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.
FREE AGENT FRENZY TO BEGIN
FREE agency is expected to start with a bang on Friday with multiple deals set to be lodged as the player movement window officially opens.
The wait will then be on for the respective compensation picks given to clubs as the AFL works through its free agency formula.
Clubs will be able to lodge deals from 9am AEST on Friday morning, with Sydney free agent Joel Amartey expected to become a Blue in the opening day, with the Swans hoping for a band two (end of first round) selection.
Geelong plans to lodge its form for Toby Greene under his unrestricted free agency to join the Cats from Greater Western Sydney, while Collingwood could also do the same for Brisbane free agent Lachie Neale.
Both the Giants and Lions are hoping for end-of-first-round picks for their departing veterans, who are moving on three-year deals worth more than $900,000 a season, but the pair's age at 33 is the intriguing element for the compensation that comes their way.
Richmond is also planning on lodging its paperwork for free agent Kieren Briggs, who will join the Tigers on a four-year deal from the Giants.
Jordon Butts' move to the Western Bulldogs from Adelaide is expected to be formalised over the weekend following the Crows' best and fairest on Friday night. – Callum Twomey
BOMBERS IN HUNT FOR BULLDOG
ESSENDON is viewed as the lead contender for Western Bulldogs speedster Laitham Vandermeer, should he look to explore his options this trade period.
Vandermeer is contracted at the Mission Whitten Oval for another two years, but has drawn interest from rival clubs after a frustrating season where he was limited to just two games and amid the side's pursuit of Zak Butters.
Essendon and Port Adelaide have both shown interest in Vandermeer, while others have also enquired about his availability, though rivals believe the Bombers are well placed for the speedster should he opt to depart the Dogs.
Clubs have thought Vandermeer could get squeezed out of the Bulldogs due to their impending signing of Port Adelaide's Butters, well as their pursuit of other targets including Hawthorn's Finn Maginness and Carlton's Hudson O'Keeffe.
Port Adelaide has also looked at Vandermeer as a potential option in the negotiations for Butters.
Vandermeer signed a three-year deal through until 2028 midway through last season, but was then limited to just two AFL appearances in a frustrating campaign this year. – Riley Beveridge
PIE OPEN TO MOVE
UNTRIED Collingwood midfielder Harry DeMattia is open to a move for greater opportunity this trade period.
The 2023 first-round pick is yet to make his debut for the Magpies and is contracted for 2027.
DeMattia was named in Craig McRae’s 26-man squad a few times after strong VFL form across the year.
Collingwood selected the 21-year-old at pick No. 25 in the 2023 AFL Draft.
Wil Parker will join Carlton on a two-year deal as a delisted free agent when the window opens.
The cricket convert was cut after playing 14 games across two years at the club. - Josh Gabelich
PORT NOT EXPECTING HIGH PEDLAR PRICE
PORT Adelaide doesn't expect to have to pay top dollar for trade target Luke Pedlar, who has requested a rare crosstown move from Adelaide ahead of next week's window.
Pedlar, a former No.11 draft pick at the Crows, had courted interest from Port Adelaide and Essendon across the season but officially nominated the Power as his club of choice earlier in the week.
The 24-year-old is uncontracted and has played only 49 senior games in six years on Adelaide's list, with Port currently in possession of picks No.4, 22, 29, 40, 42, 58 and 76 to deal with and with other negotiations ongoing.
Power list boss Jason Cripps is yet to discuss Pedlar with his Crows counterpart Jarryd Roughead, but said he wouldn't expect the price for the tough mid-forward to be a high one.
"It's probably not high on the priority list just at the moment," Cripps told AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable on Thursday.
"I haven't had a conversation with 'Roughy', so we'll pick that up at some point.
"There's not really an indication on what that will entail. He's played 49 games in six years, so it averages out at about eight per season. I wouldn't expect that it would be a significant return there." – Riley Beveridge
LEAGUE EXPECTS TOP-FIVE PICKS TO BE TRADED
THE AFL still expects clubs to be willing to put top-five picks on the trade table, despite the selections holding an increased value after the League's recent draft changes.
Clubs that finish inside the bottom five on the ladder will now receive a second-round pick if their natural selection is moved back as a result of an Academy or father-son bid being matched.
It's increased the value of all top-five picks, making trades involving such selections more prohibitive, but the AFL has not ruled out clubs still being willing to deal early draft choices in the future.
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The AFL's list boss Justin Reid said clubs holding top-five picks would still move them if a high-quality player was available, but would now start factoring the additional compensation pick into the overall value of the trade.
"I think if an Izak Rankine is available for a pick No.5, you'd have to have a strong consideration around doing that trade," Reid told Gettable on Wednesday.
"What you do take into account is, because of that compensation that would apply, if everything lined up and there was a bid where you moved back in the draft and selected with your natural pick, it's that piece of capital that you'd get on the second night. You'd need to weigh that up as part of the trade consideration.
"Historically, not many picks have moved inside the top 10 or in the top five anyway. What clubs need to be really aware of … is are they going to match that bid? That's what clubs have to ask themselves. If you're going to bid, you have to bid with genuine reason. Not just because you're playing games." – Riley Beveridge
BASKETBALLER TRIALS WITH CLUBS
AFL clubs are assessing 24-year-old basketballer Steven Parfitt as a Category B rookie option.
The 205cm prospect has done football training sessions with four AFL clubs so far as they assess his athletic profile as a Category B candidate.
Parfitt is not a stranger to the game, having played footy until he was 17 when West Adelaide was keen to have him in its SANFL program.
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However, he pursued the basketball career path and has been a train-on player with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL.
In trials Parfitt has proven his marking capacity and movement as he eyes a return to footy via the rookie position.
Recent basketballers to make the switch to the AFL via Category B rookie spots include the tallest ever player on a list, Richmond's Patrick Carr, as well as exciting Adelaide youngster Indy Cotton, West Coast's Jake Miles-Wrency and North Melbourne's Lachie Brewer. – Callum Twomey
DOG FORCED TO WAIT
LACHIE McNeil will have to wait on a decision on his future at the Western Bulldogs as he enters the trade period without a contract.
McNeil is an unrestricted free agent but is in the group of Dogs in limbo as the club embarks on a busy trade and free agency window ahead.
The 25-year-old played 11 games for the Bulldogs this season for a career tally of 86 across his six seasons at the club.
Essendon had showed a level of interest in McNeil through the year but that has not progressed, with McNeil hoping to land a new deal at the club.
Ryan Gardner, as Inside Trading reported earlier this week, is also in the sit-and-wait crew of uncontracted Bulldogs that will be taken through the next fortnight before a decision is reached on his future. – Callum Twomey
COMBINE KICKS OFF
ALBERT Macgowan has topped off his finish to the season by taking out the 2km time trial in the first test at this week's Telstra AFL Draft Combine.
The Sandringham Dragons prospect, who impressed with his campaign in the Talent League and kicked the match-winning goal after the siren in a final deep in their campaign, ran 5:59 minutes on Thursday as the Combine begun.
It furthers his stocks as a potential top-30 pick when names are called in November.
Others to impress in their 2km time trials were Western Jets midfielder Lachie Hicks (6:01 minutes), Carlton father-son talent Cody Walker (6:04), Brisbane Academy prospect Caylen Murray (6:06), South Australian Sam Tassone (6:13), Gippsland Power defender Clancy Snell (6:23) and potential No.1 pick candidate Ethan Drever (6:27).
More than 60 potential draftees gathered at the MCG after the time trial for hours of interviews with AFL clubs, with more testing to be completed on Saturday. – Callum Twomey