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.

ROOS TO SHAPE TRADE RUSH

NORTH Melbourne's four remaining deals remain in flux as the trade deadline approaches and the Kangaroos look to make their pieces fit.

The Roos are set for the busiest finish to the trade period of any club, with key targets Nick Blakey and Nick Murray under contract at their respective clubs but being lured to Arden Street with long-term contracts. 

They also have trades to complete for Josh Goater's move to Hawthorn and Zane Duursma's shift to Melbourne.

There was progress on a potential deal on Monday. The Roos will offer a future first-rounder alongside pick No.6 as part of a package to land Blakey, with discussions to continue on Tuesday.

The Swans will demand a high price for the All-Australian defender who has five years left on his deal at Sydney but has been offered an eight-year deal worth between $11-12 million with the Roos. 

Things are also at a standstill on North's pursuit of Murray, who has two years left on his deal at the Crows. The Roos are looking to trade their future first-round pick into the top-20 this year and see if that can tempt the Crows into letting him go, however so far there have been no clubs ready to trade out a first-round selection this year for the North first-rounder next year. 

The Demons have offered pick No.33 for Duursma, having also had wider discussions with the Roos about getting involved in a three or four-way trade. As yet the Roos have not moved on the Duursma trade.

The Hawks have presented options to the Roos for Goater, with North looking for a later pick this year and the Hawks looking at using a future pick in 2027 to strike a deal. – Callum Twomey

BOMBERS' PLAY FOR LION

ESSENDON has made a late play for Brisbane defender Keidean Coleman, who is seeking a move to the Bombers.

The Bombers met with the contracted Lion over the past 24 hours and he has told Brisbane he wants a trade.

But the Lions are maintaining a strong stance on Coleman, who would qualify as an unrestricted free agent next year but told the Lions he was keen to explore a move.

AFL.com.au reported on Monday the Western Bulldogs had reignited interest in Coleman but had been priced out by the Lions' valuation, with rivals believing Brisbane would only move him for a top-20 selection this year.

Essendon holds picks No.17, 21 and 27 after its prized No.1 pick this year.

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While a number of clubs have shown interest in Coleman, and Coleman has been open to the idea of many, he is now set to either stay at Brisbane if a trade cannot be agreed, or join the Bombers. – Callum Twomey

HAWKS KEEN TO START DAY TALKS

HAWTHORN has already reached out to Will Day's management group as it looks to kickstart talks on a new long-term contract extension ahead of his free agency year in 2027.

Day proved he was one of the club's most important players upon his return from a lengthy stint on the sidelines this year due to a shoulder injury, playing 13 impressive games in the back half of the season.

The South Australian now looms as one of the biggest free agents in the game heading into a contract year in 2027, though the Hawks have been keen to discuss terms on a new deal.

Hawthorn footy boss Rob McCartney told AFL.com.au's Gettable on Monday that Day was intent on focusing on his return from injury this year, but said that conversations will now ramp up regarding his future.

"He's a player who is really important to the now and the future of this football club," McCartney said.

"He's shown a thirst to lead this group. Obviously, his body hasn't looked after him as much as he would like, but he got some continuity in his footy in the back end of this year.

"I'm really, really confident that Will wants to be a Hawthorn player and I'm also strong in my belief that we definitely want him to be a player of the long-term for us.

"We'll get into some conversations. We have reached out to his management group well and truly before the end of the season to suggest where we sit with this. Will was the one that wanted to make sure he could get some continuity in his game first. He didn't want to talk about it as we entered the back end of the season and into finals.

"But we're really open to conversations starting and we see him as a long-term leader of our footy club." – Riley Beveridge

TIGERS MAKE FATHER-SON CALLS

RICHMOND has informed father-son prospects Archie Daffy and Jack Leys they won't be nominating them for this year's draft.

The Tigers have worked closely with the father-son pair over the course of the past few years, including spending time at Richmond over the pre-season.

Daffy, the son of former Tigers midfielder Nick, also spent a portion of the year training with the VFL team. 

Leys' father Brian played 110 games for the Tigers between 1988-1994 and was a star at SANFL level, with his son winning the 2km time trial at the South Australia state draft combine on Saturday.

The Tigers' decisions to not nominate either of the players as father-sons means they will be eligible to all clubs in the open draft pool this year. 

Richmond would look to continue its relationship with the pair with VFL opportunities for 2027 if they weren't selected by another club over the next two months.

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The Tigers made a similar decision last year on Louis Kellaway, with the son of former Tiger Duncan not listed under the father-son rules. – Callum Twomey

DOCKER LOOKS SET FOR SECOND HOME

AN AFL lifeline looms for delisted Docker Bailey Banfield at Essendon.

The Bombers are still working through the mechanism to recruit the 28-year-old and could sign him as soon as the delisted free agency window opens on November 2. 

Essendon is understood to be working on a deal for Banfield for 2027.

Banfield was delisted after the Grand Final, following 119 games across nine seasons at the Dockers. 

The 28-year-old has met with Mark McVeigh and is highly rated for his professionalism and outstanding character, which was recognised on Brownlow Medal night when he won the Jim Stynes Award for his work in the community. 

The Bombers were granted two extra rookie spots as part of an assistance package from the AFL and are looking for experienced options to support the youth after Zach Merrett and Jordan Ridley were traded last week.

Other clubs have enquired about Banfield, but a move to the Hangar is progressing in the right direction.

Essendon could also sign the West Australian via the pre-season supplemental selection period when the SSP opens after the 2026 Telstra AFL Draft. – Josh Gabelich

HAWKS RUCK STAYING ON

NED REEVES will remain at Hawthorn in 2027, despite strong interest from rival clubs in the market for a readymade ruck. 

Greater Western Sydney has continued to pursue the 27-year-old in recent weeks to partner Nick Madden going forward, but will now add former Blue Alex Mirkov via the SSP.

Carlton made a late play to add Reeves to a ruck department that lost Hudson O'Keeffe to the Western Bulldogs last week and is set to lose Flynn Riley to Collingwood. 

But both clubs have been told Reeves isn't open to a move away from the Hawks this trade period. 

Peter Lenton, Reeves' agent, told Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio on Monday there had been "genuine interest" in the ruck, but he won't be going anywhere.

"There has been genuine interest for Ned but I had some discussions with the Hawks ... and he's comfortable," Lenton said.

"He gets where it is, he wants to get the most out of his career. He's at a pretty good club and he's happy to keep going, push his case and hopefully win a flag. So nothing will be happening."

The Victorian played 15 games this year alongside Lloyd Meek after just one in 2025 and four in 2024.

Reeves signed a three-year extension last November through until 2029 and is determined to become a permanent fixture under Sam Mitchell next year. – Josh Gabelich

SAINT JOINS DOGS

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have landed one of the most experienced welfare managers in the AFL, signing Tony Brown from St Kilda.

Brown has spent the past 15 years as the player development manager at the Saints. 

The 49-year-old played 108 games for the Saints in the late 1990s, then returned initially as a runner in 2012, before leading the transformation of how clubs run welfare.

The Western Bulldogs have moved quick to replace player development manager Brent Prismall, who joined Essendon as head of development last month. 

Brown is also set to fill Prismall's shoes as Luke Beveridge's runner. – Josh Gabelich

WHY BUTTERS DIDN'T LOOK AT THE BUCKS

THE MANAGER of Zak Butters has stressed the financial elements of rival offers wasn't a factor in his decision to pursue a free agency move to the Western Bulldogs.

As revealed by AFL.com.au, Butters officially headed to the Bulldogs last week on the biggest and longest contract in the game's history after he signed a nine-year deal through until 2035 that's worth around $2 million per season.

Collingwood had earlier offered around $1.8 million per year over eight seasons for Butters, Richmond put forward close to $5 million in year one of what would have been another mega nine-year contract, while Geelong also pitched for his services.

However, Butters' manager – Peter Lenton from Kapital Sports Group – said the superstar midfielder wasn't focused on the finances involved in the deals and instead made a decision centred on his close personal attachment to the Bulldogs and his future chances of success.

"It wasn't a priority to him," Lenton told AFL.com.au's Gettable on Monday.

"It's sort of on record, the Cats' offer wasn't the highest. That didn't worry him. It wasn't an issue. Zak just wanted to make sure he was happy with where he landed.

"Our job, as the agents, is to maximise. I've always said to Zak, you'll thank me when it's finished that there's a little bit more here than a little bit less because it is important. We're in our players' lives well after their football career. This is an important element of it.

"I've felt duty-bound to make sure that we negotiated what we thought was where Zak sat. The Bulldogs did appreciate a little bit of guidance on that and we got to a place that everyone was comfortable to sign off with." – Riley Beveridge