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.
YOUNG CAT TO SIGN
GEELONG young gun Connor O'Sullivan is poised to be the next top-20 member of the 2023 draft class to extend beyond his initial three-year deal.
The 20-year-old is understood to be finalising a two-year contract extension that will lock him in at GMHBA Stadium until the end of 2028.
Ethan Read was the first of the 2023 crop to re-sign in April last year, extending by two years after just three appearances for Gold Coast.
Colby McKercher also signed through until 2028 at North Melbourne recently, while Essendon young gun Nate Caddy has inked a two-year deal and Dan Curtin added three more at Adelaide.
O’Sullivan played one game in his debut season, but has featured in all but one in year two, emerging as a leading contender for the Telstra AFL Rising Star.
The 198cm key defender has starred under Chris Scott in 2025 and will challenge Caddy, Curtin and the favourite Levi Ashcroft for this year’s Ron Evans Medal. – Josh Gabelich
'ZEKE THE FREAK' TO RETURN
POTENTIAL No.1 pick Zeke Uwland is set to make his long-awaited return to the field next week for Gold Coast's VFL side.
Uwland has missed all of this year with a back injury, having taken a cautious approach to his recovery after a brilliant bottom-aged season in 2024.
But he looks set to play for the Suns in their VFL clash against Brisbane on July 26, having retained his status as one of the handful of best prospects in this year's pool. Uwland said this week he was keen to be back soon.
"I hope so. I've been medically cleared to play so just pending selection I should be playing in coming weeks," Uwland told AFL.com.au's Gettable.
"It's been a difficult year, I've had an injury setback with stress fractures in my back which has certainly had its challenges, but I've taken it in a positive manner, seeking work experience and doing full-time uni and being involved as much as I can around the football club. It's taken my mind off the negative of being on the sidelines."
The younger brother of Suns defender Bodhi has idolised Swans star Errol Gulden as a midfielder with a dashing left-foot kick and is expected to attract a bid in the first three selections of the draft, with fellow Suns Academy talent Dylan Patterson also in the mix for a top-five bid.
"I think everyone wants to go as high as possible, but realistically no matter if you go first or in the rookie draft, you're still at the same spot as everyone else the year after. Just getting to that point is obviously the main goal but you want to go as high as possible," Patterson told Gettable. – Callum Twomey
NEXT BLUE DEAL COMING
ASHTON Moir is the only first-rounder from the 2023 Telstra AFL Draft unsigned beyond October, but Carlton is working on a new deal for the South Australian.
The Blues have been ticking off the club's uncontracted players this month, with the second-year forward expected to be the next one.
Moir was selected at pick No.29 – the final pick in the first round – and has played five games under Michael Voss, including the past two against Collingwood and Brisbane.
In 2023, the AFL introduced mandatory three-year contracts for every player selected inside the top 20, leaving a group selected on night one with two-year deals.
Will Graham, Lance Collard and Harry DeMattia all re-signed for two more seasons last year, but now Moir is set to complete the set and be locked in for 2026. – Josh Gabelich
TASSIE'S SIGHTS SET
MORE than 130 parents were in attendance on Tuesday night as the Tasmania Devils addressed families of the under-16 draft crop on the Gold Coast.
The initiative, led by the Devils' list team, saw parents of every player at the under-16 championships invited to listen to the direction of the next AFL club. Families from Tasmania will be a part of a different session.
They heard from Devils CEO Brendon Gale and director Alastair Lynch as well as the club's list management and recruiting team, which is being led by list manager Todd Patterson and recruiting boss Derek Hine.
The under-16 group will be the 2027 draft prospects that is projected to be the Devils' first draft in the competition. Their list concessions are set to be ticked off at August's AFL Commission meeting.
AFL.com.au revealed the different elements of the package earlier this year as the Devils look to bolster their hand coming into the competition.
The Devils have pushed for not only father-son access to AFL players' children who are from Tasmania, but also the kids of players who have previously played at state league level in Tasmania. It isn't expected to be part of the list concession package.
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Recruiters have been buoyed by the talent levels on show at the under-16 carnival, with a number of key performances standing out this week.
West Australian ruck talent Axel Walsh, the younger brother of Port Adelaide's Xavier, is shaping as the early No.1 candidate after blitzing with another 20 disposal and 25 hitout game, while Power NGA-linked forward Zemes Pilot showed very exciting moments for South Australia.
Small forward Max Thompson again starred for Vic Country with two goals from 15 disposals, while the Geelong Next Generation Academy-linked Tom Steinfort, the son of former Cat and Pie Carl, stood out with 19 disposals and a goal for Country.
Baxter Sruk was excellent for Vic Metro, with the powerful forward/midfielder gathering 22 disposals and booting a goal, while midfielder Angus Brown had 21 disposals and a goal as well to be among Metro's best.
Max Gulliver is shaping as one of the leading Tasmania prospects and starred in the Devils' 164-point rout of the Suns Academy on Monday with three goals from 27 disposals and 10 clearances, while tall forward Chaice Oliver booted seven goals. – Callum Twomey
CAT IN COACHING HUNT
GEELONG veteran Mitch Duncan is racing the clock to be fit for another finals series, but rival clubs are chasing his services as a coach in 2026.
The 34-year-old is recovering from shoulder surgery and still a month away from returning on the eve of September.
Duncan is out-of-contract and expected to be in the final season of his decorated career at the Cats.
A handful of AFL clubs are understood to have enquired about his availability as a development coach next season, both from inside Victoria and interstate.
With the soft cap increasing by $750,000 in 2026, clubs are starting to prepare for off-season football department changes, armed with more money for not just assistant coaches, but development, high performance personnel and recruiters.
Clubs with younger lists, like Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast and North Melbourne are expected to allocate more money to development, following a rise in the soft cap.
Duncan appeals to many across the competition, given his desire to transition into coaching after his career comes to an end.
The two-time premiership midfielder became only the sixth Cat to reach 300 games earlier this season and is highly regarded for his football IQ, professionalism and leadership. – Josh Gabelich
SUNS WARY OF ACADEMY CHALLENGE
GOLD Coast says changes to the draft's bidding system will make it "significantly harder" for the club to welcome all its highly rated Academy prospects later this year, as the Suns begin to sketch a draft night plan for their talented crop of youngsters.
Gun duo Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson have firmed as potential top-five picks, while fellow pair Beau Addinsall and Koby Coulson – as well as Kalani White, who is also tied to Melbourne as a father-son prospect – are Gold Coast's other highly rated potential Academy recruits.
However, changes to the Academy bidding system introduced as part of last year's competitive balance review has challenged clubs looking to amass draft points, after the AFL opted to reduce the value attached to picks and the number of selections that would carry points.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week, Gold Coast recruiting boss Kall Burns said the club wasn't yet sure how many of its talented slate of Academy prospects it would be able to match bids on and said the club was beginning to formulate a plan for draft night.
"In a perfect world, we'd like to take them all. But we understand that the rules have changed this year and that's made it significantly harder to match bids," Burns said.
"We're working through some strategies at the moment. We're projecting where things may happen, we're starting to run simulations on the draft. Given the rule changes this year, it's going to be really challenging."
Gold Coast currently has three first-round picks as a result of shrewd trading completed last year – its own, as well as Port Adelaide's and Collingwood's – and could shift those selections around during the trade period to amass more draft points.
However, the Suns have not yet fielded calls on any of those selections, which are currently slated to fall at No.8 (courtesy of the Power), No.14 (their own) and No.18 (tied to the Pies).
"Of course it is (making it harder to match bids)," Burns said.
"There's been a lot of levers changed at once. There's a real squeeze on. There's more access for NGA clubs to access their players, the Northern Academy market has shifted slightly, the DVI points have come down, and there's less points now with picks attached.
"We've pulled a lot of levers and it creates a bit of a squeeze. We're going to see that come draft night." – Riley Beveridge
MARKETING MONEY UP FOR GRABS
CLUBS are digging into the detail of the AFL's new $35 million marketing fund to see what components can be offered as part of signing contracts.
AFL.com.au revealed in May the initial 54 players across AFL and AFLW lists has been locked in by the AFL and AFLPA as part of the new venture to cash in on extra marketing opportunities through the pool of money, which stretches across the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Two AFL players and one AFLW player have been selected per club – with the likes of Nick Daicos, Harley Reid, Bailey Smith, Jack Ginnivan, Isaac Heeney, Mon Conti, Emily Bates and more a part of the first group – but the clubs and agents haven't been informed if their players are included.
The money does not get included in salary caps and is for promotional work done by the players for select AFL sponsors but club bosses are keen to work through more detail around the marketing fund as they negotiate contracts with players to be aware of the full breadth of promotional opportunities.
The marketing fund is separate to the Additional Services Agreement and can help boost players' overall salaries significantly. – Callum Twomey
ANOTHER CURTIN COMING
ADELAIDE rising star Dan Curtin has urged younger brother Cody not to look too far into the future and just enjoy his draft year after finishing the Marsh U18 Boys National Championships strongly for Western Australia.
Cody Curtin is the leading key-position prospect out of WA this year, with the 200cm youngster able to play at either end of the ground while also adding ruck work to his skillset this season.
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He booted three goals against Vic Metro in WA's final game of the championships and will now target playing senior football for Claremont in the WAFL as interested clubs monitor the forward/ruck ahead of November's draft.
Older brother Dan, who is enjoying a purple patch of form with Adelaide, said it was important to enjoy the experience leading up to the draft after balancing WA, Claremont and AIS Academy football.
"He's got a lot of things on his plate at the moment, so I think just take each week as it comes and yeah focus on the challenge for that week, not looking too far into the future," Dan told AFL.com.au.
"I really loved my draft year and playing with all my mates, and he's got a lot of things going on with the Academy and then WA, and I'm sure he's looking to play a little bit of League footy too."
The National Championships provided the younger Curtin with some lessons, including the importance of crashing packs and making an impact in different ways when the ball is not falling your way.
Playing as a back-up ruck is likely to enhance his prospects at November's draft, with several clubs that will be picking at the pointy end monitoring him closely.
"He's put together some good games, and if he gets some League opportunities in the back half of the year that'll help him," WA talent manager Adam Jones told AFL.com.au.
"They're hard to find those taller guys that can play forward and ruck, so if he's got that ability and clubs think that it's going to translate to the next level, then it definitely enhances his chances." – Nathan Schmook
