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.

HAWKS OPEN TO WIZARD REDO

HAWTHORN is open to revisiting Nick Watson's contract despite the excitement machine already being tied to the club for two more seasons.

Watson last year penned a three-year extension with the Hawks, tying him to the club until the end of 2029 on a deal expected to be around the $850,000-$900,000 a year mark.

But the Wizard's rapid ascent into the game's very elite players this season could see the Hawks look at whether they try to lock him in for a longer deal to free agency and with that bring further financial reward, with his value skyrocketing past the $1 million mark already. 

Watson is an All-Australian certainty in his third season as the game's best small forward and is still vying for the Coleman Medal, having booted 52 goals and sitting five behind leader Charlie Curnow. 

The 21-year-old has become one of the most damaging players in the competition and has now kicked 113 goals since making his debut at the start of the 2024 season with the Hawks, who used their pick No.5 for him at the previous year's draft.

The game's most marketable player has quickly become a fan favourite of not only Hawthorn supporters, with wizard hats a best-selling item at Hawks HQ. – Callum Twomey

SUNS SET TO SIGN YOUNG GUN

GOLD Coast is close to tying away former Academy graduate Jake Rogers to a new contract, despite significant interest from a handful of Victorian sides.

It's understood Rogers is shaping towards signing a two-year deal at the Suns, taking him through to 2028.

Rivals had thought Rogers would explore his options at season's end, having garnered interest from teams including Collingwood and Hawthorn, though Gold Coast has made significant progress on retaining the small forward recently.

Rogers returned to the Suns' senior team on Sunday, kicking one goal in the side's loss to Melbourne, having spent the previous three months battling an ankle injury and plying his trade in the VFL.

He has played 24 games across his first three seasons on the club's list, after arriving through its Academy with the No.14 pick in the 2023 draft alongside fellow graduates Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Will Graham. – Riley Beveridge

EAGLE ON BLUES' RADAR

MARCUS Herbert waited years for someone to give him a shot in the AFL, but now the half-back is a wanted man after an impressive start to his career at West Coast.

Carlton is in the market for another rebounding defender and has registered interest in Herbert.

The Blues have yet to offer contracts for 2027 to veteran half-backs Adam Saad and Zac Williams and are understood to be eyeing Herbert after an impressive first seven games in the AFL.

West Coast is working on a one-year extension for Herbert, but is yet to finalise a deal for the 23-year-old. 

Herbert has amassed 70 disposals across the past fortnight, adding 34 against Richmond on Sunday to the 36 he collected in the Derby in round 20, averaging 23 per game since making his debut in round 14.

Herbert toiled away for more than five years in the VFL with Geelong before attracting interest ahead of this year's Mid-Season Rookie Draft, but has quickly proven he can perform at AFL level and has settled in quickly in Perth.

Richmond, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs also met with him before the mid-season draft. All three have remained interested after focusing on other list priorities in May.

Rival clubs don’t expect Herbert to be available after only just moving across the country on a six-month deal, but it hasn't stopped them proposing multi-year deals to try and pinch the defender from the Eagles. – Josh Gabelich

PIE LANDS TWO-YEAR OFFER

COLLINGWOOD has offered young midfielder Ed Allan a two-year contract extension after a breakout burst in 2026. 

The Magpies have made Allan wait until August to commence discussions, but talks are now underway on a new deal.

Allan has been keen to continue at the club that selected him at pick No.18 in the 2022 AFL Draft, amid rival interest.

The 22-year-old has played 15 senior games this year, including the past 11 straight, after just 15 appearances in his first three seasons at the KGM Centre. 

Craig McRae has used him as a tagger on a range of players across winter, where he has proven effective on the likes of Zak Butters, Jordan Dawson, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Sam Walsh, Noah Anderson and Tim Taranto. 

Collingwood's pursuit of Lachie Neale and the decisions they face on Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom - plus the club's push to remain in the Butters' chase - is believed to be part of the reason behind the delay in offer. 

AFL.com.au revealed earlier this week that Jeremy Howe has been offered another contract for 2027. 

And now negotiations have commenced between the Magpies and Allan’s management on a new deal through until 2028, which might take some time to finalise with so many other moving parts at Collingwood. – Josh Gabelich

GIANT STILL WEIGHING UP CALL

YOUNG forward Max Gruzewski is set to put a premium on AFL opportunities as he continues to weigh up a decision on his future.

The Giants have tabled Gruzewski a four-year deal to stay at the football club, potentially taking the 192cm goalkicker through until his free agency season in 2030, though that offer remains unsigned heading into the final month of the campaign.

Gruzewski has played just 23 games in his first four seasons, but managed a personal-best 16 goals from his 12 appearances in 2026 before injuring his knee in June.

Speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable earlier this week, Gruzewski's agent Scott Lucas from Phoenix Management Group said the youngster had attracted interest from rivals and would focus on whether he'll be seeking opportunities at the next level as he tosses up his contract call.

"When you work through that with a player like Max, a lot of it is geared around opportunity and where you see the team and the list going forward. Max wants to play, so we just work towards that and where we think that's best for him," Lucas said.

"To be honest, with the way we approach it, nine times out of 10 we hope it's at the incumbent club. We think there's a reason why they've picked that player and know what works best for them. It's more when we think that opportunity has been exhausted and perhaps it's not best for the player that you really start to explore.

"The Giants have invested a lot of time in Max and have started to grant those opportunities to him as he's worked his way through the VFL." – Riley Beveridge

BLUE TALKS BEGIN

CARLTON has kicked off talks to extend small forward Talor Byrne's contract after an impressive debut season for the goalkicker.

Byrne has added energy to the Blues' forward half this year and kicked 14 goals from 15 games in his first year, having been selected with pick 45 at last year's Telstra AFL Draft. 

His standard initial two-year deal with Carlton goes through to the end of 2027, but the Blues have started discussions on rolling him over for a third season to the end of 2028.

Contracts are capped under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for draftees until the end of their third year.

Byrne has been a later pick success story for Carlton, having kicked three goals against Gold Coast in round 20 and two goals last week against Brisbane in the Blues' big win. – Callum Twomey

DEE INKS NEW DEAL

MELBOURNE has rewarded mid-season recruit Joel Fitzgerald with a new deal for 2027 after slotting in swiftly to Steven King's best 23. 

Fitzgerald was selected with pick No.16 - the third-last pick - in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft and has now played seven games since making his debut in round 14. 

The 22-year-old arrived on a six-month contract from Williamstown but has now signed a one-year extension. 

Fitzgerald played an important role in the Demons' win over Gold Coast on Sunday, finishing with 23 disposals, seven clearances and two goals from a game-high 11 score involvements. 

After moving from half-back to a midfield role in the VFL, Fitzgerald has continued to amass big numbers at the next level, averaging 21.1 disposals across his first seven games in the AFL. – Josh Gabelich

BONUS PICK LADDER WATCH

ALL eyes have been focused on the 'cellar quinella' and who out of Essendon and Richmond would secure the No.1 pick this year with a wooden spoon finish.

But there is also a close watch on the bottom five on the ladder this year after the AFL's introduction of the bonus pick rule.

That will see clubs which hold their own natural top-five draft selections which are pushed back at least one spot by matched father-son or Academy picks be awarded a selection immediately after their own second-round pick.

It means Essendon, which holds pick No.1 at the moment, could place a bid on Port Adelaide Academy prospect Dougie Cochrane or Carlton father-son Cody Walker and the Bombers and clubs below them holding their own pick would all get the extra selection. 

Heading into round 22, North Melbourne is currently the club sitting one spot outside of the bottom five in 13th position on the ladder.

The Kangaroos could drop back into that group if Gold Coast wins one of its last three games, but if they stay at sixth last the timing would be off for the Roos after finishing in the bottom three the past six years. 

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If the bonus pick rule had existed in those years, the Roos would have garnered five extra picks at the start of the second round.

In those years the Roos would have either made a bid or been shunted down the order after other clubs' bids to Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in 2020, Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy in 2021, Will Ashcroft in 2022, Jed Walter in 2023 and Levi Ashcroft in 2024. – Callum Twomey

DRAFTEES GET VFL DEBUTS

GIPPSLAND Power prospect Clancy Snell will get a chance to show his wares with Collingwood at VFL level this week.

And Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy prospect Khaled El Souki will also line up for Footscray's VFL side in its clash against North Melbourne at Arden Street on Friday.

El Souki's craft has been on show as a small forward this season with the Western Jets and he has been a part of the Dogs program through the NGA system.

Snell is considered one of the leading talls in this year's draft class, winning comparisons to Geelong's Connor O'Sullivan at the same age and development.

The intercepting tall defender is set to make his VFL debut with the Magpies this week, with Collingwood to face Essendon VFL at Windy Hill on Saturday afternoon.

Snell, who is a cousin of the Duursma family, pushed into top-10 considerations earlier in the season with a strong start to his draft campaign and played in defence for Vic Country at the under-18 championships. 

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This period of the season will see a number of draftees get a chance to step up to VFL level, with Dandenong Stingrays defender Darcy Szerszyn also set to feature for North Melbourne's VFL side. 

Szerszyn had an interrupted start to his year with injury before returning for the Stingrays before the under-18 carnival. – Callum Twomey