THERE is a surprise in the AFL's free agency bandings, with Essendon big man Sam Draper qualifying as an unrestricted free agent.
Draper was expected to be in the restricted bandings, but is not one of the only five restricted free agents in the official free agency list sent to clubs on Monday by the AFL. There is a total of 102 players who qualify as free agents.
>> SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL LIST OF FREE AGENTS
Discussions are underway for an extension at Essendon between Draper and the club, with the ruck settled in Melbourne, but Adelaide has long been keen on the South Australian.
His status as an unrestricted free agent means the Bombers would not be able to match any bid for him if he was to leave the club, although that is considered more unlikely. The 26-year-old had been looking to play a longer period of games alongside fellow Essendon ruck Nick Bryan before getting to his contract call, but Bryan's season-ending knee injury against the Demons on the weekend has added an extra layer of intrigue into the Draper decision.
The official free agency bandings were otherwise as expected, with the list of restricted free agents dwindling in recent weeks as the likes of Kangaroo Luke Davies-Uniacke and Port's Kane Farrell penned new long-term deals.
Carlton's in-demand big man Tom De Koning, who has been seriously considering St Kilda's mammoth offer, is one of the remaining restricted free agents, as is West Coast skipper Oscar Allen, Brisbane's Brandon Starcevich, Hawthorn's James Worpel and Western Bulldog Ed Richards.
AFL.com.au revealed this month Richards is in talks for a five or six-year extension at the Dogs and is keen to stay.
Eligibility for restricted free agency means the players are in their eighth or ninth seasons at their respective clubs and are in the top 25 per cent of earners there.
Dogs champion Marcus Bontempelli and premiership player Tom Liberatore, Collingwood's Brayden Maynard and Adelaide's Wayne Milera are among the group of high profile unrestricted free agents, with the Kangaroos circling Maynard.
Kangaroos defender Aidan Corr is locked in at North until the end of 2026 and Melbourne midfielder Jack Billings qualifies as a free agent after activating his free agency in 2021 despite not moving clubs under free agency in 2023.
Players qualify as unrestricted free agents if they have been at a club for 10 or more seasons, if they have previously been delisted at any point of their career or if they have previously changed clubs as a free agent.
Restricted or unrestricted banding has no impact on compensation.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Brandon Starcevich (Brisbane)
Tom De Koning (Carlton)
James Worpel (Hawthorn)
Oscar Allen (West Coast)
Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
*Qualifies as previously delisted
^Qualifies as previously moving clubs as a free agent
Chris Burgess*
Matt Crouch
Lachie McAndrew*
Wayne Milera
Lachie Murphy
Reilly O'Brien
Harry Schoenberg*
Brodie Smith
Taylor Walker
Darcy Craven*
Sam Day*
Darcy Gardiner
Darragh Joyce*
Ryan Lester
Dayne Zorko
Matt Carroll*
Sam Docherty
Francis Evans*
Orazio Fantasia*
Nick Haynes^
George Hewett^
Jack Silvagni
Mason Cox
Jamie Elliott
Will Hoskin-Elliott
Jeremy Howe
Ash Johnson*
Oleg Markov*
Brayden Maynard
Brody Mihocek
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom
Sam Draper
Todd Goldstein^
Jayden Laverde
Jaxon Prior*
Nat Fyfe
Oscar McDonald*
Quinton Narkle*
Jeremy Sharp*
Michael Walters
Jed Bews
Mark Blicavs
Mitch Duncan
Cam Guthrie
Jake Kolodjashnij
Rhys Stanley
Brayden Fiorini
Nick Holman
Sean Lemmens
Alex Sexton
David Swallow
Josh Fahey*
Lachlan Keeffe*
Callan Ward
Jacob Wehr*
Luke Breust
Jack Gunston
Seamus Mitchell*
Jack Billings
Tom Campbell^
Jai Culley*
Marty Hore*
Tom McDonald
Jake Melksham
Charlie Spargo
Brynn Teakle*
Toby Pink*
Rory Atkins^
Travis Boak
Dylan Williams*
Mate Colina*
Tom Lynch^
Dion Prestia
Kamdyn McIntosh
Zaine Cordy^
Liam Stocker*
Jimmy Webster
Robbie Fox
Joel Hamling^
Aaron Francis*
Jake Lloyd
Ben Paton*
Dane Rampe
Sandy Brock*
Tom Cole
Jamie Cripps
Jayden Hunt^
Jack Petruccelle
Dom Sheed
Oskar Baker*
Marcus Bontempelli
Taylor Duryea*
Jason Johannisen
Liam Jones
Tom Liberatore
Caleb Poulter*
