THE IMMEDIATE focus of the 18 AFL clubs is the upcoming trade and free agency periods, but recruiters and player agents are already looking ahead to next year as some of the brightest young stars in the game near the end of their current deals.
Young guns like Chad Warner, Mac Andrew and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will all come out of contract at the end of the 2025 season, so they can expect some big-money offers to come from both their current clubs and those around the competition.
On this week's episode of Gettable, trade and draft experts Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge identified 12 big-name players who will come out of contract at the end of next year but fall short of the free agency threshold, meaning rivals will have to come with plenty of cash and plenty of draft picks if they want to get a deal done.
Here are 12 non free agents clubs will "back up the truck" for in 2025.
Chad Warner (Sydney)
Age: 23
Games: 77
Drafted: Pick 29, 2019
Home state: Western Australia
The Swans star is weighing up big interest from West Coast and Fremantle in his home state and has had contact from both clubs through this year. As one of the Swans superstars, Sydney won't be sitting on its hands either. He will get offered some of the biggest money deals the game has seen.
Mac Andrew (Gold Coast)
Age: 20
Games: 35
Drafted: Pick 5, 2021
Home state: Victoria
A Victorian boy, Andrew has risen quickly this year after being a top-five pick in 2021. Gold Coast will be keen to lock him in – he's four years off free agency.
Finn Callaghan (Greater Western Sydney)
Age: 21
Games: 42
Drafted: Pick 3, 2021
Home state: Victoria
The young Giant will get some extreme offers of more than $1 million a season at the end of his fourth year. His manager Tom Seccull told Gettable last month that discussions would likely be kept until the end of this year and rivals will already be preparing big deals for the Sandringham Dragons product.
Miles Bergman (Port Adelaide)
Age: 22
Games: 74
Drafted: Pick 14, 2019
Home state: Victoria
The Power winger knocked back some big offers this time last year when he re-signed for two more years at Port. Collingwood came with a deal of around four years and worth about $3 million but he remained loyal to Alberton Oval and has continued his rise as a player.
Toby Conway (Geelong)
Age: 21
Games: 6
Drafted: Pick 24, 2021
Home state: Victoria
Remember when Sam Draper was offered nearly $2 million by St Kilda before he'd even played an AFL game? If the Cats look elsewhere for their rucks over the next 12 months, clubs are sure to come knocking given the constant search for rucks.
Matt Rowell (Gold Coast)
Age: 23
Games: 79
Drafted: Pick 1, 2019
Home state: Victoria
It would be a shock if he moved clubs and you would expect the Suns to look to tie him up for at least another two years, which would take him through to free agency.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
Age: 21
Games: 57
Drafted: Pick 11, 2021
Home state: South Australia
The young Saint is a South Australian and has strong family links to Port Adelaide – will there be a pull to go back home? He's going to get some massive offers and could be a $1 million a season player at a stage of his career. Clubs will be backing up the truck for him.
Sam De Koning (Geelong)
Age: 23
Games: 59
Drafted: Pick 19, 2019
Home state: Victoria
Sam De Koning has become Geelong's new wave ruck. His brother at Carlton is a free agent next year, but Sam is only into his sixth year. He's gone into the ruck recently and had an impact so it wouldn't surprise if clubs come for him if they miss out on Tom.
Mitch Owens (St Kilda)
Age: 20
Games: 47
Drafted: Pick 33, 2021
Home state: Victoria
A number of clubs considered bidding on him inside the top 20 and stealing him from St Kilda back in his draft year in 2021. He has not been as impactful this season as last but remains one of the Saints' best young talents.
Braeden Campbell (Sydney)
Age: 22
Games: 63
Drafted: Pick 5, 2020
Home state: New South Wales
The young Swan has played just 15 games so far this season, including four as the sub, and has been moved around the ground a little bit. With Luke Parker and Callum Mills returning and adding to the selection squeeze at the Swans, clubs will be keeping an eye on where Campbell fits into their best 23 next year.
Judd McVee (Melbourne)
Age: 20
Games: 42
Drafted: Pick 18, 2021 Rookie Draft
Home state: Western Australia
McVee is one of the best rookie selections of recent seasons. He signed early last year through to 2025 so the Dees were obviously keen to lock him away early ahead of his next contract. He's from WA so clubs could come for him.
Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)
Age: 20
Games: 21
Drafted: Pick 2, 2021
Home state: Victoria
A father-son, so the safe money is on him staying at the Bulldogs. But he's got one of the highest potentials of any young player in the competition so clubs will be interested in him.
