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.
KEY MEETING FOR BLUES FREE AGENT
INTRIGUE surrounds the future of Carlton's Jack Silvagni, with the Western Bulldogs believed to be well and truly in the mix for the defender after meeting with the free agent late last week.
As revealed by AFL.com.au's Gettable on Wednesday, Silvagni has now met with key Dogs figures as he weighs a decision on his future having also caught up with Collingwood and Essendon officials recently.
Silvagni also has a four-year deal on the table to stay at Carlton, an offer that was tabled midway through the season, which would see the 27-year-old see out his career at Ikon Park and follow in the footsteps of grandfather Sergio and father Stephen in doing so.
Rival clubs think Collingwood still has its noses in front for Silvagni after a meeting with coach Craig McRae earlier in the year, though the Western Bulldogs are understood to be closing the gap as he considers his football future.
Silvagni can leave for nothing at year's end, with Carlton unable to match a rival's bid for his signature due to his status as an unrestricted free agent following 128 games across 10 seasons for the Blues.
He is one of a number of free agents still unsigned heading into the season's final fortnight, with Carlton now resigned to losing restricted free agent Tom De Koning as he considers a mammoth bid from St Kilda.
Brandon Starcevich is another restricted free agent and has interest from West Coast, Essendon and North Melbourne as well as an offer to stay at Brisbane, while Eagles co-captain Oscar Allen has long been considering an offer to join the Lions.
Hawthorn midfielder James Worpel has a four-year deal on the table to stay at the Hawks, but is also considering a similar four-year offer to potentially join Geelong as a restricted free agent.
Essendon ruck Sam Draper joins Silvagni as the most attractive of the unrestricted free agents on the market and is considering offers from Brisbane and Adelaide, as well as the chance to stay at the Bombers. – Riley Beveridge
LION TO GET CHANCE TO BREAK RECORD
BRISBANE veteran Dayne Zorko will get the chance to break Simon Black's games record at the Lions in 2026.
The club is working on a one-year extension for the 36-year-old ahead of his 300th game next Sunday at the Gabba.
Zorko earned All-Australian selection for the second time in 2024 and is in contention for a third blazer after another impressive campaign across half-back.
The Queenslander will become just the second Lion after Brownlow Medallist Black – who played 322 games – to reach the milestone and the 109th in VFL/AFL history.
Zorko didn't make his debut until the age of 23 after finally landing a shot in the AFL after winning four consecutive best and fairest awards with Broadbeach in the QAFL.
Since then, Zorko has won five Merrett-Murray Medals and will end his career an all-time great of the Lions.
With Port Adelaide great Travis Boak retiring and Todd Goldstein without a contract for 2026, Zorko is set to enter next year the second oldest player in the AFL behind Scott Pendlebury, who has inked a one-year extension for a 21st season.
Zorko has always been keen to continue next year, with Brisbane waiting until late in the season finalise the deal. – Josh Gabelich
SAINT SET FOR DEAL
ST KILDA will offer Paddy Dow another contract after a challenging first two years at Moorabbin.
The 25-year-old has only managed 10 appearances for the Saints since crossing from Carlton at the end of 2023 due to a nightmare injury run.
Dow missed the start of 2024 after an ACL scare before spending three weeks in hospital last Christmas due to a nasty knee infection that required three rounds of surgery and then another operation in February, before breaking his collarbone in the VFL on Saturday night.
Ross Lyon is a big fan of Dow and the Saints want to provide him with more time to get his body right, so a deal for 2026 is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
The 2017 pick No.3 was closing in on an AFL recall after a decent block at Sandringham when he suffered his latest injury on the weekend.
Dow played 73 games for the Blues before seeking a trade and will now target a full pre-season at RSEA Park. – Josh Gabelich
EAGLES YOUNGSTER EARNS EXTENSION
WEST Coast young gun Jobe Shanahan will extend his contract at the Eagles for two more years after an eye-catching finish to 2025.
The Eagles are finalising a two-year extension that will tie the Victorian to the club until the end of 2028.
After selecting Bo Allan out of Peel Thunder at pick No.16 last November, West Coast then picked Shanahan at No.30 early on night two of the 2024 AFL Draft.
The Moama product kicked a personal best 3.2 against Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Sunday and has kicked at least one goal in six of his first seven games.
Shanahan was quickly shown why he was named in the 2024 under-18 All-Australian team and looms as an important puzzle piece to the rebuild under new coach Andrew McQualter. – Josh Gabelich
PORT LEADING HUNT FOR GIANT
PORT Adelaide is among the clubs leading the chase for Greater Western Sydney winger Jacob Wehr, who can leave for nothing at season's end courtesy of his status as a free agent for life.
Wehr, who has been delisted and re-rookied on multiple occasions by the Giants, has been offered a one-year deal to stay at the club but looks likely to assess his options at the end of the year after a prolonged stint in the VFL.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
As revealed by AFL.com.au earlier this season, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs are among the sides chasing Wehr but rival clubs believe the Power would be the frontrunners should he opt to depart.
Wehr, a mature-aged recruit for the Giants out of SANFL program Woodville-West Torrens, has played 37 games across five seasons at the club but has spent the majority of this year plying his trade as a midfielder at VFL level.
"He's been drafted three times, he's been delisted twice," Wehr's manager, John Meesen from Kapital Sports Group, told AFL.com.au's Gettable last week.
"He's got that delisted free agency status and is one that's come in and played a role for the Giants at different times. He finds himself out of the side at the moment.
"He's got some interest from some other clubs, so it's probably one that we'll park and pick up at the end of the year again." – Riley Beveridge
DEES TO REWARD PRE-SEASON PICKUP
MELBOURNE is rewarding Jai Culley with a new contract after an eye-catching fortnight from the former West Coast midfielder.
The 22-year-old earned a lifeline at the Demons after the AFL briefly reopened the pre-season supplemental selection period in February, following knee injuries to Andy Moniz-Wakefield and Carlton's Jagga Smith.
Now Melbourne is extending the Langwarrin product with a contract for 2026.
Culley played 12 games across three seasons at the Eagles after being selected with pick No.1 in the 2022 mid-season rookie draft.
After being delisted at the end of 2024, Culley joined Casey at the start of the pre-season when Melbourne didn't have a list spot available.
The Demons then signed Werribee premiership player Jack Henderson after Shane McAdam ruptured his Achilles, but were blown away by how Culley handled that news from former coach Simon Goodwin.
Culley got his first shot for Melbourne against his old side West Coast in round 21, where he kicked two goals from a wing and showed he can perform at the level, before finishing with 16 touches, 11 contested possessions and five clearances against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday. – Josh Gabelich
HOPEFULS GET LATE COMBINE INVITES
NINETEEN more players have been invited to combines across the country, including a bolter from the APS and a player that met with a few clubs ahead of the mid-season rookie draft.
Archie Dollman was cut by Oakleigh at the start of the year, but was invited back by the Chargers after starring for St Kevin's across the first half of the school season.
DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news
The midfielder made his debut against the Sandringham Dragons in round 10 and has impressed to the point across four Coates Talent League games where AFL clubs have nominated him for a late state combine invite.
Eastern Ranges dashing defender Rod Ali attracted interest from clubs ahead of the mid-season draft after committing full-time to football in 2025 having previously focused on basketball in the past.
The 19-year-old met with Collingwood, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney before that draft and has demonstrated his development across the year, playing VFL for Collingwood and senior football for Mitcham around Coates Talent League commitments.
Giants Academy players Tallis McMillan, Jim Houston and Riley Hamilton have also been invited to the state combine, while Cooper Collins from Gold Coast's Academy has also earned an invite. – Josh Gabelich
LATE COMBINE INVITES
Tallis McMillan (GWS Giants Academy)
Jim Houston (GWS Giants Academy)
Riley Hamilton (GWS Giants Academy)
Ryder Corrigan (Murray Bushrangers)
Harrison Wilson (Murray Bushrangers)
Cooper Collins (Gold Coast Academy)
Jack Cook (Woodville-West Torrens)
Lucas Wooton (Tasmania Devils)
Nicholas Driscoll (Northern Knights)
Archie Dollman (Oakleigh Chargers)
Jesse Johnstone (Bendigo Pioneers)
Hunter Wright (Bendigo Pioneers)
Brodie Atkins (Gippsland Power)
Sam Niklaus (GWV Rebels)
Rod Ali (Eastern Ranges)
Blake Chambers (Eastern Ranges)
Dale Sutherland (Perth Demons)
Blake Kelly (Swan Districts)
Leon Kickett (Swan Districts)
