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.

CLUBS WATCH EAGLES BIG MAN

WEST Coast free agent Bailey Williams is among a host of big men garnering rival interest as the ruck merry-go-round prepares to kick back into gear.

While rivals believe the Eagles are well placed for Williams to recommit, a view enhanced by the player's recent comments on wanting to stay, clubs have still registered an interest in the 26-year-old as his contract situation rumbles on.

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Geelong is among the sides keen on Williams, while the Western Bulldogs are also monitoring his situation as they look for support behind 2023 All-Australian Tim English.

Richmond is also an interested onlooker in the Williams chase but has an eye on Nick Madden, who is yet to recommit at Greater Western Sydney despite a multi-year contract offer at the Giants being presented earlier this year.

West Coast has held positive discussions around a potential long-term extension for Williams, who qualifies as a restricted free agent given he is in the final season of a heavily back-ended deal at the Eagles.

Clubs have also looked at Gold Coast veteran Jarrod Witts and dual Brisbane premiership ruck Darcy Fort as potential options, while contracted Sydney big man Pete Ladhams has been among the most impressive rucks at VFL level this year.

Hawthorn's Max Ramsden and West Coast's Matt Flynn are coming towards the end of their respective deals, while clubs maintain a watch on the contracted Rowan Marshall at St Kilda after his trade request to move to Geelong broke down last October. – Riley Beveridge, Josh Gabelich 

CLUBS EYE BRISBANE FLAG MID

BRISBANE premiership winner Sam Marshall is garnering significant interest from rival clubs, as his contract situation at the Lions continues to drag on throughout the season.

Marshall has played just two senior games this year, despite featuring in Brisbane's Grand Final side in 2025, with Victorian clubs monitoring his place in the Lions' plans in the hopes he'll explore his options at year's end.

Speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable on Wednesday, Marshall's manager Tom McConville from Mac's Sports Promotions said clubs continued to make calls on the 20-year-old's future.

"He's a talented young man," McConville said.

"He had a lot of interest in his draft year. In our role, we speak to clubs all the time about a lot of different players. Clearly, he's out of contract and a high talent, so we've been fielding calls about him.

"But it's not at the stage where we're meeting with clubs or anything like that. We just want to see him try and break into this Brisbane side and hopefully finish the year strong at the Lions."

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Brisbane remains hopeful of retaining Marshall, its talented Academy graduate who it matched a bid on at pick No.25 in the 2024 draft, though he is yet to re-sign beyond this season as he remains out of the Lions' team.

"I've been speaking to Dom [Ambrogio] at the Lions for a while now," McConville said.

"He's clearly not in the AFL side at the moment. He played in a Grand Final last year and he's a premiership player and hasn't been able to crack in this year. But I had a look at it and he didn't get in until round 18 or 19 last year and ends up playing in a Grand Final.

"There's still a long way to go for him this year. I'm in constant chats with Dom, but at the minute we're just hoping to see the year play out and hopefully have him show what he's worth in the AFL side." – Riley Beveridge 

IMPROVED PIE WAITING ON DEAL

ED ALLAN has found a new role at Collingwood over the past month, but is yet to be offered a new deal beyond 2026.

The 2022 first-round pick restricted the influence of Zak Butters on Saturday night while collecting 20 disposals after spending time on Kysaiah Pickett on King’s Birthday, following jobs on Ed Richards and Marcus Bontempelli in recent weeks.

Allan added two more years to his initial draft contract during his first pre-season at the Magpies, but is yet to cement a permanent spot in a side that won the premiership in his first season.

The West Australian has played the past five games in Craig McRae's team for a total of nine in 2026, following 13 last year.

Rival clubs are monitoring his availability, including Gold Coast, while West Coast has tracked him from afar for a long time given his ties to Perth.

Collingwood's interest in free agents Lachie Neale and Butters, plus looming contract calls on veterans Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom, is clearly part of the reason behind the club's delay in offering a new deal to Allan.

The Magpies face a handful of decisions on players over the age of 30, with Jeremy Howe and Tim Membrey both without contracts for 2027, while Jack Crisp hit a trigger for another season last month. – Josh Gabelich

YOUNG CROW HITS TRIGGER

ADELAIDE youngster Zac Taylor has hit a trigger in his contract for 2027, though the Crows are in negotiations to potentially extend his deal further into the future.

Taylor has emerged as a key part of Adelaide's plans this year as a high half-forward and winger, playing 12 of a possible 14 games in the senior side.

It's seen the 23-year-old hit a trigger in the one-year deal he signed late last season for a second year in 2027, though talks have started on handing Taylor a longer tenure at West Lakes.

Adelaide also has a four-year deal on the table for free agent Jordon Butts amid interest from the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne, while improved youngster Brayden Cook is heading towards a two-year extension. – Riley Beveridge

SAINTS SIGN UP MID-YEAR DRAFTEE

ST KILDA has quickly rewarded mid-season recruit Campbell Lake with a new deal after a fast start to his AFL career.

The 21-year-old joined the Saints on a six-month contract after being selected at pick No.7 in last month's Telstra AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

Since then, Lake has signed a one-year contract extension to take him through to end of 2027.

Rival AFL clubs are understood to have been asking about his availability, but now the Gold Coast Academy graduate will get the chance to complete a full pre-season at Moorabbin and build on a decent start.

Lake made his debut against Sydney just a week after being drafted and has played the past three games for Ross Lyon's side.

The Southport product finished with 15 touches and a goal against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday to build a case for many more senior games after the club's mid-season bye this weekend. – Josh Gabelich

TIGER'S AGENT EXPLAINS NEW DEAL

THE MANAGER of Richmond gun Rhyan Mansell has explained his one-year deal signed last week, amid significant interest from Tasmania ahead of its entry into the competition in 2028.

Mansell, who is from Launceston, was uncontracted at the Tigers beyond this season but last week penned a one-year extension at Punt Road that is bound to put him in the sights of the Devils as one of their first additions.

Speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable, Mansell's manager Tim Hazell from Vivid Sports explained that the 26-year-old only signed a short-term deal because of his injury issues across the course of this year.

"It's a really interesting one at the moment," Hazell said of Tasmania's arrival.

"All agents are having conversations about a whole range of players. If they're not, they're not doing their job right. 'Mans' is obviously one of those players that there have been conversations around.

"The reason we did the one-year deal was just to try and maximise his next contract, just because he's been out injured. For 'Mans', it's a short-term view on where he's at but it's just to get him back playing consistent footy and then we'll start to work through that next phase." – Riley Beveridge