A WAITING game is underway for the best free agents, as the top group of high-profile out-of-contract players take their time with big contract decisions.
There are 103 free agents in the AFL ahead of Opening Round, with AFL.com.au updating its previous lists after the end of the pre-season supplemental signing period saw more additions as free agents.
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But the contract waiting room is now filling up, as the remaining big names look set to start the season before getting into their contract calls.
AFL.com.au revealed North Melbourne has tabled a seven-year offer for Luke Davies-Uniacke and Carlton has made a seven-year offer for Tom De Koning as both weigh significant interest from St Kilda, which is pursuing the market hard.
While other clubs are keen to also throw their hats in the ring for both of the stars, both players are expected to face the choice of staying loyal or going to the Saints, with the pair to take more time before making their calls. Davies-Uniacke has been keen to see more progress from the Roos early in the season.
Brisbane's Brandon Starcevich is also waiting and has interest from both West Australian clubs, while Victorian clubs could also look to tempt him into a move with the potential of midfield time, while Hawthorn's James Worpel is biding his time before getting into contract talks.
AFL.com.au revealed in January that Brisbane had spoken with West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen last year and the key forward is seeking a long-term deal, while Collingwood's Brayden Maynard has had talks but an extension at the Pies is not imminent.
Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw has been in talks over a long-term deal of at least six years, while the Western Bulldogs are expected to soon pick up talks on Ed Richards' free agency contract. His captain, Marcus Bontempelli, is another to be content to wait until further into the year before getting into his contract future.
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As reported by AFL.com.au in October, Sam Draper is settled at Essendon and enjoys living in Melbourne amid Adelaide's interest, but the Bombers ruckman has been keen to play some games at the start of the year before his value is ascertained.
Collingwood has the most free agents in the competition with 11, while Adelaide (nine) and Carlton (eight) are next with the biggest group.
The SSP additions of Lachie McAndrew (Adelaide), Francis Evans and Matt Carroll (Carlton), Jai Culley (Melbourne), Sandy Brock (West Coast), Quinton Narkle (Fremantle) and Jaxon Prior (Essendon) boosted the total free agency pool, given all qualify as free agents because they were previously delisted and have penned one-year deals.
The AFL's official free agency list will be released to clubs in coming weeks, with the restricted and unrestricted bandings to come as part of that.
2025 FREE AGENCY LIST
*Qualifies as previously delisted
^Qualifies as previously moving clubs as a free agent
Chris Burgess*
Matt Crouch
Wayne Milera
Lachie Murphy
Reilly O'Brien
Harry Schoenberg*
Brodie Smith
Taylor Walker
Lachie McAndrew*
Darcy Gardiner
Ryan Lester
Brandon Starcevich
Dayne Zorko
Darragh Joyce*
Sam Day*
Matt Carroll*
Tom De Koning
Sam Docherty
George Hewett^
Jack Silvagni
Orazio Fantasia*
Nick Haynes^
Francis Evans*
Mason Cox
Jamie Elliott
Will Hoskin-Elliott
Jeremy Howe
Ash Johnson*
Ned Long*
Brayden Maynard
Brody Mihocek
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom
Oleg Markov*
Sam Draper
Jayden Laverde
Jaxon Prior*
Andrew Brayshaw
Nat Fyfe
Oscar McDonald*
Quinton Narkle*
Jeremy Sharp*
Michael Walters
Tom Atkins
Jed Bews
Mark Blicavs
Mitch Duncan
Cam Guthrie
Rhys Stanley
Brayden Fiorini
Sean Lemmens
Alex Sexton
David Swallow
Nick Holman
Josh Fahey*
Callan Ward
Jacob Wehr*
Lachlan Keeffe*
Luke Breust
Jack Gunston
James Worpel
Seamus Mitchell*
Jake Melksham
Tom McDonald
Charlie Spargo
Tom Campbell^
Jai Culley*
Luke Davies-Uniacke
Brynn Teakle*
Aidan Corr^
Toby Pink*
Travis Boak
Kane Farrell
Rory Atkins^
Dylan Williams*
Tom Lynch^
Kamdyn McIntosh
Dion Prestia
Zaine Cordy^
Jimmy Webster
Liam Stocker*
Hunter Clark
Joel Hamling^
Aaron Francis*
Jake Lloyd
Dane Rampe
Robbie Fox
Ben Paton*
Oscar Allen
Tom Cole
Jamie Cripps
Jayden Hunt^
Jack Petruccelle
Dom Sheed
Sandy Brock*
Oskar Baker*
Marcus Bontempelli
Jason Johannisen
Liam Jones^
Tom Liberatore
Ed Richards
Caleb Poulter*
