Get all the latest news in the trade, free agency and draft landscape every Thursday 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.
GIANTS GOALKICKER SET FOR DEAL
GREATER Western Sydney is in talks to extend Jesse Hogan's contract at the club, with the key forward closing on a fresh two-year deal following a standout performance over the weekend.
Hogan is due to come out of contract later this year, but the club is now progressing over a new deal that is set to take the veteran goalkicker through until 2026.
It's just reward for a strong summer that resulted in Hogan kicking four goals in last Saturday night's Opening Round victory over Collingwood, the perfect way for the 29-year-old to follow a career-best campaign last season.
Hogan booted a personal-best 49 goals last year as the Giants shot from the bottom four to a preliminary final berth under new coach Adam Kingsley, becoming a respected leader inside the club.
He's currently into his fourth season at the Giants, having also played 71 games at Melbourne and 19 at Fremantle.
Hogan's impending deal is set to kickstart a busy period for the Giants, who are now expected to turn their attentions towards tying down free agent duo Isaac Cumming and Harry Perryman. – Riley Beveridge
SAINT SET FOR TRIGGER
ST KILDA midfielder Brad Crouch has to play one game to hit a games trigger to extend his stay at the Saints to the end of 2025.
Crouch joined the Saints at the end of 2020 on a four-year deal with a trigger for a fifth season.
It is understood the former Crow has to play another game to reach the mark, with the 30-year-old having a disrupted lead-in to the season with a knee injury. He has played 65 of a possible 68 games for the Saints since his arrival as a free agent.
The AFL's official free agency list, which includes restricted and unrestricted bandings, is expected to be released imminently, with nearly 120 free agents remaining for 2024. Players who switched clubs as free agents automatically are deemed free agents the rest of their careers whenever they are out of contract.
The likes of Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage, Western Bulldog Tim English, Gold Coast's Ben Ainsworth, Bomber Andrew McGrath and Kangaroo Cam Zurhaar are all expected to be named as restricted free agents. – Callum Twomey
CONTRACT POISED FOR CAT
GEELONG young gun Jhye Clark is set to be the next top-10 pick from the 2022 AFL Draft to ink a contract extension.
The 19-year-old is understood to be finalising a two-year deal on the eve of his second season, which will lock the Queenscliff product in at Kardinia Park until the end of 2026.
Clark endured a frustrating start to life in the AFL, managing only one appearance in 2023 after being selected at pick No.8.
But after recovering from the navicular stress reaction in his foot that wiped him out after his debut in round nine, Clark is poised to play plenty of senior football under Chris Scott this year, following a full pre-season and impressive form in the AAMI Community Series.
With Essendon teenager Elijah Tsatas signing his own two-year extension last month – and Clark's signature imminent – St Kilda midfielder-forward Mattaeas Phillipou is set to be the final member of the 2022 top-10 class to be out of contract.
Most players are contracted through until the end of their fourth seasons in 2026, but Rising Star winner Harry Sheezel inked a monster deal last month that ties him to Arden Street until 2030, with Bailey Humphrey locked in at Gold Coast until 2028. – Josh Gabelich
DURHAM EYES NEW DEAL
ESSENDON has opened negotiations on an extension for midfielder Sam Durham as the Bombers look to continue a run of contract extensions this year.
Durham, who will play his 50th AFL game on Saturday against the Hawks, is out of contract this year but is keen to stay at Essendon and the Bombers are looking to get a deal done.
The 22-year-old has been a successful selection after joining the Bombers via the 2021 mid-season rookie draft and has played 49 of the club's past 52 games since making his debut late in 2021.
The hard-running wingman has been a standout during Essendon's pre-season as he looks to spend more time as an inside midfielder, with his taller size and overhead marking adding a different element to the Bombers' mix.
Essendon recently signed No.5 draft pick Elijah Tsatas to a new two-year deal (to the end of 2026) while guns Jordan Ridley (to the end of 2029) and Kyle Langford (end of 2027) also extended their deals. – Callum Twomey
YOUNG DEE TO EXTEND
MELBOURNE looks set to lock in young tall Jed Adams to a contract extension.
Adams, who was the Dees' second pick at the 2022 national draft, is a developing key defender. His initial two-year deal is due to expire this season but the Demons are in discussions on a two-year extension with agent Tom Seccull, from Hemisphere Management Group.
The 19-year-old, who was picked from Peel Thunder in the WAFL, spent his first season at the Demons playing with Casey in the VFL.
He is viewed as a versatile tall who could play at either end of the ground but has been largely settled in the back half.
Adams joined the Demons alongside tall forward Matt Jefferson, who was the club's No.15 pick that season. – Callum Twomey
TOP DRAFTEE SIDELINED
SOUTH Australia's top draft prospect Sid Draper will have a delayed start to his season after discovering a stress fracture in his shin.
Draper, who starred last season as a bottom-ager to have him start 2024 as a potential top-five pick, is expected to miss six to eight weeks with the setback but be fit for the important under-18 national carnival.
The younger brother of former Collingwood player Arlo, Draper dominated last season, winning under-18 All-Australian honours for his championships form for South Australia and also winning the best-afield medal in the SA under-18s Grand Final win.
The competitive midfielder had 21 disposals, three clearances and a goal in South Adelaide's win. – Callum Twomey
LIST MANAGERS MEETING
CLUB list bosses and recruiting managers will gather on Thursday at AFL House in a meeting with the League.
The talent pathways are expected to be on the agenda with all in attendance, with AFLW club list bosses also set to be at the catch-up.
Ahead of the Coates Talent League season beginning next week, the clubs will hear from the League on a range of issues. The meetings generally give clubs a platform for feedback on the under-18s system, championships and any pressing matters.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
The AFL several weeks ago begun its club visits as part of the follow-up to its competitive balance survey, which was more targeted to questions on trade and player movement rules.
Players from the Coates Talent League last Saturday underwent their testing day, with Sandringham Dragons prospect Taj Hotton a standout across the testing. The son of former Blue and Magpie Trent Hotton and brother of current Saint Olli showed his athleticism and speed, including a 2.88 second 20-metre sprint. – Callum Twomey
RETIRED DEFENDER MAKES PLAYER AGENCY MOVE
FORMER Adelaide and Hawthorn key defender Kyle Hartigan is entering the talent management space.
Hartigan has joined W Sports and Media – the South Australian agency that represented him during his playing career – as a talent manager based out of the Melbourne office and will become an accredited agent in the coming months.
W Sports and Media has been building its AFL and AFLW client base over the past few years, with Izak Rankine, Charlie Dixon, Brodie Smith, Orazio Fantasia and Matt and Brad Crouch on the books.
Garry Winter managed Hartigan during the back half of his career and offered him a position at W Sports and Media late last year.
Carlton defender Mitch McGovern and Adelaide’s Irish pair Mark Keane and Karl Gallagher have all joined W Sports and Media over the pre-season.
The 32-year-old played 113 games for the Crows and 22 games with the Hawks before being delisted at the end of 2022.
After being recruited out of Werribee at the age of 21, Hartigan has returned to Chirnside Park to coach the backline and will combine that with his management work this year.
Hartigan becomes the latest former player to enter the current player management sphere, joining current agents Brett Deledio, Tim Hazell, David Trotter, Andrew McDougall, Scott Lucas, Marty Pask, John Meesen, Alex McDonald, Adam Ramanauskas and Michael Doughty. – Josh Gabelich
