merrett, describing him as leaving with a “legacy as one of the club’s greatest players of the 21st century”.
Across 13 seasons and 274 games, the Bombers said, Merrett etched himself into the club’s history with an equal-record seven Crichton Medals as best and fairest, as well as four of a possible six McCracken Medals for embodying the club’s values on-field.
Essendon CEO Tim Roberts praised Merrett for the professionalism, performance and standards he set during his time in red and black.
“Zach Merrett is a champion of our football club,” Roberts said.
It’s official: the AFL has lodged the paperwork for the Zach Merrett trade from Essendon to Hawthorn.
The deal was confirmed right on 5pm. But it’s day one of the trade period, so this wasn’t quite the white-knuckle ride of last year when the clubs went to the last minute in their haggling over the midfielder but failed to reach a mutual agreement.
Get the full details from Michael Gleeson – including what it means for Ben King’s move.
Carlton have put this year’s two first-round picks off the table in any deal for Giant Lachie Whitfield, whose preference, if he is traded, is to join the Blues.
Carlton are prepared to offer pick 23 in this year’s draft but won’t part with their own picks 11 and 16 due to the need to cover any early bid for prized father-son Cody Walker.
If a bid were to come for Walker at No.3 (Richmond), which is viewed as a highly feasible scenario, Carlton would go close to covering the bid, but need to go slightly into deficit for 2027.
They have their own first pick, and Sydney’s from the Charlie Curnow trade, plus picks 23 (Gold Coast) and 24 (North Melbourne) in the second round.
Whitfield has already done a medical with the Blues, Melbourne are another club that has shown interest in the No.1 pick from the 2012 draft, who the Giants are willing to trade as part of their list reset. Whitfield is contracted for 2027.
The Zach Merrett deal is about to become official.
The highly decorated former Essendon captain will bolster the Hawks’ midfield in 2027 when the two clubs agree to a trade involving three draft picks.
Those picks are poised to be a first round selection this year (set to be pick 15 based on the current order) followed by a second-rounder (25) and a second round pick in the 2028 draft.
Tell us what you think in the poll below, or ask our journalists a question for today’s Real Footy podcast about this trade by emailing realfootypod@theage.com.au
Zach Merrett is a central figure of this year’s AFL trade period, as he was last year when Hawthorn unsuccessfully tried to prise him away from Essendon in a testy negotiation that went down to the wire.
Still under contract, and with a seventh Bombers best and fairest award now under his belt, Merrett is again keen to cross to the Hawks, who remain keen to land him.
Early talk suggests the negotiations are progressing more hopefully this year.
Writing for us this afternoon, Sam McClure opines it’s time for both parties to put down their weapons and get their deal done.
It’s eight days since we last dropped an episode of the Real Footy podcast, but our team will be back in you earholes tonight … and for the following days.
That’s right, our reporters will be recording podcasts daily during the trade period to give all the news and views on the comings and goings from the 18 AFL clubs.
If you’ve got any questions for our podcasters today, email it to – realfootypod@theage.com.au – in the next hour.
Otherwise, if you’ve like to catch up on our latest episode – the grand final review – you can do that wherever you get your podcasts, or even right here:
