Get all the latest news in the trade, free agency and draft landscape in Inside Trading, AFL.com.au's dedicated column for player movement. Find out the latest on contracts, deals, trades, draftees, rules, agents and who is going where from the AFL.com.au team.

CATS EYE NEALE DEAL

GEELONG has opened talks to extend key forward Shannon Neale's time at the club to lock him in long term.

Neale has two years left to run on his deal at the Cats, which expires at the end of 2028, having signed a new deal at the start of last season. 

But Neale has become a more consistent member of Geelong's team since then, kicking 44 goals last year and already booting 12 this season.

It has led to talks on a two-year extension, which would take him through to 2030, when he would be an unrestricted free agent.

Neale, 23, played his 50th game for the Cats in last week's win over West Coast, with the West Australian taking a prominent role next to Jeremy Cameron following Tom Hawkins' retirement at the end of 2024. – Callum Twomey

SAINTS START HALL TALKS

ST KILDA is looking to lock in rising forward Max Hall to an extension before he reaches his contract year in 2027.

Hall has been a revelation for the Saints after joining the club as a mid-season pick in 2023, playing 23 games last season and quickly becoming one of the club's leading forward/midfielders this year.

The Saint signed a two-year extension in the middle of last year, but the club has been in early talks on an extension to reward him with an upgraded deal and longer tenure after his form spike.

A longer deal would also take him out of the equation for Tasmania, which has access to any out-of-contract player in 2027 and 2028 as free agents without having to force a trade.

Hall was outstanding in round one this year when he kicked four goals from 26 disposals, eight inside 50s and six clearances. – Callum Twomey

DOGS DOUBLE EFFORTS TO KEEP KHAMIS

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have upped their Buku Khamis offer to three years, as the club looks to stave off growing rival interest in the much-improved defender.

The Dogs had kept a two-year deal for Khamis to stay on the table after his trade request to join Carlton fell through on deadline day last October, but have since moved to increase that offer in the wake of his impressive start to the year.

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

Khamis, who is an unrestricted free agent at season's end, requested a trade to the Blues during last year's exchange window but his hopes of taking up a three-year deal at Ikon Park fell through when negotiations broke down on deadline day.

A host of clubs have since joined Carlton in registering an interest in Khamis, with his status as an unrestricted free agent providing a significant appeal to teams in the market for key defensive depth.

The Dogs have also upped the ante to keep Khamis, with the three-year deal through until 2029 a sign of their intent, following his fantastic run of form to begin the season.

Khamis played just 41 games in his first seven seasons with the Bulldogs, but looks to have become a mainstay for Luke Beveridge this year thanks to his ability to play as both a lockdown and intercept option in defence. – Riley Beveridge

CROW LOCKS IN LONG DEAL

ADELAIDE recruit Callum Ah Chee has locked in his five-year deal with the Crows after initially joining on a two-year contract.

Ah Chee's move from Brisbane to Adelaide was complicated by the clubs failing to come to a trade in the player movement window, leading him to be picked in the pre-season draft.

To do that, the two-time flag winner nominated for the draft on a lucrative two-year deal worth more than $1 million a year to stop other clubs from swooping on him.

That would have seen him come out of contract again at the end of 2027, but Ah Chee has inked the extra three years to his deal to round out the original five-year agreement he was offered by the Crows before the Trade Period.

Players who nominate terms for the draft come under the same rules as free agency deals, where the terms of the deal he first signed at the Crows – the initial two years – have to be maintained, but the extra three years of 2028, 2029 and 2030 will be at a lower rate to smooth out his overall average of his long-term agreement.

The 28-year-old played the first two games of Adelaide's season after suffering a hamstring injury in the AAMI AFL Origin game, before having another hamstring strain in round two against the Western Bulldogs. – Callum Twomey

SUNS TO SECURE UWLAND DEAL

GOLD Coast is close to locking away Bodhi Uwland to a new long-term deal, with the star defender expected to ink a fresh four-year contract through until 2030.

Uwland has solidified himself as one of the Suns' most reliable performers across recent years, finishing second in the 2024 best-and-fairest count and elevating his game even further in the first month of this season.

His form across half-back had led to significant rival interest as he entered the final year of his contract, with St Kilda, Essendon and Brisbane among the clubs to have taken notice of his impressive spell.

But the former Gold Coast Academy graduate is now expected to remain at People First Stadium and is close to being locked away to a new long-term deal.

Uwland, the older brother of last year's No.2 pick Zeke, has averaged 24.4 disposals, 6.6 marks and 7.2 intercepts per game through the first five matches of the campaign. – Riley Beveridge

ANOTHER FRINGE HAWK IN RIVALS' SIGHTS

CLUBS came for Hawthorn's fringe players last year. Jai Serong and Changkuoth Jiath departed for better opportunities. Sam Butler and Ned Reeves re-signed amid rival interest, while Henry Hustwaite attracted attention. 

This year Bailey Macdonald is on the radar of a few clubs in the half-back market. 

Macdonald played six times last year, but started as the sub in every game, for a total of eight appearances (seven as sub) across his three seasons to date at the Hawks. 

The 21-year-old is out of contract in October and catching interest across the competition on the back of his rebounding form at Box Hill across the past 18 months.

Hawthorn is stacked with rebounding defenders with Flynn Perez currently getting an opportunity in the same side as Karl Amon and Jarman Impey, plus Josh Weddle and Jack Scrimshaw playing a variety of roles. 

The Hawks still have plenty of key contract decisions to make in 2026, including free agent Mitch Lewis, young guns Cam Mackenzie, Calsher Dear and veteran Jack Gunston, while the club is finalising a two-year extension for Impey. 

Serong ended up having a few suitors at the end of last season and Macdonald could have some options with clubs doing work on him right now. – Josh Gabelich

DOCKER TALKS DUE TO START

DISCUSSIONS on a new deal for Matt Johnson are set to kick off in coming weeks after the Docker's key role late in Fremantle's win over Collingwood last week.

Johnson is out of contract this season, his fifth at the Dockers, with talks set to start soon on a new deal.

The 23-year-old kicked the match-sealing goal against Collingwood at Adelaide Oval last Friday night in the tight clash, having also been pivotal in the play to get Jye Amiss the previous goal to get back in touch.

Johnson has played 18, 19 and 18 games the past three years and every game for the Dockers so far this season, averaging 16 disposals a game this year. 

The Dockers have tied up most of their contract priorities already for this season and already locked away Caleb Serong on a mega deal at the start of this year to take him through to 2034. – Callum Twomey 

SA BALL-MAGNET CONTINUES HOT START

WEST Adelaide ball-magnet Laurence Andriani is pushing to be added to Tasmania's under-17s watch list after a hot start to this season.

Andriani is eligible for the draft in 2027 but has put his name into contention to be on the Devils' radar as they assess bottom-age draft talents with their under-17 access this year.

DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news

The midfielder started his SANFL under-18 campaign with 31 disposals and a goal against South Adelaide, before amassing 44 disposals and a goal against Glenelg. Two weeks ago he backed it up with 32 touches, two goals and 10 clearances against Central District.  

The smaller midfielder won the SANFL's under-16 best-and-fairest medal last year. 

Tasmania nominated a list of 22 players in February it named 'players of interest', but two – Louis Salopek and Zemes Pilot – have withdrawn after committing to join Port Adelaide next year. – Callum Twomey