Get all the latest news in the trade, free agency and draft landscape every week 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. 

AFL CONSIDERS EXPANDED FUTURE TRADING

THE AFL will seriously consider allowing clubs to trade multiple years into the future as part of the League's all-encompassing competitive balance review.

As Inside Trading reported last week, clubs had been hopeful of winning greater flexibility to complete trades as part of the League's review into player movement mechanisms, with expanded future trading among the changes expected to be introduced. 

Since 2015, clubs have been able to trade one year in advance with a series of guardrails in place. However, the AFL is now considering allowing teams to trade picks two or three years from the time of the deal, with the potential to bring in the change to this off-season. 

Speaking to AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week, the League's head of football performance, list management and engagement Ned Guy said it was among the recommendations being considered.

"There's a good chance we go down that path," Guy said.

"Some of the feedback, without attaching clubs to it, most clubs wanted greater flexibility to two years, a few said three years, one said four years. Without getting ahead of ourselves ... I'm not sure about the four-year path.

"But what was really consistent from clubs was greater flexibility to be able to manoeuvre and opening up some of those future picks might be able to do that." 

The move would allow clubs more picks to get deals done and potentially see clubs able to attract bigger-name players with more picks at their disposal to trade. 

For instance, if clubs were able to trade further into the future they may have offered more future first-round picks last year as the likes of Melbourne, Hawthorn and North Melbourne all made bids for Waalitj Marawar's No.1 pick to secure Harley Reid. – Riley Beveridge

GIANTS STILL WATCHING CROWS TALL

KUWARNA is yet to begin contract talks with Elliott Himmelberg, as clubs continue to monitor the versatile tall as an unrestricted free agent option.

Greater Western Sydney is one of the clubs to have retained an interest in Himmelberg, having made an unsuccessful attempt to lure the 45-gamer to the club last October when he was still under contract at West Lakes.

The Crows held him to the final season of his deal and refused to trade Himmelberg to the Giants, where his older brother Harry is a star player, keeping him as key-position depth having failed themselves to secure a move for Melbourne's Harrison Petty.

But the 198cm tall is free to move where he chooses at season's end, given his standing as an unrestricted free agent following eight seasons at Kuwarna.

The Giants remain keen on key-position depth at either end of the field, with veterans Nick Haynes and Lachie Keeffe coming towards the twilight of their careers, with Himmelberg again expected to be an option for Adam Kingsley's side.

Himmelberg, who turns 26 next month, has played the last four consecutive games for the Crows, kicking five goals playing as a ruck-forward behind Reilly O'Brien. – Riley Beveridge

TIGER LOCKED IN

RHYAN Mansell has secured a new two-year deal to extend his time at Richmond. 

The 23-year-old will remain at Punt Road until at least the end of 2026. 

Mansell joined the Tigers via the pre-season supplemental selection period in 2021 after playing for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL. 

The Tasmanian played 17 games last year and is now up to 41 AFL appearances, after adding nine games to his name to start 2024. 

Mansell won't feature in Dreamtime at the 'G this Saturday night after entering concussion protocols in the loss to Brisbane last weekend. – Josh Gabelich 

FORMER PIE ON DOGS' RADAR

THE Western Bulldogs are considering former Collingwood wingman Trent Bianco ahead of next Wednesday night's mid-season rookie draft. 

Bianco joined Footscray at the end of last year after being delisted by the Magpies following 23 games across four seasons. 

The 23-year-old has averaged 22 disposals from seven games for the Bulldogs' undefeated reserves side, around an appearance for the VFL against the SANFL.

After providing another former Collingwood wingman in Caleb Poulter with a lifeline in last year's mid-season rookie draft, the Dogs are expected to make a selection next week and could add an outside player following the retirement of Aiden O'Driscoll and with Bailey Smith being unavailable due to a knee reconstruction.  

Bianco chose Footscray in the hope it would enhance his chances of landing another chance and has nominated the short-term six-month contract option. 

Brisbane is also in the market for at least one seasoned state league player and could look at Bianco, following a spate of long-term injuries at the Lions. 

Poulter played nine games for Luke Beveridge's side in the second half of last year to earn a two-year extension and has since added two more AFL appearances at the Whitten Oval. But the wing remains a spot up for grabs at the Dogs. – Josh Gabelich

BOMBERS OUTLINE TRADE PLANS

ESSENDON'S approach last year to hit the free agency market while retaining its draft hand could again be the club's approach in 2024, according to the club's new list boss Matt Rosa.

Rosa, who is the Bombers' AFL talent and operations manager, is in his first season at the club after being appointed to the role late last year. 

Essendon's successful trade and free agency period last year saw it bring in defender Ben McKay, forward Jade Gresham and ruckman Todd Goldstein as free agents and trading Brandon Zerk-Thatcher for Xavier Duursma. It meant they retained their early draft hand, which saw them land key forward Nate Caddy, who will debut this week against Richmond. 

Rosa told Gettable that a similar approach could be taken this year to keep extending the Bombers' investment in youth while adding experience. 

"We're certainly open to all avenues in bringing new talent onto our list. We do value our draft capital so we'll continue to value that, but I do think you need to keep an open mind," the former Eagles and Suns midfielder said.

"We've got an emerging list in terms of our age profile, so we really value draft picks but clearly the strategy last year to be able to bring in some experienced players who filled specific needs while also holding onto our draft capital was effective. We'll work through that as the year goes on."

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

Asked if the Bombers would again be aggressive given their strong salary cap position, Rosa said the club would be looking at all options. 

"We'll definitely keep an open mind to it. At this stage we're working really hard to get our head around the talent pool and make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity there but if there's a player we think will fill a specific need and assist in our environment comes along then we'll look at that as well." – Callum Twomey

MID-SEASON HUNT ON

THIS weekend's results will shape the order of next week's mid-season rookie draft, with up to 26 selections now able to be used around the competition.

Clubs will advise the AFL this week of their intentions on how many spots they are likely to open due to long-term injuries and retirements, but have until next Tuesday to formalise the movements given there could still be injuries from round 11.

The draft order will be reverse ladder order depending on which clubs have selections, with only Geelong, Greater Western Sydney and Sydney without potential vacant spots. However, the Giants have Josh Fahey set to miss three-to-four months with a foot injury and will consider placing him on the inactive list to open a position.

Brisbane (potentially four picks), and Richmond and Kuwarna (three) are the clubs with the most vacant positions, while Carlton, Collingwood, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs all have two. 

Essendon, Walyalup, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Narrm, Euro-Yroke and Waalitj Marawar all have one open spot. 

Currently, the order of the top-five picks sees North Melbourne at No.1, Richmond at No.2, Waalitj Marawar at No.3, Hawthorn at No.4 and Euro-Yroke at No.5. 

Nominations for the mid-season draft close this week with clubs expected to use around 15 or so selections at this stage next Wednesday night when recruiters will log in remotely to make their picks. 

DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news

As reported earlier this month in Inside Trading, the AFL came close to introducing pick trading for this year's mid-season draft after a push from clubs. 

"We had a really good look at it and there was some support for it," the AFL's head of player movement Ned Guy told Gettable. 

"What we were mindful of as we work through the competitive balance feedback and projects we'll look into is there's some intersections in a few of these projects and to introduce that now runs probably ahead of what we might look into, for example greater flexibility in trading future picks which could have an effect on that.

"We thought we'll do the homework on that and look to introducing that in the future." – Callum Twomey  

NATIONAL CARNIVAL KICKS OFF

SID Draper's push to be an early pick in this year's draft pool will gather pace on Sunday as the South Australian captain begins his Marsh Under-18 Championships.

The first game of the carnival will take place at Thebarton Oval at 11am local time in Adelaide, with Draper recently returning from the shin stress fracture that delayed his start to his draft season.

The gun midfield prospect dominated his bottom-age year to be named an under-18 All-Australian and South Australia's most valuable player as well as winning the best-on-ground medal for South Adelaide in its under-18 Grand Final.

Ben and Lucas Camporeale, both father-son at Carlton, will also be a part of the SA squad, while rising forward/midfielder Ned Bowman has jumped into draft calculations.

Gold Coast Academy prospect Leo Lombard and Brisbane Academy midfielder Sam Marshall shape as the leading players in the Allies line-up tied to clubs, with forward Jobe Shanahan also impressing as a possible top-20 pick in the early stages of the season and Nathaniel Sulzberger's athleticism catching the eye of scouts as well

Every match of the 2024 Marsh Under-18 Championships will be live streamed on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live app. – Callum Twomey