Will Day, Tom Green and Matt Rowell. Pictures: AFL Photos

CLUBS are already targeting next year's first-time free agents crop, with nearly 100 players qualifying as free agents for 2027 ahead of this year's trade period.

This year's free agency window opens on Friday and runs for a week, but already clubs have a close eye on the 2027 group of free agents in what is shaping as a massive year as Tasmania also officially enters the trade landscape.

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And so do we at AFL.com.au, with this list the first full group of players from every team who at this stage will qualify for free agency next year.

Among the 96 players currently eligible are 2025 Brownlow Medallist Matt Rowell, who will be one of the most sought-after targets all year, and his Gold Coast captain Noah Anderson, while Greater Western Sydney pair Tom Green and Lachie Ash are also high on the radars of rivals.

The Giants have already put seven-year offers to both Green and Ash in a bid to keep them at the club.

Lachie Ash in action during Greater Western Sydney's clash against Carlton in round 15, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

Sydney star Chad Warner and gun key defender Tom McCartin will also reach free agency for the first time, with McCartin an unrestricted free agent next year, while Hawthorn jet Will Day will be in demand again from rivals, having knocked back an eight-year offer from Adelaide last time he came out of contract in 2023.

Carlton enters this year's trade period with nine pre-agents for 2027 – the most of any club – while Collingwood and Hawthorn have eight. Jordan De Goey is the biggest name at the Pies ahead of 2027, but Lachie Schultz (who was previously delisted at Fremantle and thus carries free agency every time he falls out of contract) and Dan McStay are other players due to reach free agency in 2027.

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Miles Bergman's two-year deal signed in the middle of 2025 carried a player option of an extra seven-year deal that he could sign at any point, which has remained since then and will carry into next year in his free agency season at Port Adelaide, while Western Bulldogs forward Cody Weightman will be gunning for a full run at season 2027 as he comes out of contract.

Other noteworthy free agents next year include Brisbane's Keidean Coleman, Crows ruckman Lachie McAndrew, Freo skipper Alex Pearce (who is being chased by Tasmania), Geelong defender Sam De Koning and Hawks co-captain James Sicily.

Rowan Marshall and Sam De Koning during round 19 between Geelong and St Kilda at GMHBA Stadium, July 16, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

Also on this list are players who could shift homes in this year's upcoming trade period but who are free agents next year at the end of 2027, including Essendon champion Zach Merrett who wants to get to Hawthorn, and Melbourne premiership defender Trent Rivers who has interest from West Coast.

Players qualify for free agency after eight years or more of continuous service at a club when they are out of contract, or as a delisted free agent, where they carry free agency status for the rest of their careers after being delisted.

This list also includes the likes of Luke Parker, Caleb Daniel, Brody Mihocek and Jack Macrae, who did not leave their previous clubs as free agents but did activate free agency status by coming out of contract in a free agency season earlier in their respective careers.

AFL.COM.AU'S FULL LIST OF 2027 FREE AGENTS
*qualifies after being previously delisted through their career
^qualifies after previously changing clubs as a free agent through their career

ADELAIDE
Ben Keays*
Rory Laird
Lachie McAndrew*

Lachlan McAndrew during Round 23 between Fremantle and Adelaide at Optus Stadium, August 14, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

BRISBANE
Tom Doedee^
Dayne Zorko
Keidean Coleman
Darcy Gardiner
Ryan Lester

CARLTON
Patrick Cripps
Mitch McGovern
Brodie Kemp
Nic Newman
Nick Haynes^
Marc Pittonet
George Hewett^
Matt Carroll*
Matt Cottrell*

Patrick Cripps celebrates a goal during the elimination final between Geelong and Carlton at the MCG on September 4, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

COLLINGWOOD
Jordan De Goey
Jamie Elliott
Lachie Schultz*
Dan McStay
Jack Crisp
Jeremy Howe
Ned Long*
Tim Membrey^

ESSENDON
Kyle Langford
Zach Merrett
Will Setterfield*
Harrison Jones
Nick Bryan
Jaxon Prior*

FREMANTLE
Luke Ryan
Jeremy Sharp*
Mason Cox*
Oscar McDonald*
Alex Pearce

Alex Pearce after the Preliminary Final between Sydney and Fremantle at the SCG, September 18, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

GEELONG
Sam De Koning
Jack Martin^
Tom Atkins
Patrick Dangerfield
Tom Stewart
Mark Blicavs

GOLD COAST
Noah Anderson
Matt Rowell
Max Knobel*
Elliott Himmelberg
Jy Farrar

Touk Miller, Noah Anderson and Ned Moyle during Round 20 between Carlton and Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, July 25, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

GWS GIANTS
Lachie Whitfield
Lachie Ash
Tom Green

HAWTHORN
Harry Morrison
James Sicily
Karl Amon^
Will Day
Jack Scrimshaw
Mabior Chol*
Jack Gunston*
Finn Maginness

MELBOURNE
Christian Salem
Max Gawn
Trent Rivers
Harrison Petty
Brody Mihocek^

Max Gawn during the round 24 AFL match between Melbourne and Western Bulldogs at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on August 22, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

NORTH MELBOURNE
Aidan Corr^
Luke McDonald
Luke Parker
Caleb Daniel

PORT ADELAIDE
Miles Bergman
Ollie Wines
Darcy Byrne-Jones

RICHMOND
Nick Vlastuin
Ben Miller*
Tom Lynch
Toby Nankervis

Nick Vlastuin during round 18 between Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG, July 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

ST KILDA
Brad Hill
Hunter Clark
Liam Stocker*
Rowan Marshall
Mason Wood*
Jack Sinclair
Jack Macrae

SYDNEY
Chad Warner
Hayden McLean
James Jordon^
Tom McCartin
Jake Lloyd*

Chad Warner before round 17 between Sydney and Western Bulldogs at the SCG, July 3, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

WEST COAST
Elliot Yeo
Tim Kelly
Tom Cole
Sandy Brock*
Harry Edwards
Fin Macrae*

WESTERN BULLDOGS
Cody Weightman
Matt Kennedy*
Bailey Williams
Riley Garcia

Cody Weightman celebrates a goal during round 28, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos