ARE YOU ready for it?
This year's free agency window opens on Friday ahead of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period beginning next Monday.
Ahead of a player movement period where more than 30 players are set to change clubs, AFL.com.au has listed 12 figures set to be the most influential in the trade period.
From players to agents to list bosses, this group will largely shape the big deals – if they get done, how they get done and when they get done.
Blair Hartley
As Richmond's list boss, Hartley is this year's trade period kingmaker. He may as well hold the stop and go sign for any dealings because there are many trade threads connected to the Tigers' calls. Liam Baker is bound for West Coast and the Eagles would likely do something with the pick they get in for Tom Barrass to get Baker across the line. But the big Tiger decisions lie mainly on Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton. Rioli has a five-year offer on the table from Gold Coast and the Suns will have pick No.6 on the table to get the contracted triple-premiership star across the line. And Bolton wants to go back to Western Australia, with Fremantle best placed to get a deal done with two first-round picks to be offered. Given the pair are contracted long-term, Richmond has to make the decision. Hartley was central in building the Tigers' triple flag era and there are some massive decisions to make as Richmond navigates its way back there.
Harry Perryman
The free agent who holds the cards. Perryman has been heavily courted all season by Port Adelaide, who have a six-year contract ready for him. Hawthorn also chased him hard but are now out of the race. Collingwood has come late but strongly and the versatile Giant grew up an avid Pies fan. The Giants, too, have a six-year contract in front of him and unlike Isaac Cumming, who announced he was leaving the Giants and then worked through if it was Adelaide or Port Adelaide, Perryman hasn't given any steer. As an unrestricted free agent, Perryman can walk to the club of his choice. If it is Port Adelaide, that would give the Power more reason to listen to offers for Dan Houston, who is searching for a trade back to Victoria. If Perryman does choose Collingwood, would that stop any potential Houston move? And how does that impact the Magpies' willingness to let half-back John Noble secure his trade to Gold Coast? Perryman has taken his time and been torn on his call but with free agency opening on Friday, a decision is imminent.
Craig Cameron
It is another busy period coming up for the Suns list manager who, along with recruiting boss Kall Burns, will look to oversee a number of moves. The Suns want Daniel Rioli and, given his contract status at Richmond, will need to have pick No.6 on the table. John Noble also wants to join the Suns and they have targeted his pace, but he has two years remaining on his deal with the Magpies. The Suns will lose significant salary for the next two years with Jack Lukosius keen to head to Port Adelaide. But they will get draft capital back in return, while Elliott Himmelberg is set to be signed as an unrestricted free agent. Plenty of activity around the Suns will also revolve around their draft picks, with clubs sure to be hounding Cameron with offers for their pick No.12 given a bid for Academy prospect Leo Lombard is likely to come before then. The Suns could turn it into more picks and even future selections. And then there's Dustin Martin, with any twist or turn possible in his fluctuating interest in joining the Suns.
Dan Houston
Dan remains the man in demand but if - and how - a deal gets done is one of the big questions heading into the trade period. His hope of getting back to Victoria, where he has strong personal ties, has been on the cards since mid-year. Then, he was heading to Melbourne but the Demons' tumultuous end of season made the Port Adelaide star change his mind. He's met with Carlton, Collingwood, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs in a day before the Saints cooled on their interest, while North Melbourne remains keen and has its future first-round pick on the table. That could be a top-five pick in 2025, but Port is after picks for the 2024 gun draft. Carlton is keen but doesn't want to part with pick 11, with the Blues attempting to get pick 12 from the Suns, as the Pies will be as part of the John Noble deal. After missing out on Isaac Cumming, Port Adelaide's decision on whether to allow Houston to move could rest on where Harry Perryman decides to play next year. The Dogs appear most unlikely for Houston given it would take them giving up the selection they get for Bailey Smith and a future first-rounder. Houston is contracted for four more years at Port.
David Walls
There's no losing scenario for the Dockers in the upcoming trade period, with Walls at the centre of things as Fremantle's list manager. They lost out to West Coast in the chase for Liam Baker, but are firmly in the mix for Shai Bolton and are prepared to use their prized picks to make it happen. But if not, the Dockers currently have the biggest hand of top selections of any club (No.9, 10 and 16). They have done the main running for Bolton but would need to satisfy the Tigers on a deal given he has four years remaining on his contract. If the Dockers don't land their main targets then they could look to trade one of their first round picks for a future first-round pick (and they won't be short of takers). That would allow them to space out selections and have an extra pick up their sleeve for the chase for Sydney star Chad Warner, which will be at full throttle next year. Separately, the Dockers are in the mix for Carlton free agent Jack Martin, who also has interest from the Cats.
Winston Rous
Rous is Harry Perryman's agent at Phoenix Management Group, with Perryman's signature – wherever it is – to create a huge ripple effect. Perryman's decision to hold off his call until this late has increased his market value, particularly given his status as an unrestricted free agent. But he isn't Rous' only Giant in limbo, with teammate James Peatling also weighing up his future. The improved midfielder has a three-year offer from the Giants to remain but has also had strong interest from Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, St Kilda and West Coast. He met with clubs last week in Melbourne and a stay or go call is expected this week. The third of Rous' clients to be in play is John Noble, who has requested a trade from Collingwood to Gold Coast.
Jason Cripps
The Power are again set to be one of the most active clubs in the trade period, with list manager Cripps at the helm of a number of intersecting trade decisions. Jack Lukosius wants to get to Port and will get there, but what it costs the Power from a trade point of view remains to be seen. They are still waiting for Harry Perryman's yay or nay – either of which will be a fork in their trade road. If he heads to Alberton Oval, it could see the Power more open to doing a deal for Dan Houston to return to Victoria. If not, it would be hard to see how the Power get a good enough offer to lose one of their best players, particularly as clubs have so far been keen to hold onto their early picks in this year's draft pool. The Power are also waiting on Magpie Joe Richards' decision as they hunt more small forwards and have ruckman Ivan Soldo wanting to be traded to St Kilda.
Nick Gieschen
The Connors Sports Management agent has two of the biggest names in play in the trade period: Tom Barrass and Dan Houston. Barrass wants to head to Hawthorn, where he will link up with former West Coast teammate and assistant and now Hawks coach, Sam Mitchell. But he has three years on his contract and the Eagles want to maximise their draft hand for losing the premiership defender. Pick 13 will be a significant part of the deal but the Eagles will push for more. Gieschen will also look to negotiate a deal for Houston, whose decision and preferred destination will carry weight in how a number of linked deals go through.
Sam Power
As the Dogs' list boss, Power has plenty ahead over the next three weeks. There's the Bailey Smith trade talks, with the midfielder keen to get to Geelong but a deal not expected to come in the early stages of the period. Then there's Jack Macrae, who has three years left on his deal but wants to join St Kilda. The Dogs also have Caleb Daniel assessing his future, with North Melbourne keen on him. Midfield replacements are being eyed by Power and coach Luke Beveridge, with GWS pair James Peatling and Xavier O'Halloran in their sights, while the Dogs have also been keen on Port star Dan Houston but don't have the trade capital of other teams in the mix for the two-time All-Australian.
Matt Clarke
Clarke's first off-season as list boss of the Eagles sees them with lots on the go, especially after Andrew McQualter was locked in as the new senior coach on Monday. Richmond pair Liam Baker and Jack Graham will likely follow McQualter to the Eagles, while West Coast remains in the mix for Shai Bolton, although Fremantle is favoured to win that race. Clarke, who recruited all three players to Richmond, will be balancing adding more experience whilst also continuing to rebuild via the draft. The Eagles could look for two first-round picks for Tom Barrass whilst giving another pick back the Hawks' way, while they are also among the teams vying for Giant James Peatling.
Mark McKenzie
Plenty of Hawthorn's work is done, having won the battle for St Kilda free agent Josh Battle and also landed Tom Barrass' nomination as his new preferred home. The next step for McKenzie, as the Hawks' list manager, is to work through the Barrass trade. The Hawks were also keen on Harry Perryman but are no longer in the race. Whether they can add more players beyond the defensive duo will be a watch, given the Hawks adapted quickly on the run in last year's trade period to land four players on the final day (all of which were crucial in their rise back into the finals this year). As Gettable revealed last week, Essendon has interest in Hawks midfielder Finn Maginness, but he is contracted.
Jake Stringer
Like he enters games, Stringer heads into the trade period as something of a wildcard. He is contracted at Essendon for another year but has been able to look around for a longer-team deal without one being offered at this stage. Collingwood considered, but has moved away from the option. The Bombers need some more draft capital to match a bid for exciting Next Generation Academy player Isaac Kako, but a return on Stringer would be later in the draft if he did find a new home. The sense remains that, as other targets fall and things shake out, a club could still be a late player in the Stringer chase.
