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.
EAGLES SET TO RESUME LION TALKS
WEST Coast will hold conversations with Brisbane youngster Deven Robertson in the coming days, as the uncontracted midfielder weighs up whether he will accept an offer to return home to Western Australia.
The Eagles have long held an interest in securing Robertson, who also has an offer on the table to stay at the Lions, with the 22-year-old parking discussions over his future until season's end.
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With a call on Robertson's future expected imminently, West Coast list manager Rohan O'Brien told Gettable on Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio on Tuesday that the Eagles were hopeful he would opt to return to his home state.
"Obviously, we'd like to bring Dev to the footy club," O'Brien told Gettable.
"We've had some discussions with his management. His sole focus has been on getting through Brisbane's finals campaign. Understandably, he wanted to park everything until that was done.
"Now that the season is finished, we'll revisit all of that and talk with him in the coming days. Obviously, with the Trade Period starting … we think we can come to a resolution fairly quickly.
"We're hopeful at this stage, but we've been respectful and given him all of the space he needs to concentrate on his footy. We'll have some more detailed discussions in the coming days."
Robertson, who played 16 games this season and has managed 41 senior appearances in four years at Brisbane, featured prominently in last Saturday's Grand Final defeat to Collingwood but is yet to decide upon his future.
"That's still up in the air," O'Brien said.
"Obviously, Brisbane is trying to retain him as well. Dev's got a decision to make there. His focus has been on playing and getting through to the Grand Final. He's probably got a few things to work through this week." – Riley Beveridge
SAINTS MAKE OFFER TO WINGMAN
ST KILDA has offered out-of-contract wingman Ryan Byrnes a new deal for 2024.
Like a handful of other players at RSEA Park, Byrnes has been made to wait despite producing his best season yet at AFL level.
But now the Saints are finalising an extension for the 22-year-old after parking contract talks earlier in the year.
Byrnes earned a spot in round one after a strong summer and played 20 games in 2023.
St Kilda is set to land Fremantle wingman Liam Henry by the trade deadline after the former top-10 pick nominated the club last month, but could trade Jack Billings.
Byrnes was one of many Saints to improve under a new regime and now has more clarity around his future.
Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, Jade Gresham, Jimmy Webster, Liam Stocker and Zak Jones all remain unsigned. – Josh Gabelich
TIGER SIGNS ON
RHYAN Mansell has secured a new deal to remain at Richmond next season.
The 23-year-old played 17 senior games during a career-best season in 2023, but has been made to wait while the Tigers completed the process to replace Damien Hardwick.
Richmond is understood to be finalising an extension for the Tasmanian for the 2024 season.
Mansell landed a shot at Punt Road ahead of the 2021 season after trialling with the club during the pre-season supplemental selection period before earning a contract.
The North Launceston product has played 32 games in the yellow and black after finally earning an AFL shot after playing in a SANFL premiership for Woodville-West Torrens in 2020. – Josh Gabelich
ALL-AUSTRALIAN IN NO HURRY TO EXTEND
TIM ENGLISH is in no rush to kickstart contract talks at the Western Bulldogs, as the supremely talented ruck prepares to enter a season where he will be among the biggest free agents in the game.
The Bulldogs big man is coming off a career-best season this year, recognised with All-Australian honours for the first time, and will hit his free agency campaign next season when his deal expires at the end of 2024.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable earlier this year, Bulldogs list manager Sam Power said the club would look to begin talks over extending English "as early as possible" to avoid speculation about his future.
However, the ruckman's agent Andrew McDougall from Corporate Sports Australia said English's sole focus remained on ensuring he was fit and healthy heading into the upcoming pre-season.
"He's a free agent, so it does change things," McDougall told Gettable on Monday.
"The last conversation I had with him, he's really comfortable. He's looking forward to a big pre-season. Both him and Aaron Naughton were really keen to get the club into finals and will both be staying at the club next year.
"They really want to drive that club forward next year. Twelve months is a long time in footy, but at the same time they're just focusing on their pre-season, having a bit of a holiday and then heading off."
But, despite confirming that English – as well as Naughton – would be at the Bulldogs next season, he was noncommittal in putting a timeframe on when the ruckman would start discussions with the club over an extension.
"He [English] has got a few moving parts," McDougall said.
"His partner [Rudi Ellis] was with the West Coast Fever last year in Perth. He's got a property here in Melbourne, but also she's got a property in Perth. There are a number of factors, so a lot of things change.
"But, at the same time, he just wants to focus on his pre-season. It's probably too early to have any type of dialogue at the moment, so we're just going to wait for a while to get things moving and see how he settles in for the start of the year." – Riley Beveridge
RUCK MOVES IN PLAY
TODD Goldstein's decision to join Essendon as an unrestricted free agent leaves the pool of ruck options shortening.
Goldstein attracted interest from Collingwood but has left North Melbourne to become a Bomber, where he will work closely with ruck pair Sam Draper and Nick Bryan.
Bryan signed on for two more years with the knowledge the Bombers were interested in Goldstein, with Draper's groin surgery set to give the younger Bomber a chance to hold down the ruck position.
With Greater Western Sydney set to lose free agent ruckman Matt Flynn, expected to West Coast, Jordon Sweet having nominated Port Adelaide, and Brodie Grundy set to leave Melbourne for Sydney, the ruck merry-go-round has cranked up.
Richmond's Ivan Soldo has interest from Port Adelaide but has not requested a trade with a year to run on his deal, while Power veteran Scott Lycett has interest from clubs as an experienced option.
Port pair Sam Hayes (unsigned) and Brynn Teakle (delisted) are others, although any move for Teakle would likely be as a delisted free agent after the Trade Period. Brisbane's Tom Fullarton, a versatile tall/ruck, is out of contract and has caught rival interest as well. – Callum Twomey
CATS BEGIN PLAN TO LOCK AWAY MAX
GEELONG is already trying to lock away an early extension for the club's in-demand speedster Max Holmes, despite the former top-20 selection still being contracted for next season.
As revealed in AFL.com.au's Inside Trading earlier this year, Holmes had been viewed by rival clubs as a potential trade target midway through the season but appears certain to see through a contract at GMHBA Stadium that runs to 2024.
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Collingwood was among a host of teams to have enquired about Holmes last year, before he signed his most recent two-year deal, with Geelong now hopeful of extending him beyond that across this summer.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable last week, Geelong's new general manager of football Andrew Mackie said the club viewed the budding midfielder as an important part of its future.
"We're trying to (extend him early)," Mackie told Gettable.
"He's such a crucial player for us going forward with his attributes. He's been a great selection for us, we love what he brings. For the most part, we've got a really exciting group of players in that age bracket. There's a number of them.
"Max is right at the top of that list, so we'll be trying to get that done. We already have spoken to (Holmes' manager) Tom Seccull a fair bit about that. He's a crucial part." – Riley Beveridge
'CAMPO' CONSIDERATIONS FOR CARLTON
CARLTON will have to consider its future picks hand with father-son twins Ben and Lucas Camporeale impressing in the under-17s futures game on Saturday.
The sons of former Blue Scott were excellent in the annual Grand Final curtain-raiser and will be eligible to join Carlton at next year's draft.
Ben was named best afield with 30 disposals and eight marks, while Lucas had 19 disposals in the clash at the MCG.
Their impressive form could see an impact on how the Blues manage their hand of 2024 future picks in the upcoming Trade Period if both of the midfielders are to come through the door as father-sons.
The Blues are keen to land Gold Coast's Elijah Hollands, with the Suns likely to look for a future selection in exchange for the former No.7 pick, while Carlton is set to lose Zac Fisher and Paddy Dow to trades so could boost its hand of selections with their departures.
Scott Camporeale played 233 games for the Blues between 1995 and 2005 before finishing his career with two seasons at Essendon. – Callum Twomey
