SON of a gun Tom McGuane, former North Melbourne defender Flynn Perez and delisted Carlton pair Elijah Hollands and Will White have all had their pre-season supplemental selection period trials extended into 2026. 

Perez, 24, was invited to trial for the vacant spot at Hawthorn earlier this month and has quickly impressed, earning an extension for January, along with ex-Fremantle wingman Ethan Stanley. 

VFL star Brodie McLaughlin has been released after undergoing foot surgery last week after an injury early in his trial, which will sideline him for at least the next three months. 

The Hawks have two spots to fill on the list and are considering trialling another player or two in the new year, but extended the trials of Perez and Stanley this week. 

McGuane has been sidelined for most of December due to an ankle injury, but the 18-year-old will return to West Lakes after the Christmas break to get the chance to land a spot on the Crows’ list. 

Southport star Zac Foot, who played two games for Sydney before being delisted in 2020, will also return to Adelaide at the start of 2026 in a bid to earn a second chance in the AFL. 

Fremantle has also extended the auditions of Zac Harding and Chris Scerri into 2026 after training interruptions over the past fortnight. 

Harding strained a quad but is expected to be back in full training by the first session back in January, while Scerri was sidelined this week due to illness. Scerri had the chance to trial with Richmond after signing with the Tigers’ VFL program, but chose to head to the Dockers for the SSP.

White and Hollands have both trained strongly at Princes Park across November and December and are expected to get the full window to compete for the final spot all the way through to the deadline on February 20.

Western Jets captain Tom Burton and Eastern Ranges tall utility Marcus Krasnadamskis will be back with Adem Yze’s squad when the Tigers return in January. Hawthorn offered Krasnadamskis the chance as a train-on, but the basketball convert chose to trial with the Tigers. 

Port Adelaide is still finalising its plans but are expected to welcome back all four triallists after the break. Former Collingwood and North Melbourne half-forward Jaidyn Stephenson has impressed across the first block of the summer in South Australia, while Bayln O’Brien, Mitch Zadow and Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier are all set to return. 

Tex Wanganeen and Oskar Ainsworth have both had injury issues to deal with at St Kilda, but both are expected to get most of the SSP to audition for the one list vacancy at Moorabbin. Wanganeen has had both shoulders operated on since the end of last season.

Players on SSP trials in 2026

Adelaide: Zac Foot, Tom McGuane
Carlton: Elijah Hollands, Will White
Fremantle: Zac Harding, Chris Scerri 
Hawthorn: Flynn Perez, Ethan Stanley
Port Adelaide: Jaidyn Stephenson, Bayln O'Brien, Mitch Zadow, Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier
Richmond: Tom Burton, Marcus Krasnadamskis
St Kilda: Tex Wanganeen, Oskar Ainsworth