2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Go Woods]

Hi guys,

Got some news to report.

I have been very negative on the clubs list management over recent years....however.

To my understanding, we are well and trully in the Butters race, def in front of Richmond and at this point in front of Geelong.

Its already been mentioned in the media that Butters met the club/Naicos last week. These reports are correct. The meeting was set up my a current player on our list who is quite close to Butters (not Houston).

Not saying we will get him, but its not the 2-horse race the media made it out to be.

Like it, but would cost us way to much draft capital you would think.
But..........

 

[legendstatus]

Ballard was killing it in the back line at one stage if I remember correctly? imagine him Walter, Butters & Neale and a few other lightweights, be something to look forward to in 2027

off load McCreery & Allan for more capital and off we go.

 

[Go Woods]

hawks want both Humphrey and merret how are they going to afford both

Hardwick is pretty steadfast that Humphrey won't be traded.
Quoting he's statement last week.
Not trading him while I'm the coach of this club.

 

[satty]

Was only naming the midfield and how stealing votes is a myth when Swanny won.

No disrespect to Dids!

AFL Tables - 2010 Brownlow Medal - Round by Round

AFL Tables - 2011 Brownlow Medal

from the 2010 count, pendles and swan polled together in only 1 game .

from the 2011 count, pendles with the 3 and swanny with 2 only happened in 2 matches.

so the stealing votes from swanny was in fact a myth.

what cost swanny in the 2010 brownlow is the no of 2 votes games he had. Out of the 12 games he polled in, he polled the 2 votes in 8 of them . He lost the medal by 4 votes.

in 2011 he polled in 2 extra games and had 2 less 2 vote games.

 

[satty]

Ballard was killing it in the back line at one stage if I remember correctly? imagine him Walter, Butters & Neale and a few other lightweights, be something to look forward to in 2027

off load McCreery & Allan for more capital and off we go.

as for our trade captital : McCreery may have his sights set on the lucrative contract from tassie, so i doubt he will want to go anywhere this off season.

Ed is coming out of contract at the end of the season, so if he requests a trade, we wont have much leverage aside from walking him into the draft.

 

[satty]

If King has cold feet it's him we should be targeting. People willing to give up our first round pick for him?

King + Neale is premiership 2027

If our pick ends up in the top 5 or top 7, i cant see us trading it for ben. We will then have to tempt them with a future first.

 

[gouki88]

Hi guys,

Got some news to report.

I have been very negative on the clubs list management over recent years....however.

To my understanding, we are well and trully in the Butters race, def in front of Richmond and at this point in front of Geelong.

Its already been mentioned in the media that Butters met the club/Naicos last week. These reports are correct. The meeting was set up my a current player on our list who is quite close to Butters (not Houston).

Not saying we will get him, but it’s not the 2-horse race the media made it out to be.

Vaguely aligns with Cal’s reporting on our sustained interest, although he was by no means this strong.

What’s your source?

 

[tmpies01]

I don’t have much knowledge on Ballard as a player, what would he be worth? Would be a pretty seamless trade surely?

(Apologies if this question has already been answered)

 

[gouki88]

I don’t have much knowledge on Ballard as a player, what would he be worth? Would be a pretty seamless trade surely?

Hard to say, contracted for years but clearly out of favour and hasn’t played a lot recently

 

[Ugene41]

If 3 converts Neale, you do it in a heartbeat.
Wells was a smooth player but he wasn't a dual brownlow medalist and not playing at the level Neale is

Even the 3 years we gave Tom Mitchell was well worth the premiership he delivered us

 

[satty]

I don’t have much knowledge on Ballard as a player, what would he be worth? Would be a pretty seamless trade surely?

(Apologies if this question has already been answered)

feels like a buller trade. He could be anything. He is going to be 27 next year. So I wouldn't expect too much out of him aside from being a depth player.

 

[Ugene41]

feels like a buller trade. He could be anything. He is going to be 27 next year. So I wouldn't expect too much out of him aside from being a depth player.

Would be much better than Buller and would be the Howe replacement

 

[Pistol Night]

Even the 3 years we gave Tom Mitchell was well worth the premiership he delivered us

Titchs influence on DeGeoy in 2023 can’t be understated also

 

[soreplums]

Could GC really match a bid on 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

?
Imagine getting Neale and King without giving up any trade capital and then getting Butters in one trade period….
And the cherry being Rowell end of 2027.
Happy to shed a few players to make cap room

 

[windchimes]

I don’t have much knowledge on Ballard as a player, what would he be worth? Would be a pretty seamless trade surely?

(Apologies if this question has already been answered)

I reckon he’d be a good value pick up if we do our due diligence and are satisfied he can become near the player he was prior to the ACL.

 

[Ugene41]

Even if butters nominates us , the trade price is simply way too much for us at this stage.

We have so many holes across the entire list that need to be filled.

We need a lot of midfield talent and depth, need more defensive depth and definitely need a true no 1 key forward.

If essendon asked 3 firsts for merrett, port will definitely ask for value that is equivalent to 4 firsts.

Unless we can convince a player of value to agree to go to port, we simply aren't in a position to compete with other teams to satisfy port.

Butters became a free agent at the wrong time for us.

Hawks had 3 late (or forecast late) firsts though. If we end up finishing bottom 6, our first will be valued a lot higher.

I'm in the camp that I don't think we should be chasing Butters. But if we're actually a real chance then we need to see it through. One top 10 pick and two future late picks (due to Tassie) is ultimately still a bargain for a top 5 player in the league.

If we actually managed to pull off having Daicos, Neale and Butters in the team, our midfield would go from terrible to having 3 of the top 5 best midfielders in the game lol.

 

[gouki88]

feels like a buller trade. He could be anything. He is going to be 27 next year. So I wouldn't expect too much out of him aside from being a depth player.

He’s a much better player than Buller

 

[Jafo]

Lions flag hero’s $4m call looms as Neale edges closer to exit

Huge trade update on seven players

www.nine.com.au

 

[Pistol Night]

Could GC really match a bid on Ben King?
Imagine getting Neale and King without giving up any trade capital and then getting Butters in one trade period….
And the cherry being Rowell end of 2027.
Happy to shed a few players to make cap room

Id be happy to shed all of my clothes and run down Flinders St with "I Leppa" written on my arsecheeks if we pull that heist off

 

[Do_Beta_Rapport]

hawks want both Humphrey and merret how are they going to afford both

Our second rounder for Dear might help their stockpile

 

[Roverjg]

Have a look through that team - the Smith talk wasn't for huge money. Holmes signed in 2024 before he would have been on big money. Jezza and Danger would be on veteran wages. I think they'd have a lot of cash to splash.

Yes they have had cash to splash. The Geelong Addy has reported that the Cats have renegotiated multiple players contracts significantly increasing their $$$. It was reported some months ago that Smith's contract was renegotiated in April and increased to >$1m. Holmes' contract was renegotiated over the off season to reward his B+F. Cameron's $$$$ hasn't dropped yet. He is reported to be on about $1.m for 2026. Shannon Neale last year signed to 2028. But earlier this year extended to 2030 with a significant $$$ increase. He was also announced as having a new key ambassadorial role with Cotton on. And they also significantly upped Ollie Dempsey despite him being contracted to 2029.

Cats superstar set for pay rise after blockbuster first season

Bailey Smith's deal at Geelong will be re-worked after his standout 2025 campaign

www.afl.com.au

 

[Dtennent94]

Are we handing out a 3yr deal to Neale?
2 I can understand but 3?

Daniel Wells vibes surely?

Much lower risk. We aren’t betting on being able to rehabilitate someone, Neale is still a match winner and probably even capable of challenging for a Brownlow.

 

[Apex36]

I don’t have much knowledge on Ballard as a player, what would he be worth? Would be a pretty seamless trade surely?

(Apologies if this question has already been answered)

Should be relatively cheap, he’s not playing senior footy and it would provide GC much needed cap relief.

 

[Apex36]

feels like a buller trade. He could be anything. He is going to be 27 next year. So I wouldn't expect too much out of him aside from being a depth player.

He’d walk in to our back 6 if Howe retires. Potentially even if he doesn’t and Moore is open to a positional shift.

 

[Apex36]

Could GC really match a bid on Ben King?
Imagine getting Neale and King without giving up any trade capital and then getting Butters in one trade period….
And the cherry being Rowell end of 2027.
Happy to shed a few players to make cap room

I’m skeptical that they could, despite their bluster about it.