Every Thursday AFL.com.au presents Inside Trading, with breaking news and the best analysis of the AFL trade landscape covering contracts, re-signings, free agents, the AFL Draft and industry insights.
CONTRACTED SAINT 'READY TO GO'
RIVAL teams are "not doing their job" if they're not making calls on contracted St Kilda midfielder Jack Billings, as the classy Saint continues in his attempts to break into the club's finals team.
Billings' manager, Paul Connors from Connors Sports Management, told AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week that "not enough" teams were enquiring about his potential availability.
Still contracted through to 2025, Billings has played just three senior games this season after making a delayed start to the year with a fractured leg before suffering hamstring and thumb injuries during the campaign.
However, Connors said Billings is now ready to crack into the club's senior side as it gears towards September and described the 28-year-old as being a 'Moneyball' option for rival teams.
"People forget he's been injured for a while, but he's ready to go," Connors told Gettable.
"He's faster than people believe, too. His high-end speed is really, really good. The Saints would think he needs another big pre-season, my view is he's ready to go. We forget how good some talent is. I think Jack Billings is the forgotten AFL player.
"He kicks it elite, he's a 9.9 (out of 10) as a preparer … it's Moneyball for me. I'm surprised he's not in St Kilda's side, but their view is that he's done really well to get ready for now. I'm in love with Jack Billings the player, and the person. If clubs aren't enquiring about him, they're not doing their job."
Connors said Billings was yet to explore rival interest, saying he was fully concentrating on returning to St Kilda's finals team after a strong period of VFL form where he has averaged 22.4 disposals and kicked nine goals from eight games.
"His No.1 focus is the Saints being in the finals and he wants to be in that team," he said.
"He's bloody close. One injury and he's in. So, at the moment, we'll wait and sit down at the end of the year. It would be wrong to talk too much with Jack about that right now when he's laser focused on getting in the team." – Riley Beveridge
BOMBER WEIGHS DECISION
ESSENDON key defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher is yet to make a call on where he will play in 2024 and beyond, but both Adelaide clubs are circling.
The 25-year-old will head back to South Australia in the coming days to weigh up a permanent return to his home state or whether to remain at the Bombers.
Zerk-Thatcher is understood to have not requested a trade at his exit meeting on Monday and has not ruled out continuing his career in red and black.
Port Adelaide has been in the hunt for Zerk-Thatcher's services for some time, but Adelaide has also expressed interest in the Murray Bridge product, who played for Sturt in the SANFL.
The Crows are in the market for a key defender to help propel Matthew Nicks' side back into September and provide coverage after losing Tom Doedee and Nick Murray to knee reconstructions that will sideline the pair for extended periods next season.
Essendon has had a three-year contract offer in front of Zerk-Thatcher for a couple of months.
The 195cm backman had always wanted to get to the end of the season before making a decision based on whether to return home to be closer to his family or remain in Melbourne.
Zerk-Thatcher played 22 games under Brad Scott in 2023 – 10 more than his previous most – for a total of 51 across his first six seasons in the AFL, after being selected at pick No.66 in the 2017 draft. – Josh Gabelich
SUN ON KEY FORWARD RADARS
GOLD Coast goalkicker Mabior Chol shapes as a key forward trade option for clubs this year despite having two years to run on his deal at the Suns.
Chol joined the Suns from Richmond at the end of 2021 on a four-year deal as a free agent, kicking 44 goals from 22 games in his first year at the club.
But he has been squeezed out this season, playing eight senior games and kicking 10 goals while spending most of the season in the VFL for the Suns.
With Ben King the Suns' spearhead, Levi Casboult set to play on and Jed Walter to arrive as the club's next key forward threat with an early draft pick, Chol's spot in the Gold Coast line-up could be challenged.
The 26-year-old played 31 games for Richmond under Damien Hardwick, who has joined as the Suns' senior coach for the next six seasons. – Callum Twomey
SUITORS EMERGE FOR LIONS TALL
BRISBANE tall Tom Fullarton is attracting interest from rival clubs, as teams continue to scour the market for available key position players.
Fullarton is coming towards the end of his contract at the Lions, having been on the fringes of Chris Fagan's side this year, with the versatile key forward prospect yet to add to his 19 senior games this season.
But the 199cm Fullarton has impressed at VFL level, kicking 28 goals from 15 games and averaging 15.5 disposals and 4.3 marks per match.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable last week, Fullarton's manager Tim Hazell from Vivid Sport revealed the 24-year-old is attracting interest from rival clubs.
"There is some interest in Tommy. It's been a really frustrating year for Tom, because the tall timber at Brisbane have been consistent and stayed on the park," Hazell told Gettable.
"Tommy is terrific, his VFL form has been good. But he has also been missing games, because he's been the travelling emergency. The continuity of him playing probably hasn't been as ideal as he would have liked.
"There's definitely some interest. We'll see how the next month goes, but he's really focused on the VFL finals and he's still hoping he can crack back into that (AFL) side." – Riley Beveridge
FREO LOCKS IN MID-YEAR RECRUIT
MID-SEASON recruit Ethan Stanley will remain at Fremantle in 2024.
The 19-year-old has signed a one-year extension after playing two games as the sub for Justin Longmuir's side after being selected at pick No.7 in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
Stanley was one of the biggest bolters in this year's draft class, spending most of last season playing under-19s for Frankston YCW before being invited to trial for a spot at Box Hill during the pre-season.
The Mornington Peninsula product played six games for Box Hill on a wing as well as an eye-catching performance in the Young Guns series, trained with Hawthorn ahead of the draft, before Dockers list boss David Walls opted to recruit another player out of the VFL.
Stanley made his debut against Sydney at Optus Stadium in round 19 and played the following week against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. – Josh Gabelich
NGA BIDDING CHANGES DISCUSSED
THE POTENTIAL to align the Next Generation Academy bidding system with the northern Academy rules is among the suggestions put forward by clubs as the AFL reviews its NGA system.
The League has had ongoing reviews of the NGA system – its rules, the access to talent for clubs, the eligibility process – across the year, with club views strong on questioning the pick 40 threshold on when they are able to match bids on NGA products.
Clubs have felt that benchmark for priority access to Indigenous and multicultural prospects in the draft was too late to warrant huge investment in the programs without the benefit of the best players within their zones.
DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news
Northern Academy clubs, like those with father-sons, have access to matching bids at any stage of the draft, with limitations only on how many per season clubs inside the top eight and top four can take inside the top 20 picks.
But club feedback on NGA provisions will be put forward on the Academy bidding systems aligning, while other clubs have suggested that clubs should need to retain a selection within a certain range of where the bid could come on a player so that they cannot trade out of a pick and match with later picks and points.
While the review is undergoing this year, any possible changes wouldn't be brought in until the 2024 draft. – Callum Twomey
FUTURE PICKS REQUIRED FOR TRADE UP
CLUBS will consider dangling their future first-round picks to help break into the top end of this year's draft with a standout group of prospects emerging.
The top 10 picks of this year's draft have been set after the end of the home and away season but there is still expected to be plenty of movement, with Gold Coast to trade out its pick No.4, West Coast listening to offers on No.1, North Melbourne looking at ways to creep up from No.2 and a potential draft compensation pick coming in for Ben McKay.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
Outside of the points-hunting Suns, clubs don't expect that bundling first-round picks with second-round picks will see any clubs interested in backing out of the top 10, with the likelihood that future first-round would be required to jump into the top echelon of the draft.
Collingwood looms as a club that could look to package its future first-round pick with its first-rounder this year to move up the draft order, with its current indicative draft hand being No.18, 33 and 74.
Harley Reid, Zane Duursma, Nick Watson, Daniel Curtin, Colby McKercher, Connor O'Sullivan, Ryley Sanders and Nate Caddy have developed into the standout top group of draftees this year outside of Gold Coast Academy pair Jed Walter and Ethan Read. – Callum Twomey
ROOKIE RULE IN MOTION
THE AFL is contemplating extending the length of time a mid-season recruit can spend on the rookie list, after receiving support from clubs in a recent survey.
Under the current rules, players are required to be promoted to the senior list after three years on the rookie list.
Players selected in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft are currently more vulnerable given they only have two full seasons to prove themselves – if they secure a deal beyond the initial six- or 18-month contract – after arriving halfway through their first season.
Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe is the poster boy of the Mid-Season Rookie Draft and the best player taken from the 2021 class, but others from that draft – Collingwood ruckman Aiden Begg, Melbourne key defender Daniel Turner, West Coast forward Connor West – all face uncertain futures right now.
Increasing the length of time on the rookie list won't be limiting financially and will provide clubs with greater flexibility.
If this is approved as expected, Ash Johnson will remain on Collingwood's rookie list next year, along with Greater Western Sydney forward James Peatling. Both have contracts for 2024. Johnson is also contracted for 2025. Wade Derksen and Max Ramsden also secured two-year deals this year which could see them remain on the rookie list for the duration of those deals.
Clubs have also expressed views on transferring primary listed players seamlessly to the rookie list without having to delist them first and then select them in the Rookie Draft, while there is also a push for the delisted free agency window to be introduced earlier.
AFL player movement manager Ned Guy has given clubs until September 1 to complete the survey with some changes expected to be implemented swiftly. – Josh Gabelich
HAWKS FATHER-SON IN SIGHTS
HAWTHORN father-son prospect Calsher Dear enjoyed one of the best games of his season last week as he generates interest ahead of this November's draft.
Dear, the son of the late Hawthorn premiership player Paul, kicked 2.2 from 20 disposals and six marks in an impressive display in attack for the Sandringham Dragons in the Coates Talent League.
Against the Oakleigh Chargers, the 194cm prospect showed his marking strength and continued a run of form that included kicking 1.4 from 21 disposals against the Western Jets three weeks ago.
He has booted 14.17 in 11 games this season and could be a later draft option for the Hawks, who will get first call on him as a father-son.
Paul Dear played 123 games and kicked 80 goals for the Hawks, including being the 1991 Norm Smith medallist.
The Hawks will also get first access to fellow father-son Will McCabe at this year's draft, while they have had Tew Jiath approved as a Next Generation Academy prospect after his nomination had been pending in recent months.
Jiath, the younger brother of current Hawk Changkuoth, has risen up draft boards and may not be available to Hawthorn after pick 40, when it will be able to match an NGA bid. – Callum Twomey
