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.

RULE PROVISION COULD UNLOCK TRADE DEALS 

CLUBS are looking to see if there are provisions within rules that could allow them to trade out their future first and second-round picks to unlock deals. 

Under the AFL's rules, clubs can trade out a future first-round draft selection but if they do that, must retain the rest of their future selections for that draft. If they trade out a second, third or fourth-round future pick, they must hold their first-rounder for that year. 

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

The League put in the proviso as a risk management move so that clubs can't trade away their full hand of selections.

However it is understood clubs are checking with the League to see if there are any means to permit extra picks being traded if it is for players who are fresh to the AFL system and close to draft age.  

Exemptions are allowed in the AFL's rule for clubs using at least two first-round picks in a rolling four-year period if a recruiting target is of a certain age and experience as determined by the AFL. 

For instance, West Coast is currently blocked from trading its No.2 pick under AFL rules because it has used only one first-round pick in the past four years, but the League would tick it off if the Eagles were trading it for Melbourne young star Luke Jackson. 

If any provisions were permitted for more future selections being traded, it could help deliver trade outcomes for a number of clubs searching for extra draft chips to use in deals. 

It could allow the Cats to use a future first-round selection to make a play for Collingwood's Ollie Henry if their traded-in pick No.25 from Brisbane isn't accepted. Under current rules Geelong wouldn't be able to use that pick as it sent a future second-round pick to Brisbane in Friday's pick swap and is also likely to send a future pick to Gold Coast in the Jack Bowes deal. 

Port Adelaide has offered pick No.8 in this year's draft as well as a future first-round selection as the centrepiece to a three-way floated trade with West Coast and North Melbourne for Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli.

Under the rules it would not currently be able to add any other future selections to the trade pie, with the Power also interested in Cats big man Esava Ratugolea. – Callum Twomey

HENRY, DUNKLEY IN SIGHTS AFTER PICK SWAP

GEELONG could offer pick No.25 to Collingwood for young forward Ollie Henry, after completing a lopsided trade with Brisbane on Friday that saw it ship out five additional picks to secure the second-round selection.

And the pick swap will also give the Lions a stronger draft hand to make a renewed trade offer for Western Bulldogs star Josh Dunkley. 

The Cats have been locked in negotiations throughout the week, having had their initial offer – which was a swap of pick No.38 for Henry – immediately rejected by Magpies officials.

On Friday, Geelong completed a pick-swap that saw it move picks No.38, 48 and 55, as well as future second- and fourth-round selections, to Brisbane in exchange for the sole pick No.25.

That could help the Cats pursue a trade for Henry, after the 20-year-old forward requested a trade to GMHBA Stadium last week where he hopes to join his brother and premiership defender Jack, although the Magpies have been keen for a first-round selection if they are to entertain a deal. 

TRADE TRACKER Every pick swap and free agency move

The Lions put forward a deal for Dunkley involving picks 15 and a future-first-round pick but were wanting the midfielder and three of the Bulldogs' picks back in return as well, which was shut down, before trading back from No.15 for more draft capital.

Brisbane now has picks 21, 34, 35, 36, 38, 48, 55 and 56 in the first three rounds of this year's draft to match bids on father-sons Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher, as well as a future first-round pick and two future second-round selections that could help shape an offer for Dunkley. – Riley Beveridge, Callum Twomey

FREE AGENCY WINDOW SLAMS SHUT

A DEAL taking Hawthorn's veteran forward Jack Gunston to Brisbane will have to be conducted via a trade, after the AFL's free agency window closed at 5pm AEDT on Friday afternoon.

Clubs had to lodge the paperwork for any deals they wished to complete via free agency by the end of this week, leaving Gunston and his move to the Lions as the most high-profile deal still left standing.

It had always been likely that a deal for Gunston would be completed via a trade, given Brisbane's reluctance to dilute the free agency compensation – currently pick No.35 – that it received after Collingwood secured a move for Dan McStay.

A total of five players found new homes throughout the AFL's free agency period, including Karl Amon (Hawthorn), Jayden Hunt (West Coast), McStay (Collingwood), Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs) and Zaine Cordy (St Kilda).

The last remaining restricted free agents were also taken off the market throughout the free agency window, with Collingwood tying Jordan De Goey to a fresh five-year extension and Darcy Gardiner signing a three-year deal to stay at Brisbane.

The close of the free agency period leaves a host of players' futures up in the air, with Sydney yet to re-sign veteran midfielder Harry Cunningham despite the offer of a two-year extension.

North Melbourne's Kayne Turner and Bulldogs duo Stef Martin and Mitch Wallis are other high-profile free agents who didn't have their futures resolved before the close of the window. – Riley Beveridge

ANOTHER YEAR FOR LIONS' LESTER

RYAN Lester is set to go around for a 13th season in Brisbane. 

The 30-year-old is yet to put pen to paper on a contract extension, but he is understood to have been offered a new deal for 2023. 

Despite being squeezed out of Chris Fagan's plans in 2022, Lester has been included in the leadership group for the past five years and long been a favourite inside the Brisbane headquarters.

Lester only managed three senior appearances this year, but he was in the squad for large chunks of the year, including all three finals and round 23.

The Victorian shared Brisbane's reserves best and fairest award with Jimmy Tunstill after playing 18 games in the VFL this season.  

Lester played 17 games in 2021 and has played 161 in total since being selected with pick No. 28 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft. – Josh Gabelich

LEAGUE CLAMPS DOWN ON BIDDING COLLUSION

THE AFL has added extra layers to block any potential bidding collusion between clubs in this year's Trade Period.

The League has previously pushed to stop clubs from doing any deals that could include unwritten favours such as not bidding on father-son or Academy prospects at the NAB AFL Draft, but has added extra steps to clamp down this year.

INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER Every club's hand as it stands

Every trade that is executed between clubs sees list managers or club representatives join an online meeting, with a line of questioning relating to the trade to ensure it is not linked to any other trade or bidding agreements.

The direct and explicit questions for each party have been added to the process making a trade official, with each meeting recorded by the AFL. 

There were two father-sons – Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos – who attracted bids inside the top-four picks last year, while Will Ashcroft could be the first father-son to be bid on at No.1 at November's draft after a dominant draft campaign. – Callum Twomey