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.
SUN KEEN TO STAY
RIVAL clubs are set to shift their search for a ruckman elsewhere, with Gold Coast youngster Ned Moyle keen to remain at the Suns.
While talks haven't yet picked up on a new deal, the out-of-contract Moyle is understood to be keen to stay with the Suns and continue to grow his ruck craft alongside co-captain Jarrod Witts.
A number of clubs have chased Moyle, a mid-season pick for the Suns in 2021, in trying to lure the big man out of Gold Coast for more opportunity, with Adelaide, St Kilda and Collingwood among those linked, but he is now expected to resist that to continue his development at the club.
Discussions around a deal will pick up with the Suns past their bye, with different options available. Moyle is four years away from hitting free agency.
The 206cm 22-year-old has played six games at AFL level, including the past two for the Suns. – Callum Twomey
KANGA'S CALL COMING
NORTH Melbourne's improved form comes as restricted free agent Cam Zurhaar reaches a critical time in his free agency call.
As AFL.com.au reported in March, the Roos have a five-year offer in front of Zurhaar to retain him at Arden Street.
The forward put off a decision until later in the season as he looked for on-field progress in the developing Kangaroos unit, having played in 25 wins in eight seasons so far with the club.
The 26-year-old kicked three goals from 19 disposals against Collingwood last week in the best game of his season against a club that is scouring the free agency market for options given it doesn't have a first-round draft pick this year, with the Magpies among the clubs to have been linked.
With the Roos now past their mid-season bye, Zurhaar's free agency call comes into sharp focus as the most intriguing of the remaining five restricted free agents.
As Gettable revealed last month, Brisbane had put forward a four-year offer for Jarrod Berry, while Essendon and Port Adelaide are among the clubs with interest in Gold Coast's Ben Ainsworth, who is also weighing a four-year offer from the Suns.
Negotiations continue between the Western Bulldogs and Tim English on a long-term deal, while the oldest restricted free agent, Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield, will likely get into talks with his return from a hamstring injury due this weekend.
Meanwhile, Collingwood star Bobby Hill could look to start talks to further extend his deal at the Magpies soon. Hill, who kicked five goals in the Pies' comeback win over the Roos last week, has two years to run on his deal at the club to the end of 2026 but could look to further extend at the club, where he is settled. – Callum Twomey
SUNS LOOK TO LOCK AWAY YOUNG PAIR
ACADEMY graduate Bodhi Uwland has hit a contract trigger at Gold Coast for next season, as the club negotiates to extend his deal even further into the future.
Uwland has become a Suns regular under new coach Damien Hardwick this season, playing 11 matches and impressing with his poise and composure across half-back.
That run of games has proved crucial in Uwland recently hitting a trigger to extend his deal through until 2025, with the club now also opening talks to ensure the 20-year-old remains at People First Stadium beyond next season as well.
Uwland had 19 disposals and 13 marks in a victory over Essendon earlier this month, before backing up his increased production with 23 disposals and 13 marks in Gold Coast's last match against St Kilda before its bye.
The contract talks with Uwland come as the Suns also prepare to welcome his younger brother Zeke to the club, with the teenage midfielder and Academy member already being touted as one of the top prospects in next year's draft.
Gold Coast is also locked in discussions to extend fellow talented youngster Sam Clohesy, who has enjoyed a breakout campaign at the club after earning his spot on the list as a mature-aged rookie.
Clohesy is currently on a one-year rookie deal at Gold Coast, having been recruited from Werribee's VFL program as a 20-year-old, but has played his way into contract talks after impressing across 10 games this season.
"We're having a discussion at the moment. Gold Coast has been really pleased with his progress, so we expect to progress that in the next week or two," Clohesy's manager Scott Lucas from Phoenix Management Group told AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable last week. – Riley Beveridge
TURNER TIME
MELBOURNE youngster Daniel Turner is closing in on a new deal with the Demons after rival interest in the versatile tall.
Turner was due to come out of contract this year but is set to extend with the Demons on a multi-year deal as he continues to show his wares at both ends of the ground.
A mid-season draft pick in 2021, Turner made his AFL debut in 2022 before playing two games last year as a tall defender. This season he has been used in attack for the Dees, including kicking three goals against Richmond in round seven.
The developing 22-year-old has played five games for the season and is being groomed as an up-and-coming key-position option for the Demons under coach Simon Goodwin.
He was upgraded to the senior list for this season. – Callum Twomey
YOUNG SWAN SET FOR DEAL
SYDNEY youngster Matt Roberts is set to be rewarded for his improvement this season, with the Telstra AFL Rising Star nominee closing on a fresh two-year extension.
Roberts is already contracted for next season, but is set to add a further two years to his deal in a move that will take the defender through until 2027.
It's the result of a campaign where the composed 20-year-old has established himself as an important member of John Longmire's plans, playing in 12 of 13 games and adding stability across half-back.
He was recognised with a Rising Star nomination in Opening Round, where he helped Sydney to an important victory over Melbourne with 19 disposals and eight marks playing in his new role having originally been drafted as a big-bodied midfielder.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week, Roberts' manager Tom Seccull from Hemisphere Management Group elaborated on his client's recent contract discussions with the Swans.
"That's something we're looking at with the club at the moment. We've been chatting for a bit of a month now. We're just putting some finishing touches on that, which is great for Matty," Seccull said. – Riley Beveridge
ROOS, PORT TO MISS FATHER-SON TALENT
NORTH Melbourne and Port Adelaide will miss out on father-son access to exciting teenage talent Dougie Cochrane who will spearhead South Australia's under-16s campaign starting this week.
Clubs have an eye on the under-16s championships, which began earlier this month, and a number of potential father-sons are among the squads, with some others having fatherly ties to the top level without being eligible to clubs.
Cochrane, an athletic tall who can play just about anywhere on the field and has terrific skills, is the son of former Kangaroos and Power midfielder Stuart and is eligible for the draft in 2026.
Stuart Cochrane played 50 games with North Melbourne and 54 with Port Adelaide in his career, falling short of the 100 games required at either single club to meet father-son qualification.
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It shapes as another 'near miss' case similar to Noah Anderson, who went No.2 in the open draft in 2019 after his dad played 83 games with the Hawks and 67 with St Kilda.
There is a handful of players in the under-16s pool who do qualify, though, with Vic Country's Cody Walker tied to Carlton as a father-son where his dad Andrew played, while Cooper Hodge, the son of Hawthorn and Brisbane great Luke, will play for the Lions Academy under-16s side.
Hodge starred at under-15s level last year and will have the choice of joining the Hawks as a father-son or remaining with Brisbane as an Academy player in his draft year should his progress continue.
Two other players in similar situations are Aidan McCartney, the son of Jason, and Ethan Kingsley, son of Adam. McCartney is eligible to North Melbourne as a father-son, where his dad Jason played 107 of his 182 AFL games, and Kingsley is eligible to join the Power where his dad played 170 games.
However, in a quirk for the current Giants coach and football manager, both sons will line up for crosstown rivals Sydney's under-16s side as members of the Swans Academy.
Also playing for the Swans in the under-16 carnival as an over-ager after having last season hit by injury will be James O'Loughlin, the son of Sydney champion Michael. He is eligible for the draft in 2025.
South Australia has Jack Leys, the son of 110-game Richmond player Brian, on its under-16s list.
Other players with fatherly links to the AFL who are not eligible to join their dad's clubs and who have been named in the under-16 squads include Western Australia's Koby LeCras (the son of ex-Roo Brent and nephew of former Eagle Mark) and South Australian Gabriel Patterson (son of former Magpie Stephen).
South Australia and Western Australia will play their first game of the under-16s carnival on Saturday in Adelaide, with the championships concluding in July on the Gold Coast. – Callum Twomey
PIE IN RIVAL SIGHTS
CLUBS in the market for Geelong star Tyson Stengle and Gold Coast free agent Ben Ainsworth are keeping tabs on out-of-contract Collingwood small forward Joe Richards as a back-up option.
Richards made an eye-catching debut against West Coast in round nine and played three games before being sidelined with a foot injury after collecting 22 disposals in the draw to Fremantle.
The 24-year-old is closing in on a return from a fractured metatarsal and will be available after the Magpies' mid-season bye, but is yet to receive an offer from Collingwood for 2025.
With Jamie Elliott still to return to a forward line that has also been missing key forwards Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox, competition for spots is fierce at Collingwood, with Bobby Hill, Lachie Schultz and Beau McCreery in the 22, meaning Richards is no guarantee to regain his place.
While Richards has far less experience than Stengle or Ainsworth, those who miss out on that pair could turn their attention to Richards to address a small forward need.
Essendon, Fremantle and Port Adelaide are among the clubs that have monitored the Wangaratta product. Geelong could also look to bolster its small forward stocks if Stengle departs the club in October. – Josh Gabelich
WHERE'S THE CASH SPLASH?
CLUBS believe the rise in money in the market has become a lever to help stars stay where they are instead of being tempted by massive rival offers.
The injection of extra total player payments under the new collective bargaining agreement came into the competition this season and will continue to rise in coming years under the deal signed by the AFL and AFL Players Association.
The view at the start of this year from list managers was that it would see clubs able to prise out some high-end players due to astronomical offers available to some of the competition's best players.
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Those astronomical deals have still been thrown at some of the best free agents, but list bosses believe the extra salary cap cash has in a lot of cases been used to retain stars from rival raids more than get players to move.
Most priority contracts have now been completed by clubs, with the remaining players on the free agency list dwindling by the week and the majority of key signings done.
Clubs expect a targeting of contracted players to be the next phase of the season given the out-of-contract list has lost some of its star power. – Callum Twomey
TALKS YET TO START ON BOMBER
NICK Hind's strong run of form returning to the forward line is yet to see the speedy Bomber engage in any contract talks.
Hind was either the starting substitute or subbed out of Essendon's games in five of his first six matches this season, however an important showing against Greater Western Sydney in nine when he gathered 20 disposals and a goal kickstarted his consistency.
The former Saint, who crossed to Essendon at the end of 2020, kicked two goals from 25 disposals against Richmond in Dreamtime at the 'G and was again excellent against Gold Coast the following week with 24 disposals and a goal.
Hind is among the group of Bombers who remain out of contract heading into the back end of the season but his agent Scott Lucas from Phoenix Management Group said discussions hadn't yet picked up to extend into 2025.
"Nick's had a really strong month of football. [He was] a little bit up and down early, we're perhaps not entirely objective as managers but I thought he was a little bit unlucky at times early in the year when he was a sub or subbed out with what he was able to contribute to the team," Lucas told AFL.com.au's draft and trade show Gettable.
"Leg speed is critical and he's got that and can get penetrating in his kicking, so I thought he was a little bit unlucky. If he continues to play the way he has then I'm sure we'll be able to work something out with Essendon but no discussions as such as yet." – Callum Twomey
