AFL.com.au presents Inside Trading, with breaking news and the best analysis of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period covering contracts, re-signings, free agents, the NAB AFL Draft and industry insights.

THREE-CLUB TRADE FLOATED

A THREE-way deal involving West Coast has been floated to unlock Port Adelaide's chase for North Melbourne youngster Jason Horne-Francis.

The Kangaroos on Monday said they would be open to trading the young gun, who has requested a move to the Power, if a deal was compelling, with Port Adelaide starting by offering pick No.8 in this year's draft and a future first-round selection.

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

AFL.com.au understands a three-way trade has also been raised as a possibility involving the Eagles and their No.2 pick that could be on-traded to North for Horne-Francis and West Coast receive Port's pick No.8 and a future first-rounder.

West Coast, as Inside Trading reported last week, has been open to splitting the prized No.2 choice even if Luke Jackson didn't go to the club, with the Eagles not keen to solely put forward the top pick for Jackson.

In essence, the proposed deal would see the Power gain Junior Rioli and Horne-Francis, the Eagles double their first-round picks and North hold pick No.2 as well as their current pick No.1, likely with other picks involved.

Horne-Francis has a year to go on his contract at North Melbourne, but AFL.com.au revealed on Sunday last year's No.1 pick was keen to join the Power in a bombshell trade request. – Callum Twomey

GIANTS PUSH FOR MORE FOR HOPPER

A DEAL for Greater Western Sydney midfielder Jacob Hopper to land at Richmond hasn't progressed as it emerged the Giants would be open to conversations on two senior players.

The Tigers have secured Tim Taranto in a trade on Monday for picks 12 and 19, but a deal for Hopper remains apart as the Giants search for more than picks 31 and a future first-round selection.

Hopper is contracted for next year but as the Giants push for a greater trade return and also uses this period to clear the decks for its salary cap, it is understood the club would also be open to conversations on Lachie Whitfield and Nick Haynes.

Whitfield is signed for another five years through to the end of 2027 on a lucrative long-term deal, while Haynes has two years to run on his backended contract. Clubs are aware of the possibility of the Giants making salary moves if a Hopper deal doesn't progress.

The Giants are pushing for a future first-round pick from Geelong for Tanner Bruhn and on Wednesday they also moved up the board to secure pick No.15 from Brisbane.

They currently hold picks No.3, 12, 15 and 19 within the first 20 selections. – Callum Twomey

SUNS FORWARD STAYS ON

CHRIS Burgess has re-committed to the Gold Coast Suns for two more years after attracting interest from rival clubs following a dominant season in the VFL. 

The 26-year-old was starved of opportunity in 2022, managing only two senior appearances after playing 19 games last year. 

But after kicking 63 goals in the VFL to win the Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal and earn selection at full forward in the team of the year, Burgess landed on the radar of several clubs, including Adelaide and St Kilda. 

The South Australian has decided to remain at Metricon Stadium and fight for a spot in Stuart Dew’s best 22 next season. 

With Ben King spending 2022 on the sidelines after rupturing his ACL in February, Mabior Chol and Levi Casboult formed a decent partnership in attack this season. 

Josh Corbett also fell out of favour at the Suns this year and has attracted interest from other clubs in recent months, before nominating Fremantle this week as his preferred move. – Josh Gabelich

LIONS SECURE DRAFT BOOST

BRISBANE generated close to 900 extra draft points on Wednesday, completing trades with Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast to bolster their hopes of covering early bids for father-son jets Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher.

The Lions secured the 21st selection in a pick-swap with the Giants, before landing picks No.25, 36 and 56 in a deal forecast by AFL.com.au that sent forward Tom Berry to the Suns.

Brisbane also received a future second-round pick, tied to Collingwood after a trade for Bobby Hill, in its pick-swap with GWS. It then sent that 2023 selection, alongside pick No.46, to Gold Coast as part of the Berry trade.

The additional 887 draft points, which are essentially the equivalent of pick No.21, will help the club match a bid for potential No.1 pick Ashcroft. Fellow father-son prospect Fletcher is also considered a possible top-15 selection at November's national draft. – Riley Beveridge

LOBB DEAL WON'T DECIDE SCHACHE'S FUTURE

A POTENTIAL move taking Rory Lobb to the Western Bulldogs won't decide the fate of uncontracted forward Josh Schache, who remains without a deal heading into the final week of the trade period.

Schache is in limbo as the Dogs continue to search for ways to bolster their key-position stocks, with the club chasing Fremantle forward Lobb having already secured a deal for defender Liam Jones as an unrestricted free agent.

But amid interest from clubs, Schache has been told his future at the Whitten Oval won't depend on the Bulldogs' ability to prise the contracted Lobb from the Dockers in the coming days.

Schache kicked back-to-back hauls of seven goals to finish the VFL season, with his agent Dave Trotter from Hemisphere Management Group saying it has led to rival enquiries about his availability as a delisted free agent.

"(The Bulldogs) haven't made a decision," Trotter told AFL.com.au's Trade Exchange.

TRADE TRACKER Every pick swap and free agency move

"I've been speaking to (list manager) Sam Power pretty regularly. Even with the Rory Lobb one … in my head, I was thinking whether that would rule him out if Lobb did come in. Sam said that isn't exactly the case.

"He's just waiting to see. I've had a couple of calls from clubs as well, but that might be more as a delisted free agent if it didn't work out at the Doggies. I would hope his end to the year, and for a bloke of his size who can do what he can do, I would hope he can hang on to an AFL list somewhere." – Riley Beveridge

BLUES PUT TOP PICK ON THE TABLE

CARLTON has put its top-10 pick on the table, telling clubs it is keen to move as high as possible ahead of the NAB AFL Draft and that it is willing to part with future selections to do so.

The Blues will take a "never say never" approach to the remaining days of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, but are unlikely to add to their arrivals after securing a deal for Dockers wingman Blake Acres on Tuesday.

Instead, Carlton is expected to turn its attentions towards November's national draft and has told rival clubs it wants to improve upon a suite of selections that currently begins with the No.10 pick.

The Blues can use their other draft selections – which currently fall at 29, 49, 66 and 68 – to move higher up the order, with list boss Nick Austin also revealing the club will explore shifting future picks to advance its starting position.

INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER Every club's hand as it stands

"We'd like to improve our hand as much as we can. Obviously, with the futures market as well, the option is there to strengthen our hand this year if we feel there's an opportunity," Austin told AFL.com.au's Trade Exchange.

TOP 3 PICK ON THE MOVE Blues happy to help Dow find a home

"We're pretty open. We've been open with all of the clubs that we've caught up with that our pick is on the table and we're keen to improve our hand as much as we feel is necessary and if the right player is there.

"We'll work through that, whether some things happen this week or not. I feel like on the night there will be some opportunities to do that." – Riley Beveridge