THESE are the 12 figures set to shape the 2026 Trade Period. 

With the Grand Final over and Brisbane having secured another flag, the rest of the competition is rushing to find ways to catch up to the Lions. 

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

They get that chance as soon as Friday, when the gates open for this year's free agency period. Then, on Monday October 5, the Trade Period will begin for 10 days of talks, deals, bluffs, strategies and movement.

Before that all kicks off, here is AFL.com.au's list of the most influential figures (not in order) in this year's Trade Period.

They are the list bosses, player agents, coaches and AFL staff who will be central to the deals that do or do not happen over the next two weeks.  

ZAK BUTTERS

Port Adelaide free agent

The biggest name and biggest story of this year's player movement space by some way. After months and months of deliberations, meetings, leanings, calls and offers, Butters made the decision to nominate the Western Bulldogs as his preferred home earlier this month. It was the bombshell call that came after he had been favouring the Cats, but the Dogs' upgraded offer as well as his boyhood love for the club and coming home to be their next son of the west saw him choose the Dogs. Since then, he has been in at Whitten Oval for more medical testing after his late-season ankle injury. Butters will join the Bulldogs on footy's richest and biggest deal ever and he's ready for it – but so much of the conversation in this year's Trade Period will be about how he actually gets to the Dogs. Is it, as he will be hoping, as a free agent so he can bypass the trade talks and get done in the first week of action before the free agency deadline on Friday, October 9? Or does he get tied into a massive trade move that will take longer to decide his fate? Either way the chase for Butters, and now the deal, will go down as one of footy's biggest ever moves. 

JASON CRIPPS

Port Adelaide list manager 

As Port's list manager, Cripps is looking to fulfill a range of aims this Trade Period. The first is to maximise the deal for losing Zak Butters, who is Port's best player and a top five player in the game. Then there's covering the points to be able to match a bid on Next Generation Academy prospect Dougie Cochrane, who will likely attract a bid at No.1 and be the most expensive matched bid in AFL history under the new rules. Then there's Port's three-year draft plan, which includes covering bids for tied players Louis Salopek and Zemes Pilot next year, with both already committing to the club for the 2027 draft. All of this makes Cripps a headliner of this year's Trade Period with so many things in play. Given Port already has pick No.4, getting pick No.5 as compensation for Butters would give them a very strong draft hand, but the Power are also working on putting together a mega trade deal involving multiple clubs, multiple picks and multiple players that would sit separate to a Butters move but generate more strong picks for Port and get results for other clubs too. A number of clubs have shown interest in being involved so that is a watch. 

ANDREW MACKIE

Geelong football manager

As he weighs up Tasmania's significant interest for him to be the Devils' first football boss, the current Cats football manager also has a few things on his to-do list at Geelong. The Cats were Zak Butters' favoured landing spot until his late switch back to the Western Bulldogs, which reshaped the whole period particularly for the Cats. They secured Toby Greene as a free agent days after missing Butters, so that part is done and Greene is ready to don the Cats' No.1 jumper, and the next step is landing ruckman Rowan Marshall a year after his attempted move the first time. There have been trade talks between the clubs but little movement as the Saints chase players. Geelong quickly knocked back St Kilda's interest in Lawson Humphries to be a part of the trade. The Cats are interested in Bomber Jordan Ridley to stiffen up their defence, while they are aware of Nick Blakey having had some interest in Geelong as a trade destination if he left the Swans but that would see plenty of steps to be taken before anything materialises. Jack Bowes looks likely to depart Geelong to either Essendon or North Melbourne, but Mackie's role in continuing to add quality experience to Geelong's line-up will be a key part of this trade and free agency window. 

JUSTIN REID

AFL head of football performance, list management and engagement

The former Adelaide list boss has been a key figure in trade periods past, but that was in his domain as managing deals for the Crows. This time around Reid has a much wider influence in his first trade and free agency period as the AFL's head of football performance, list management and engagement. Reid will have to tick off every trade and free agency move, be able to see the monetary figures attached to deals and will be across all the compensation picks handed out for free agents. Reid has already been in the thick of the action, with the League blocking the first proposed Todd Marshall pick purchasing deal that had been proposed between Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs after the League worked off a memo from last year that ruled out such a move under specific circumstances. Reid and the AFL's football boss Greg Swann have warned clubs they will have a close eye on secondary trade deals. 

MICHAEL REGAN

Western Bulldogs list manager

The Bulldogs got Zak Butters' nomination across the line. Now it's about making the deal happen. The Dogs and Port – Regan and Power list boss Jason Cripps – had met in the lead-up to Butters' decision to workshop different trade options, but their first one was bounced out by the AFL two weeks ago. Since then it has been back to the drawing board. Butters will get to the Dogs on a nine-year deal worth close to $20 million, with Regan's wooing of him important in their chase, and there is still a good chance that is via a free agency move and then a secondary deal occurs involving a swathe of clubs, picks and players changing hands. Todd Marshall getting to the Dogs from Port Adelaide isn't off the table either, it just will have to be a different deal than what was originally proposed. But the Bulldogs and Regan are going to be very busy and very creative. They have interest in contracted Hawk Finn Maginness, who could be tied into a potential deal, while Carlton ruckman Hudson O'Keeffe has requested to join them. They've also already landed Jordon Butts as an unrestricted free agent. Rory Lobb's name hasn't gone away but expect other fringe Dogs players' names to be raised in discussions if the mega deal comes off. Butters is the big-ticket item, though, and the Dogs will have to satisfy Port. 

MARK MCVEIGH

Essendon coach

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for McVeigh since landing the Essendon job. He has been trying to lock in a new coaching panel for the Bombers, while also getting in front of as many possible recruits as he can as the wooden spooners try to do something with their ample salary cap space. Jack Viney, Jake Riccardi, Jack Bowes, Luke Pedlar and Sam Marshall are among the players McVeigh has spoken with, and he also had a crack at luring Toby Greene to Essendon as well. With their two extra rookie spots given to them by the AFL as an assistance package, Essendon is trying to find experienced players to add to its very young list, so McVeigh will have a big call on who to target. The Bombers have also made a significant money play for four-game Hawk Noah Mraz to be in a trade for Zach Merrett, while they will want a first-round pick (potentially future pick) to let go of Jordan Ridley. Essendon has many holes on its list and one Trade Period isn't going to fix that, but McVeigh will be a central figure to what Essendon chooses to do and who he can convince to join the club right now. It has also been made clear to rival clubs that Ben McKay is available for trade at a low cost, despite having three years left on his deal at Essendon, while the Bombers are considering signing former North Melbourne forward, and Bombers VFL defender, Tyler Sellers as a delisted free agent. 

ROSS LYON

St Kilda coach

After being the biggest trade players in 2025, St Kilda will again be in the thick of the action. Lyon heads into next year's final season of his deal at the Saints with some key decisions to make. Already it has been an eventful few weeks for the Saints with youngster Alix Tauru. Tauru met with the Suns, has spoken to the Devils, was offered a four-year extension by the Saints and then multiple clubs were told by the Saints last week they would be open to offers for him. Now, it looks more likely the second-year defender stays at the Saints into next year, but Lyon's call will be central to it as he oversees the club's list management. The Saints are open to dealing Rowan Marshall to the Cats but want a player and have targeted Lawson Humphries, while they are also chasing Brisbane's 2025 premiership winner Sam Marshall as he weighs up St Kilda or Essendon as his new home. The Saints have been linked to Rory Lobb, who played under Lyon at Fremantle, as well as doing their work on Richmond half-back Jayden Short, and you can never count them out of being involved in other deals as well. 

NICK GIESCHEN

CDG Sports player agent 

The biggest storyline of last year's Trade Period was Zach Merrett and his eventual non-trade to Hawthorn. The emotions have simmered a year on, but a trade deal still has to be done for Merrett to land at the Hawks, where he has a four-year deal worth $4 million on the table. Gieschen manages Merrett and Essendon teammate Jordan Ridley, who has met with Geelong and North Melbourne and has genuine interest in joining the Cats after they emerged as a late contender for him. Essendon has thrown a $3.5 million deal at young Hawk Noah Mraz to tempt him out of the Hawks to be a part of the Merrett trade, but that is unlikely to see him want to shift clubs, meaning the price for Merrett is more likely at the stage the Hawks' pick 15 and either one or two second-round selections. Ridley has three years left on his deal so Gieschen will be busy with the Bombers in negotiating two trades, while also looking to get Nick Murray from Adelaide, where he has two years left on his contract, to the Roos, who have a five-year offer in front of him. Adelaide has not wanted to budge on losing Murray given teammate Jordon Butts is already leaving for the Western Bulldogs.

TOM PETRORO

TGI Sport player agent 

The TGI Sport head agent has a bit on his plate again this Trade Period. Some of the work is already done – his key free agent move this year will be Lachie Neale to the Magpies, but as an unrestricted free agent there is no deal to be done to make that happen. The contract, worth around the $900,000 a year mark over three years, will net Brisbane some compensation but as a 33-year-old it will be fascinating to see the level given Neale's age. Petroro's other main business regards two contracted veterans – Jack Viney and Lachie Whitfield. Viney met with West Coast and Essendon last week, having been told by the Demons to explore his options with two years left on his contract, and the Eagles are vying hard with their connections to Viney – coach Andrew McQualter and midfield assistant Sam Radford were at the Dees. Whitfield, meanwhile, has serious interest from the Blues, where Petroro also manages the new coach Josh Fraser, and the Dees have also met with the Giant. Petroro will also have an eye on the Blues' draft hand, given Carlton father-son prospect Cody Walker is in his stable of draft prospects and the Blues are working through the permutations of a very early bid on him.   

JASON MCCARTNEY

GWS football manager

The Giants are going through a list reset and McCartney is steering it through. Already the club has decided not to offer deals to Jake Stringer (who is trying to find a new home) and Jesse Hogan (who will land at Collingwood), is farewelling captain Toby Greene who has taken up a three-year offer at Geelong, has seen Kieren Briggs take up a four-year deal at Richmond under free agency and has told rivals it is open to offers for Lachie Whitfield. The Giants want a first-round pick for the contracted half-back, with Carlton firming and Melbourne also in the mix for him. Essentially the Giants have decided to take this moment and strip back their group and build again if they can secure some strong draft capital. They are chasing a ruckman after Briggs' departure, and don't be surprised if they try to edge up the draft board from their first pick at No.7, with some early talks with Port Adelaide having occurred. That would help them get ahead of a bid on Academy prospect Ethan Matthews, but might depend on the compensation pick they receive for losing Greene. The Giants also have Jake Riccardi weighing a three-year offer at the club against offers from Essendon and Richmond. 

PETER LENTON

Kapital Sports player agent 

As Zak Butters' agent, Lenton has been in demand across this season. From presidents to CEOs to football bosses, club coaches and list managers, Lenton has been the middle man to footy's biggest decision as Butters' call went from four (Collingwood, Richmond, the Bulldogs and Cats) to three (Richmond, the Bulldogs and Cats) to two (the Bulldogs and Cats) and then landed on one. The broad undertaking between Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs on fair deals and frameworks being agreed upon based on whether the compensation pick was taken or not means that the clubs will thrash things out, but Lenton's role as Butters' manager means he will continue to be the conduit between the clubs if things get sticky. 

DEAN COX

Sydney coach

Cox is on this list for a very different reason than 12 months ago, when the Swans landed the major coup of the Trade Period and brought in Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow, who was the recruit of 2026. This time around the Sydney coach is picking up the pieces at Sydney after the Pullman Hotel scandal and will be in the middle of any decision about the Swans' preparedness to part with any of the five players who were suspended for the finals for their part in that night. Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, Riley Bice and James Jordon all returned to the Swans last week to front the club, and from that Blakey, who rivals have been aware has been most outward in his interest in a move elsewhere, was going to get a sense of the next steps. But he is contracted to the end of 2031 and there remains an ongoing police investigation. The Swans have lost free agent Joel Amartey to the Blues and will be hoping for an end-of-first round compensation pick in return, while they don't want to lose ruckman Peter Ladhams, despite Greater Western Sydney showing some interest in him. Corey Warner has been viewed as gettable, despite a year left to run on his deal, but the Swans don't have their first-round pick this year and aren't in for a big recruiting spree. Yet Cox's role is pivotal on the decisions made on those five players in particular.