2026 Trade / FA Thread

[gouki88]

Aliir has resigned with Port

Bloody contract triggers

 

[satty]

Bolster our mids around Nick , surely has to be the focus

It is , but I think this year's draft could be all about drafting young KPD's. We are seriously light in that area.

I would hope we take atleast 5 draft picks into this year's draft.
Go all in on midfielders and KPD's.

 

[satty]

Yea I have resigned to the fact that he isn't going to come to Collingwood. The cost for his talents will be way way to high.

Port will match any offer he gets, and they could finish towards the bottom end of the ladder so teams probably won't be able to threaten them with making butters take his chances in the pre season draft.

If essendon set the price for an older and less talented merrett as three first rounders, I can't imagine port going any lower than 3 high first rounders or 4 first round picks.

We have a lot of holes that need to be filed , and the best way to do that is via the draft.

Only teams that are on the cusp of being premiership contenders with no glaring holes can afford to pay the extremely steep price.

 

[riddick78]

Yea I have resigned to the fact that he isn't going to come to Collingwood. The cost for his talents will be way way to high.

Port will match any offer he gets, and they could finish towards the bottom end of the ladder so teams probably won't be able to threaten them with making butters take his chances in the pre season draft.

If essendon set the price for an older and less talented merrett as three first rounders, I can't imagine port going any lower than 3 high first rounders or 4 first round picks.

We have a lot of holes that need to be filed , and the best way to do that is via the draft.

Only teams that are on the cusp of being premiership contenders with no glaring holes can afford to pay the extremely steep price.

I think the precedent was set with Petracca. Picks 7, 8 and a 1st rounder in 2026, although he was contracted, Port would be looking for that kind of compensation, i dare say more.

 

[satty]

I think the precedent was set with Petracca. Picks 7, 8 and a 1st rounder in 2026, although he was contracted, Port would be looking for that kind of compensation, i dare say more.

100% it will be more. Butters is entering the peak years of his career and already has league accolades to validate his stellar career so far.

A team like the bulldogs can go all in because their list is fairly loaded.

 

[riddick78]

100% it will be more. Butters is entering the peak years of his career and already has league accolades to validate his stellar career so far.

A team like the bulldogs can go all in because their list is fairly loaded.

Do they have the picks to satisfy Port though.

 

[SchuPie]

Do they have the picks to satisfy Port though.

Does any club?
I’m not sure what price they can set bc I’m sure they’re going to be able to get them

Only GC has had strong pick collateral but they’re gone now
Maybe Melbourne using GC picks but they’ll be really high
Maybe Carlton using Swans picks but then what do they do about Walker

I just don’t know who will have be able to (or want to pay enough to) satisfy Port

I’d just put a huge price out there, if they match he can stay for 2 years and go UFA

 

[riddick78]

Does any club?
I’m not sure what price they can set bc I’m sure they’re going to be able to get them

Only GC has had strong pick collateral but they’re gone now
Maybe Melbourne using GC picks but they’ll be really high
Maybe Carlton using Swans picks but then what do they do about Walker

I just don’t know who will have be able to (or want to pay enough to) satisfy Port

I’d just put a huge price out there, if they match he can stay for 2 years and go UFA

I don't think any club has the picks to satisfy Port, it might have to include quality players, if he does go to the Doggies, you'd think they would be contending, so any future picks will be in the 20's.

Although GC seem to have a 1st round pick tree in their backyard, but he doesn't want to go there.

Interesting to see what happens.

 

[nickyds35]

If port finish bottom 2 (or similar) and dougie cochrane looks at going pick 1, there is minimal chance port dont accept pick 3 as compensation.

To them, this year more than any, Pick 3 is worth more than 3 x pick 15 (or worse after tassie comes in).

 

[satty]

Do they have the picks to satisfy Port though.

Don't think the doggies have traded any of their future picks. So they might be able to go the full 3 future firsts. But if the price is 4 firsts, then the doggies will either have to trade 3 and a quality player or 2 firsts and a player that is worth 2 firsts.

They might have to trade a quality player, considering butters potential cap hit.

 

[SchuPie]

Don't think the doggies have traded any of their future picks. So they might be able to go the full 3 future firsts. But if the price is 4 firsts, then the doggies will either have to trade 3 and a quality player or 2 firsts and a player that is worth 2 firsts.

They might have to trade a quality player, considering butters potential cap hit.

Do you think Port would accept 3-4 first from Doggies?
That would be 4 picks in the 20s, maybe even the 30s when Tassie gets all its picks
I’m starting to think the compo pick might be their best option

 

[Scodog10]

If port finish bottom 2 (or similar) and dougie cochrane looks at going pick 1, there is minimal chance port dont accept pick 3 as compensation.

To them, this year more than any, Pick 3 is worth more than 3 x pick 15 (or worse after tassie comes in).

It’s looking likely that compensation picks will fall outside the first 8 picks. I have an inkling though that they’d want at least 3 years of firsts anyway because they have Rodan and Salopek to worry about next year.

 

[Go Woods]

What are people's realistic expectations on who we'll most likely land end of season, obviously it's very early days, here's my list of 3 players we need to bring in & keep our draft hand if possible:

1. Jordan Butts
2. Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

25

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

3. Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

.

 

[12kilos]

Yea I have resigned to the fact that he isn't going to come to Collingwood. The cost for his talents will be way way to high.

Port will match any offer he gets, and they could finish towards the bottom end of the ladder so teams probably won't be able to threaten them with making butters take his chances in the pre season draft.

If essendon set the price for an older and less talented merrett as three first rounders, I can't imagine port going any lower than 3 high first rounders or 4 first round picks.

We have a lot of holes that need to be filed , and the best way to do that is via the draft.

Only teams that are on the cusp of being premiership contenders with no glaring holes can afford to pay the extremely steep price.

If Port finish low enough bottom 3 for instance.
It may be better for them not to match the offer

 

[stormskye]

If Port finish low enough bottom 3 for instance.
It may be better for them not to match the offer

There’s been plenty of discussion on here and coverage on most afl sites that the afl are planning to change compensation rules so it starts at pick 9 this season. So even if you finish last you get pick 9 as compo.

Port are matching and they aren’t accepting teens picks. If the dogs want butters they will need to trade out quality for picks IMO. They won’t have draft picks to satisfy port otherwise

 

[satty]

There’s been plenty of discussion on here and coverage on most afl sites that the afl are planning to change compensation rules so it starts at pick 9 this season. So even if you finish last you get pick 9 as compo.

Port are matching and they aren’t accepting teens picks. If the dogs want butters they will need to trade out quality for picks IMO. They won’t have draft picks to satisfy port otherwise

I personally agree with the rule, but feel it needs an exception. That exception being if the player has performed at an elite level with multiple AA selections and/or club honours and/or league honours .

 

[soreplums]

Hoping we are one of the rivals circling Calsher Dear.

 

[BillyElliott]

Hoping we are one of the rivals circling Calsher Dear.

Couldn't imagine him leaving Hawks.

 

[soreplums]

Couldn't imagine him leaving Hawks.

I wouldn’t have thought so, but clicking on the bait, the article suggests he may explore options if he keeps getting overlooked.
I think the Hawks will let Lewis go before him, but how many more years does Gunston have? (Still their best key forward)

 

[Eric Shin]

 

[Toast of Melbourne]

This is purely speculation on my behalf, but I suspect our main realistic targets were in this order:

1. Oliver
2. Simpkin
3. Buller

I'm US based, the only subscription I paid for last year was Kayo so my vibes based take on your top 3 was like Jen said for Simpkin, he only seemed to appear as a trade target once the trade period began and never an option for us based on the Roos asking price.

Oliver is interesting because from memory we knew he was gettable, filled an area of need but I don't believe we were ever that into him and were more doing our due diligence. Buller we identified early, executing a plan to sign him despite some limited resistance from the Swans. Clarry never once gave the impression he was interested in a move to the Pies and I'm glad we didn't sign him. His AA days are long gone.

 

[VinnieB]

Butts is a free agent, but I think he will hold his spot and thus not be an easy get. Butts as the anchor and Keane and Worrell to do their thing looks great for them. So Murray might become the one who is gettable, but would require a trade.

Seymour?

 

[sr36]

People talk about Tassie hoarding draft picks like a big bogeyman, but the AFL doesn’t want them uncompetitive for years learning from Giants and GC so will make it highly desirable for them to on trade their picks for players.

We may not be able to get our hands on the top of their crop picks as we won’t give star players (don’t even go there with Nick) but this means there’s an opportunity for smart list managers to get inflated prices on B graders as part of a list refresh.

It’s the perfect opportunity for us really with Nick hitting his peak, we just have to be ready to part with some good players and fan favourites and players coaches love (ie McReery, Bruz for leadership in old age).

Before you jump at me I love Beau and Bruz and it could be other players, but just a note that I suggested early last year that we trade Bobby back to WA for a high price to use on Rowell, before the whole saga happened, because of positional depth and need for picks. We’d be sitting pretty…

You’ve got to get players to want to go there but money talks especially in peak earning years and if we’re smart we’re already laying the ground work.

The Tassie draft pick stuff and stopping teams from rebuilding has been way overblown, particularly with the new matching rules that'll come in.

There will be about 7 picks added to the first round, pushing picks back, but first round picks will also vanish in matching for the first time. So it'll probably end up as only about 4 picks added. And it'll be easier to trade in picks as Tassie are forced to trade out some of their first round picks.

 

[gouki88]

The Tassie draft pick stuff and stopping teams from rebuilding has been way overblown, particularly with the new matching rules that'll come in.

There will be about 7 picks added to the first round, pushing picks back, but first round picks will also vanish in matching for the first time. So it'll probably end up as only about 4 picks added. And it'll be easier to trade in picks as Tassie are forced to trade out some of their first round picks.

Yeah, I don't think we're going to see anything like the 2011 draft with the Giants (gee I wish we'd taken Neale instead of Jackson Paine)

 

[Vankri]

The Tassie draft pick stuff and stopping teams from rebuilding has been way overblown, particularly with the new matching rules that'll come in.

There will be about 7 picks added to the first round, pushing picks back, but first round picks will also vanish in matching for the first time. So it'll probably end up as only about 4 picks added. And it'll be easier to trade in picks as Tassie are forced to trade out some of their first round picks.

Yeah, I don't think we're going to see anything like the 2011 draft with the Giants (gee I wish we'd taken Neale instead of Jackson Paine)

Yep and while the media and the more rookie list managers are stressing out over the Tassie draft and implications over teams rebuilding, we need to lay the groundwork to part with some players at the right time to get a hold of some of that haul and even see how to smartly position our picks based on the new rules (eg assuming not all picks on drafted young may snag a top talent in these drafts for a later pick).

Luckily we have a direct line with a trusted Pies person there in recruiting in Hine so as long as he didn’t leave on shit terms we’re in prime position to implement that strategy.