Every Thursday AFL.com.au presents Inside Trading, with breaking news and the best analysis of the AFL trade landscape covering contracts, re-signings, free agents, the AFL Draft and industry insights.
CROWS STAR IN TALKS ON LONG EXTENSION
ADELAIDE has moved to lock in gun forward Josh Rachele, with the Crows goalkicker closing in on a long-term extension.
The emerging star is into his second season and last year penned a two-year extension through to the end of 2025 before he had made his AFL debut.
But the Crows are in discussions on a significant deal that would tie Rachele to West Lakes until he reaches free agency at the end of his eighth year.
The club's No.6 pick at the 2021 AFL draft has quickly become a fan favourite and key part of the Crows' rise since joining the club, kicking 17 goals from 13 games last season and so far booting 16 goals from 13 games this year.
The 20-year-old's kicking skills and craft alongside Izak Rankine has created a brilliant one-two punch for coach Matthew Nicks, with Rachele's midfield impact also increasing.
The Murray Bushrangers product's exuberant celebrations have fast become synonymous with his game and look set to feature for the long haul. – Callum Twomey
BLUES FACING TOUGH LIST CALLS
CARLTON is expected to kickstart talks on a new deal for defender Brodie Kemp in the coming weeks, with the Blues facing tough list calls on a host of uncontracted players in the second half of the season.
Kemp, a former first-round pick with the club, has found form and fitness as an intercept defender recently – playing five of the past seven games – with discussions around an extension set to begin soon.
The 22-year-old is currently one of 17 uncontracted players that Carlton must make a call on after its recent six-match losing streak, a group headlined by wanted ruckman Tom De Koning.
The futures of Jack Silvagni and Mitch McGovern, along with De Koning, remain clouded while exiled midfielder Paddy Dow is another who will explore his options at year's end and has interest from elsewhere.
Fellow former first-round picks including Sam Philp, Caleb Marchbank and David Cuningham are also coming towards the end of their deals, but have endured injury-plagued stints at Ikon Park and are among those facing uncertainty.
Contracted forward Zac Fisher, who was dropped to the VFL in recent weeks, is also catching interest from rival clubs despite having a deal that runs through until 2025. – Riley Beveridge
PIES TO TARGET 'ONE OR TWO'
COLLINGWOOD will take a targeted approach to this year's Trade Period, with the club not expecting to be as prolific as last off-season when the Pies brought in four new recruits.
Speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week, Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine said the club would continue creating a balance within its list and would adopt a needs-based approach to its targets.
It follows a similar model to last October when the Pies looked to fill specific positional requirements in defence (Billy Frampton), attack (Dan McStay and Bobby Hill) and midfield (Tom Mitchell).
The club also brought through multiple top-30 selections at the draft in Ed Allan (pick No.19) and Jakob Ryan (pick No.28), with the Pies keen to continue blending youth with mature additions.
"I wouldn't envisage four players, no. We were targeted last year, we'll be just as targeted this year. But it wouldn't be the quantum of four players, I wouldn't have thought. Maybe one or two," Hine told Gettable.
"We're just mindful of the Ed Allans and the Jakob Ryans of the world. We want to create the opportunity for them, but also continue to create some balance within the list in terms of our mature-age players.
"Obviously, Scott (Pendlebury) is closer to the end and Steele (Sidebottom) is closer to the end. It's just about being able to address all of those areas." – Riley Beveridge
SALARY MOVES DISCUSSED
CLUBS are being consulted on possible changes to salary dumping rules as pick purchasing continues to be raised as the AFL's next trading frontier.
Salary dumping – the mechanism to move a player and his remaining salary to another club in exchange for a low return – has been the subject of much discussion since Gold Coast's move of Jack Bowes, as well as pick No.7, to Geelong last year.
Some clubs believe that clubs who take on the salaries should have to absorb the remaining years and money at the same level that is left over, rather than the usual practice of smoothing out a deal over extra seasons.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
The AFL has met with clubs about possible tweaks to the salary dumping rules, with the prospect of pick purchasing growing stronger.
AFL.com.au revealed the pick purchasing concept had support from clubs as a means to allow those with salary space to buy a draft pick off another by trading their salary cap space.
Any changes would not be expected this year however the groundswell of club interest in pick purchasing could expedite changes to salary dumping rules and also impact club decisions on keeping players on back-ended deals. – Callum Twomey
GIANT NOT THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE
Greater Western Sydney forward Jake Riccardi remains intent on trying to put contract talks to the back of his mind, having found form recently after being dropped earlier in the season.
Riccardi has kicked six goals from his past three games, including two in the side's victory over North Melbourne last weekend, after returning to the team to spearhead coach Adam Kingsley's new-look attack.
Dropped to the VFL to accommodate for No.1 pick Aaron Cadman's inclusion earlier in the year, Riccardi has been entrusted to lead the team's forward line ever since Harry Himmelberg moved back into a defensive post.
However, coming towards the end of the two-year deal he signed after the 2021 season, Riccardi told AFL.com.au he is trying not to think of what the future will bring and is focusing solely on his football for the remainder of the year.
"With that stuff, I feel like if you start thinking about that then you just end up shooting yourself in the foot. You've just got to play footy. I love the Giants and I just hope it all works out," Riccardi said. – Riley Beveridge
YOUNG FORWARD CLOSE TO DEAL
FREMANTLE has ticked off most of its priority re-signings in the past month and is heading towards securing young key forward Josh Treacy.
Dockers list boss David Walls locked away Nat Fyfe for two more years at the end of May, Michael Walters for two more years at the start of June and Sam Switkowski until the end of 2026 earlier in the week.
Treacy is the next focus with Fremantle currently negotiating a new deal with the Bendigo Pioneers product who has played 25 games since being selected with pick No.7 in the 2021 Rookie Draft.
It is understood that a multi-year deal is in the works that will be at least a couple more seasons and potentially even longer.
After being dropped following the round one loss to St Kilda, Treacy earned a recall in round eight and has played the past five games in the senior side to show signs of the promise he produced in an eye-catching debut season.
Former top-10 pick Liam Henry is the other young Docker from the weekend who doesn't have a contract beyond 2023 at this point.
Talks are believed to be on hold with the 21-year-old struggling to secure a permanent spot under Justin Longmuir, managing only five appearances in 2023 despite strong WAFL form for Peel Thunder.
Clubs expressed interest in the 2019 No.9 pick last off-season and are keeping an eye on the situation.
As flagged in Inside Trading last month, Lachie Schultz triggered a 12-month extension when he played against Richmond last Saturday night. – Josh Gabelich
GWS EASE CAP CONCERNS
Greater Western Sydney believes it will soon be in a position to begin targeting blue-chip recruits to fast-track its development, having undergone a considerable off-season rebuild to clear its salary cap constraints.
The Giants parted with experienced midfield duo Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper last October, receiving multiple first- and second-round picks from Richmond for both players, as they looked to ease pressure on their cap situation.
They subsequently focused on the national draft last season, trading for the No.1 pick where they claimed key forward Aaron Cadman and recruiting four players inside the first 22 selections.
However, speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable last week, the club's football boss Jason McCartney revealed it hoped to return to a position where it could once again start targeting rival players with lucrative offers.
"We're in much better shape," McCartney said.
"There are some mechanisms in play too that, when we do know what that (salary cap) number lands at and what the increases are going forward, we'll be in a better position to make some real strategic moves around this next phase.
"We've predominantly been in that high-end talent via the draft and some acquisitions through need, but they've never been at the high end … $700,000-plus or free agents and things like that. But we feel like we've targeted a couple and it's really worked.
"We want to be back in that space in the near future, where we are an option to be involved in not only high-end talent through the draft but acquiring players from interstate that are in their mid-20s and can really make a significant difference." – Riley Beveridge
FAMOUS BLOODLINES ON SHOW
THE GRANDSON of Richmond's 403-gamer Kevin Bartlett made his debut in the Coates Talent League last round.
Charlie Richardson, of the Oakleigh Chargers, is the grandson of the five-time Tigers premiership player and ran out for the first time at under-18 level on Monday against the Sandringham Dragons.
The 190cm forward kicked a goal from 10 disposals and four marks and competed well and will be eligible for the draft in 2024 when he turns 18. He showed some of his marking prowess and smarts in attack.
Bartlett also has another grandson in the Oakleigh under-16s program – Callum Smith, a 188cm prospect eligible for the 2025 draft.
DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news
There will also be another famous name on the radar in coming years with Sid McLachlan, the son of outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon, selected in the Victorian under-12s state side.
The under-12s carnival will run in Lavington in New South Wales in August, with the first state team often producing a stack of draftees years down the line.
Harley Reid, Nick Watson, Zane Duursma, Nate Caddy, Darcy Wilson and George Stevens are among the draft hopefuls this season who were picked in the Victorian under-12s side in their respective year in 2017. – Callum Twomey
FORMER TIGER TURNS RECRUITER
RETIRED Richmond star Shane Edwards is loving his new football life, working in recruiting for Adelaide.
Edwards had long eyed off a move into list management after his playing days, spending considerable time with the Tigers' recruiting staff over his 16-year career.
He's now moved home to South Australia with his young family and splits his time at the Crows between recruiting and a role as Indigenous player development manager.
"I'm an SA-based recruiter, as our head office is in Melbourne, where (around) 80 per cent of the draft comes from. It's been awesome, it's been better than what I could have imagined," Edwards told AFL.com.au.
"I started properly doing it in 2017, where I would go in on a Tuesday and made it more of a formal thing.
"The years prior to that, I'd be lingering around Blair Hartley, Matty Clarke and Francis Jackson like a bad smell, and they probably wanted me to get lost and let them do work. 2017 onwards, minus the COVID years, I would actually go out on weekends with them or by myself, depending on when our game was.
"I'm really grateful I did all that, because I can see it would be really difficult just to step into this job without having done any of it. It was hard, going to watch more footy after you've played, and if you've played badly, the last thing you want to do is be around footy, but you just suck it up and go do it."
Edwards played 303 games for the Tigers, including the club's historic three premierships under former coach Damien Hardwick. – Sarah Black
