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.
DAY OF DEALS SETS UP BIG FINISH
NORTH Melbourne is expected to be open to offers for pick No.3 after completing the mega trade on Monday in a huge day of deals.
The Kangaroos now hold picks No.2 and 3 in the draft and could also look to split the second of their top selections to see if they can maintain a spot within the top-10 and generate another early selection if a club was willing to push up at a high price.
The four-way trade sending Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli to the Power, West Coast's No.2 pick to North and the Giants moving up the draft board to the No.1 pick in a jump for draftee Aaron Cadman has shaken up the Continental Tyres Trade Period after Luke Jackson's move from Melbourne to Fremantle was locked in earlier in the day.
The Port Adelaide deal leaves the Power with pick No.33 to offer Geelong for tall defender Esava Ratugolea, who is keen to move to Alberton Oval but has a contract for next year at the Cats, who want to retain him.
The Jackson move could also shift the Dockers on big man Rory Lobb, with the Western Bulldogs hoping to land the contracted Fremantle big man. So far the Bulldogs have presented a second-round offer and the Dockers have remained adamant he wouldn't be moving, although discussions between the clubs could ramp up on Tuesday.
An upgraded offer from the Dogs is expected to be reliant on Josh Dunkley's move to Brisbane, with no progress between the Dogs and Lions on a proposed deal. The Lions have packaged together picks, including their future first-round pick, but also have wanted a pick in exchange as well as Dunkley as they prepare to match early bids on father-son duo Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher.
The Lions hold pick No.21 and have had clubs look at the selection, with Hawthorn offering pick 24 and Jack Gunston to move up the draft board, but Brisbane was not keen to do that deal.
The addition of Jackson officially at Fremantle could also heighten Hawthorn's push to land Dockers ruckman Lloyd Meek. Meek is contracted at the Dockers for next year, and the club wants to retain him, but he is searching for more opportunities.
The Dockers would be looking for a second-round selection – this year's draft or next – to move Meek, with the Hawks looking to use a future third-rounder. – Callum Twomey
YOUNG PIE'S GEELONG HOPES IN LIMBO
A STALEMATE remains on Collingwood youngster Ollie Henry's request to be traded to Geelong, with the Magpies rejecting the Cats' offer of pick 25.
The Cats traded five draft selections to Brisbane last week for No.25 to on-trade for Henry but the Magpies didn't accept the deal.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
It leaves things at an impasse with two days left before the Wednesday night trade deadline, with the Magpies having been adamant they would be looking for a first-round pick if Henry was to depart.
The Cats aren't able to trade their future first-round pick in a deal given the club has already traded its future second-round pick and also is set to deal its future third-rounder for Gold Coast's Jack Bowes.
Geelong had knocked back Collingwood's counter that would have seen it swap pick No.7 (that it is set to get for Bowes) for Henry and pick No.16 with a mix of other picks thrown in.
Henry was a first-round pick two years ago and played 15 games this season, booting 21 goals. He was drafted from the Geelong Falcons and trained at the Cats in his draft season alongside older brother, premiership player Jack Henry. – Callum Twomey
BOMBERS EYE PICK FOR DEMON
ESSENDON is keen to essentially trade out Aaron Francis for Sam Weideman in a roundabout deal involving Sydney and Melbourne.
The Bombers are hoping to secure Melbourne forward Weideman, who is contracted for next year, using a future third-round selection.
But they are looking for that future third-rounder to come via Sydney, which is pursuing the out-of-contract Francis for a fresh start for the defender, but Melbourne would push for the third-rounder to be Essendon's.
The Swans are more likely to provide a selection in this year's third round, with a pick swap possible.
Francis played four games this season, while Weideman played 10 games this season and booted 13 goals.
The pair were both members of the top-10 picks in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft, with Francis being selected at No.6 and Weideman at No.9. – Callum Twomey
FIORINI DEAL HANGING IN BALANCE
GOLD Coast midfielder Brayden Fiorini could remain at Metricon Stadium in 2023 as Collingwood continues to negotiate a host of deals elsewhere.
While a move taking Fiorini to the Magpies hasn't yet been completely ruled out ahead of Wednesday night's deadline, a trade for the Suns onballer could now be unlikely.
Fiorini is contracted with Gold Coast for next season and is comfortable seeing out his deal with the club, despite managing just 12 starts in the senior side throughout its 2022 campaign.
His situation had led to interest from Collingwood, though the club remains locked in deals to secure Adelaide's Billy Frampton and Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell, as well as facilitate dual All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy's departure to Melbourne.
The Pies have offered picks No.50 and 51 to the Crows in a deal for Frampton, which would leave the club with only picks No.16 and 41 at this year's NAB AFL Draft. They have also traded out their future second-round selection in a trade for Bobby Hill. – Riley Beveridge
CLUBS TOLD TO EXPECT CAP LIFT
THE AFL has told clubs to plan for a five per cent rise in player payments next year as they work through their salary estimates for 2023.
Clubs received a memo from the League last week with guidelines for them to assume a five per cent uplift from the total player payments figure this year.
It is a budgeting value rather than a locked in figure, which will come after Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached with the AFL Players' Association, and are considered notional to assist with clubs facilitating their TPP process.
The five per cent rise would see the total player payments sit at $14,215,943 per club and the additional services agreement money rise to $1,291,912. Across both of those, it would see a total value of nearly $740,000 added per club.
That would likely be chewed up relatively quickly as clubs have built-in contract clauses for certain players for TPP uplifts.
The AFLPA had waited until after the recent record-breaking broadcast deal had been signed before starting CBA talks for the next players deal. – Callum Twomey
KANGAROO IN SUNS' MIX
OUT-OF-CONTRACT North Melbourne midfielder Jed Anderson is a name on Gold Coast's radar.
The Suns are monitoring his situation and could look to add him as a delisted free agent next month, rather than during the trade period given his contract status.
The 28-year-old played 14 games for the Kangaroos in 2022 after missing most of the pre-season due to his reluctance to be vaccinated.
It is understood that the Suns' interest in the Northern Territorian is building as they look to help add depth to their midfield ahead of the 2023 season.
Anderson was coached by Gold Coast head of development Rhyce Shaw at Arden Street and has remained in contact with the former North Melbourne senior coach.
INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER Every club's hand as it stands
The NT Thunder product started his career at Hawthorn after being traded from Greater Western Sydney as a prelisted player, before moving to the Kangaroos after playing 10 games across three seasons.
Gold Coast list manager Craig Cameron has already completed trades for Ben Long and Tom Berry with Izak Rankine moving to Adelaide on Monday and Jack Bowes set to land at Geelong before the deadline on Wednesday night. – Josh Gabelich
SWANS LOOK TO TRADE UP
SYDNEY will look to see if it can package its two first-round picks to push up the draft board.
The Swans currently hold picks 14 and 17, with No.14 tied to Melbourne after it was on-traded from Adelaide last year in the Jordan Dawson deal.
Recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple told AFL.com.au's NAB AFL Draft Combine wrap show that the club would be searching to see if it can put the two picks together to break into the very early part of the draft.
However, those negotiations could come after this week, with clubs able to trade selections until deep in November and then again once the draft starts.
"In our mind we're keen on that," Dalrymple said.
"[No takers] as yet but that's for others to do. We get more information after we get through the Combine and the next four weeks."
The Swans made strong progress in 2022 before their Grand Final thrashing to Geelong, but Dalrymple said they wouldn't be targeting needs with their early picks at the draft next month.
"Best player has always been our philosophy and if you get a bit cute with types you can tend to miss out," he said. "In the rookie draft we might have a look at list needs, but certainly with those two early ones it's about the best player." – Callum Twomey
