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.

BLAKEY TO CANVAS OPTIONS

NICK Blakey is set to canvas rival options in coming days as the star Swan eyes a move from the club. 

Blakey, as AFL.com.au reported on Tuesday, has not given up on a trade away from Sydney after the dramatic end to the Swans' season with the Pullman Hotel investigation.

It comes as clubs work behind the scenes through their interest in Blakey, who has five years left on his contract at Sydney but was suspended by the Swans for their finals series in the fallout of the Pullman investigation.

Rivals believe Blakey will speak to interested clubs as he considers his future. 

Rivals believe Blakey could speak to interested clubs as soon as the coming days as he considers his future. 

Sydney list manager Chris Keane on Monday told Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio that none of the Swans' suspended players had expressed a desire to leave the club. 

Blakey has not made clear his recommitment to the Swans like other players, such as Chad Warner and best and fairest winner Isaac Heeney, who said in his acceptance speech last week that he was "truly sorry" for the impact on the club but that he "can't wait to get back training with the boys, get better and tackle next year together".

The 26-year-old is contracted to the end of 2031 but has held interest in a move, including to the Cats. 

Essendon, where his former coach John Longmire and ex-Swans assistant Mark McVeigh are now placed, has also been linked, while Gold Coast and North Melbourne are among the other clubs who have natural links for Blakey, given he last year had interest in the Suns and his family's history with the Kangaroos. 

How hard Blakey pushes for a trade would shape the whole period but comes with complexities for suitors given the ongoing Victoria Police investigation. – Callum Twomey

MURRAY STILL HOPEFUL ON ROOS MOVE

ADELAIDE defender Nick Murray remains hopeful of securing a trade to North Melbourne, despite the Crows knocking back a first offer from the Kangas across the last 24 hours.

As revealed by AFL.com.au on Monday evening, North Melbourne tabled a first-round pick in 2027 for Murray and a future second-round selection, an offer that was immediately rebuffed by Adelaide.

Crows list boss Jarryd Roughead said on Monday that it would be "quite hard to entertain" trade offers for the contracted Murray having already lost fellow key defender Jordon Butts to the Western Bulldogs as a free agent last week.

But Murray's manager, Nick Gieschen from CDG Sports, said the defender remains hopeful of securing a move to Arden Street despite being contracted at Adelaide until 2028.

"I'm obviously mindful that Nick's a contracted player," Gieschen told AFL.com.au's Gettable on Tuesday.

"A deal has to be struck by the two clubs. But he's keen to explore what that would look like and I know North Melbourne is keen to get him in.

"We're just working through that at the moment and slowly. Hopefully, something can come up where both teams are happy." – Riley Beveridge

DUURSMA SET ON DEES

NORTH Melbourne's appointment of Jaymie Graham isn’t expected to change the mind of Zane Duursma. 

The 2023 pick No.4 has spoken to the new coach and still wants to be traded to the Demons. 

The Kangaroos have been hoping to change Duursma's stance with a new coach changing the dynamic of the football club. 

Melbourne tabled its first offer to the Kangaroos on Monday, presenting three different options for North Melbourne to consider - pick No.47 in this November’s Telstra AFL Draft or a second-round pick in either 2027 or 2028. 

North Melbourne is looking for greater compensation for the 21-year-old. 

Melbourne has a two-year offer in front of Duursma, which was in line with what the Kangaroos offered him. 

Duursma played 15 games this year for a total of 38 across three seasons at Arden Street. 

After undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in July, Duursma isn't expected to be ready for full training this pre-season until after Christmas. – Josh Gabelich

HAWKS TO LOOK AT WIZARD DEAL

HAWTHORN will look at revisiting Nick Watson's deal in the off-season after the emerging superstar's breakout season.

Watson signed a three-year contract extension late in 2025 that hasn't even kicked in yet, with it beginning in 2027 and running through to the end of 2029.

But since then he has been named an All-Australian this year, won his first best and fairest, claimed mark of the year and grew into the best small forward in the competition, while also becoming one of the game's highest profile players.

His agent Nick Gieschen, of CDG Sports, told Gettable they would have discussions over summer following Watson's incredible year. 

"His rise from day one has been steep and really enjoyable to be a part of. He's a great little character and it's such a pleasure and privilege to be involved working with Nick," Gieschen said.

"It's hard these contracts, at the time we were rapt to do the deal, it gave him great security and obviously the AFL had changed their stance on the first contract [length] and it went out to year three.

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"We were happy to do it and obviously in the last 18 months Nick's gone bang, and he's probably gone to levels we hoped he'd get to but probably didn't expect him to get to so quick.

"Once the trade period's over we'll sit back and reflect. We'll have those conversations I'm sure over the pre-season and if we could do something there it would be great because he deserves to be paid for the star that he is of the game but I'm sure that will come in time."

Hawks list manager Mark McKenzie said on Monday the Hawks would be open to discussing Watson's deal given his sharp rise. 

"We haven't gone too far ahead in regards to that. We always have open conversations with management groups about any players going forward," McKenzie said. 

"But he has been fantastic to be able to do that in a short period of time. To see him win (the best and fairest) on Saturday night, especially at that age, was a great moment." – Callum Twomey

ROO IN LIMBO

TOBY Pink will need to wait until after the trade period to see if there is a spot for him at North Melbourne in 2027. 

The Kangaroos are chasing contracted Adelaide key defender Nick Murray and have made a first offer to the Crows to lure him across from West Lakes. 

Adelaide won’t accept the current offer of a 2027 first-round pick with a future second-round pick moving to Arden Street with Murray. 

Pink has been in limbo for months while the Kangaroos attempt to address their key defensive stocks this trade period. 

The 28-year-old played five senior games this year after 15 in 2024 and 17 in 2025, following shoulder surgery in June. 

Pink is keen to play on next year and could be a consideration for a club that loses a key defender this trade period. 

Aidan Corr is locked in for next year after signing a one-year deal, while Griffin Logue has two years to run on the contract he signed after moving from Fremantle. – Josh Gabelich

DOCKERS PLAN FOR PEARCE DEAL

FREMANTLE plans to kick off contract talks with captain Alex Pearce early in 2027 as it wards off Tasmania's strong interest in the defender.

Pearce is a key target for the Devils as a Tasmanian and comes out of contract at the end of next year, when the club will have access to out of contract players as free agents.

The Dockers' list boss David Walls told Trade Radio this week that the club had put a timeline on when it would pick up contract talks for Pearce.  

"It's something that we've got a timeline on. We'll pick them up early in the new year, but no one is more committed to Fremantle's success than Alex and the whole Pearce family," Walls said.

"We're looking forward to having them around and continuing on and would love Alex to be part of the first and that's what drives him."

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The Devils have already met with a number of their key targets for next year and are confident of having up to half a dozen players committed to them for the end of 2027 by the end of this year. 

Pearce faces a lengthy layoff after a partial rupture of his Achilles in last month's Grand Final defeat, but the Dockers are not looking to bring in any key defensive cover for his injury absence in this period. – Callum Twomey