2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Jen2310]

Cam Mackenzie

Ryley Sanders

George Wardlaw

3 players out of contract. Perfect age bracket for us.

 

[Soups]

Cam Mackenzie

Ryley Sanders

George Wardlaw

3 players out of contract. Perfect age bracket for us.

Unproven
Contract talks happening. Always a draw back to Tassie.
Has paper hammies.

 

[Mick F]

Not a good year to drop down the ladder then.

 

[Scodog10]

Yes, they can opt for a trade but the club still holds the power as they can refuse all trade offers, right?

They can, but the player will always get to where they want to be as a FA. The whole FA system would collapse if a player and their management in good faith did everything to get where they wanted to be only for their current club to block the move every step of the way. The system remains clunky just not so clunky that a FA isn’t free to choose where they want their future to be.

The curious one I’m waiting for is the scenario where a player wants to stay at the right price. As an example Butters wants to stay at Port for $2m a season, but they’re only offering $1.5m, he goes to market, gets his $2m, Port match and he stays on his terms. It’ll happen one day who knows when.

 

[Jen2310]

 

[manicpie]

Sounds like it's over before it started

 

[Jen2310]

 

[Soups]

Just get rid of the compensation all together.

 

[stormskye]

Just get rid of the compensation all together.

it’s a rough one for the bottom clubs. Big free agents are probably more like to leave them chasing flags etc, so in some ways the compo is there to protect them a bit.

I don’t like that eagles got pick 2 for Allan however.

 

[Pistol Night]

it’s a rough one for the bottom clubs. Big free agents are probably more like to leave them chasing flags etc, so in some ways the compo is there to protect them a bit.

I don’t like that eagles got pick 2 for Allan however.

Didn't North get pick 2 for the shit McKay brother just because Essendon were stupid enough to pay him a million plus a year? Flawed system

 

[stormskye]

Didn't North get pick 2 for the shit McKay brother just because Essendon were stupid enough to pay him a million plus a year? Flawed system

Def needs tweaking but I can see the reasoning for having some form of protection for bottom clubs.

Always been an issue that FA does tend to favour the successful ones unless some (saints) pay double the going rate

 

[Pistol Night]

Def needs tweaking but I can see the reasoning for having some form of protection for bottom clubs.

Always been an issue that FA does tend to favour the successful ones

It sure has. We've clearly benefited but teams like Geelong and Brisbane have taken the piss a bit too

 

[riddick78]

Didn't North get pick 2 for the shit McKay brother just because Essendon were stupid enough to pay him a million plus a year? Flawed system

There's a good McKay brother???

 

[Pistol Night]

There's a good McKay brother???

Andrew?

 

[legendstatus]

The Butters situation is really interesting, certainly has a feeling of interest like the Judd trade ( who wanted to go to us)

If he goes to the Dogs it’ll be because he barracked for them, why else would you go there ??

Think Pies will be much savvier this time round so don’t expect much noise from us

 

[Jen2310]

The Butters situation is really interesting, certainly has a feeling of interest like the Judd trade ( who wanted to go to us)

If he goes to the Dogs it’ll be because he barracked for them, why else would you go there ??

Think Pies will be much savvier this time round so don’t expect much noise from us

Wants to play with bont. Its closer to Darley. This been on the cards for a number of years is the word on the streets.

 

[unplugged]

They can, but the player will always get to where they want to be as a FA. The whole FA system would collapse if a player and their management in good faith did everything to get where they wanted to be only for their current club to block the move every step of the way. The system remains clunky just not so clunky that a FA isn’t free to choose where they want their future to be.

The curious one I’m waiting for is the scenario where a player wants to stay at the right price. As an example Butters wants to stay at Port for $2m a season, but they’re only offering $1.5m, he goes to market, gets his $2m, Port match and he stays on his terms. It’ll happen one day who knows when.

I feel like it has probably happened plenty of times already? Or do you mean in like a public "exploring their options in free agency" and then a u-turn sense?

 

[Apex36]

Anyone still running with "Where there's smoke there's fire." is out of touch. The new adage is "where there's smoke there's an attention seeking flog making up shite."

I think the entire definition of smoke needs to be assessed here. We have one Carlton supporting, Collingwood hating flog running with the “Nick to Tassie” rhetoric with supposed sources whilst every other journo is coming out and saying they can’t see it happening.


Really???

 

[Apex36]

Ablett went to GCS when they were a tram wreck - money talks!
Judd to Carlton - wasted his career.

Judd was all about getting back to Vic, and the pies were his choice but couldn’t get the deal done. Far cry from Ablett taking the cash at GC or Nick going to Tassie.

 

[Apex36]

They're all contracted regardless. How do you get around Port matching? Port wouldn't see themselves as rebuilding. They have a good list and probably feel they can win a flag in the next 2 years. They can't even get a top 8 pick for him and they're going to want a lot more than that.

Did you see the walloping they got from Norf on the weekend? They’re headed for bottom 4.

 

[legendstatus]

Wants to play with bont. Its closer to Darley. This been on the cards for a number of years is the word on the streets.

Footscray is 8 mins closer to Darely v Where Pies train

That aint it.

 

[Jen2310]

Footscray is 8 mins closer to Darely v Where Pies train

That aint it.

Then I guess its a bit like Perryman. A chance to play for his childhood club. Not to mention all the talent they have on their list.

 

[nickyds35]

Do people realise that if Cochrane gets bid on at pick 1, under the new rules (where you can only use 2 picks to match), Port will likely need 2 x top 5 picks to match.

If port finish bottom 4 (real possibility), and get pick 5 as compo, they will take it rather then get 3 x mid 1st rounders for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

 

[nickyds35]

KEY TO GETTING FREE AGENT WITHOUT GIVING UP PICKS

• Butters: Port are unlikely to match a bid on Butters if Port finish bottom 4 and the compo is a top 5 pick. A top 5 pick is worth more to them this year, then 3 x mid to late first-rounders are in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
• King: Just need to front-end his contract. If for example, his deal will average $1.5m over 8 years, we will need to front-end the deal (e.g. $2.2m, to reduce any chance that Gold Coast can match with their tight salary cap.
• Bailey: See King.

For all the talk of our age, getting 1 or 2 free agents are we are instantly competing again with a team that isnt that old once Pendlebury/Howe/Membrey retire (after already getting rid of Cox, Mitchell, Hoskin-Elliott, Markov).

-------------------------------------------------
Quaynor Butts (Keane) Maynard
Houston Moore Perryman

J.Daicos Butters (Bailey) Crisp

Hill West McCreery
Schultz King (Lewis) Elliott

Cameron N.Daicos De Goey

Sidebottom
Long
Steel
Harrison
McStay
Frampton
Lipinski

 

[swoop42]

it’s a rough one for the bottom clubs. Big free agents are probably more like to leave them chasing flags etc, so in some ways the compo is there to protect them a bit.

I don’t like that eagles got pick 2 for Allan however.

On the flip side 16 other football clubs wouldn't like that the reigning Premier secured Allen for nothing but salary. It's stuffed all around.

Another prime example of how FA impacts not only the 2 clubs involved is Richmond at the end of 2018 landing Lynch for no trade simply because of the finishing position of Gold Coast.

In 2019 Richmond win the flag, Lynch kicks 63 goals. Hardly seems fair to the rest of the competition in serious contention for the Premiership that season and in the near future that Lynch was obtainable for nothing but money and a list spot.

The AFL might actually be on to something by removing any compensation picks inside the top 10, as it could see more clubs matching bids and forcing trade. Personally though I'd take it a step further and make any club looking to acquire a band 1 FA pay an additional 1st round pick.

This would be to guard against inadequate compensation (and especially those circumstances where the financial terms are to great to match offer), it would also mean the club pursuing the player can't have a total free swing and be able to obtain an established player whilst maintaining the ability to take junior talent at that selection. No more double dipping.

As an example West Coast are offered a 2025 pick 11 and a Brisbane 1st round selection for Allen as compensation.

They can accept or force trade if able to match offer.

Brisbane had to originally decide whether pursuing Allen was worth parting with a 1st round selection at a minium. Last season the pursuit cost them nothing more than salary cap space. Now it could have been a decision between securing Allen or maintaining the points required for Annable.

Under this scenario a bottom placed team receive better compensation than a single 1st round selection aiding the rebuild, while a top team still receives value but at least has to pay some price.

The reality is the system is broken, it heavily favours the most successful teams when it comes to securing the premier free agents, whilst having a negative impact on those rebuilding because it either dilutes the value of draft selections or sees their better players being poached.

It's not aiding equalisation like hoped is it?

As the system stands now it's kind of absurb that potentially King could be obtained for zero trade due to a financial offer being to great to match, or if Port just happen to finish bottom 3 in the year Butters is OOC, it could determine whether he walks for FA compensation alone.

This is especially galling when clubs have had to pay up for equally established and in some cases AA level talent with a decision needing to be made between the future and remaining in Premiership contention.

Hell, it cost us more in draft picks for a junior prospect in Ed Allan, than what the reigning Premier Brisbane paid for a former captain in Oscar Allen.

Tell me how the f*ck that makes sense.