2023 free agents (TOP ROW): Darcy Parish, Jade Gresham, Ben McKay, Harry Himmelberg. (BOTTOM ROW): Mark Blicavs, Nat Fyfe, Jeremy McGovern, Tom Doedee. Picture: AFL Digital

ESSENDON gun midfielder Darcy Parish will start the season as the highest-profile free agent in the game, with more than 100 players qualifying for free agency in 2023.

The Bombers star and 2021 All-Australian's two-year extension with the club expires this season and he leads the pack of players who will qualify as restricted free agents. 

AFL.com.au has compiled a full list of the 103 players eligible for free agency this season, with Richmond, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs all having a competition-high eight free agents. 

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Along with Parish, North Melbourne defender Ben McKay, St Kilda midfielder Jade Gresham, Adelaide backman Tom Doedee and Greater Western Sydney forward Harry Himmelberg shape as the biggest names in the free agency pool. McKay last year considered his future with the Roos but decided to play out his contract.

Darcy Parish in action during the R23 clash between Essendon and Richmond at the MCG on August 20, 2022. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

All of those players, plus Essendon backman Mason Redman, entered the AFL at the 2015 draft so are hitting free agency for the first time. 

The likes of Clayton Oliver, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Eric Hipwood, Callum Mills and Tom Papley were also due to become free agents this year but all signed long-term contracts last year, taking them off the market ahead of their free agency seasons. 

The Tigers' list of free agents includes premiership players Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt, Dylan Grimes, Nathan Broad, Jason Castagna and Kamdyn McIntosh, while Robbie Tarrant will also be a free agent again under the 'free agent for life' rule having qualified for free agency at North Melbourne before his switch to Punt Road. 

Dylan Grimes is chaired off for his 200th match after the R13 clash between Richmond and Port Adelaide at the MCG on June 9, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Last year's Norm Smith medallist Isaac Smith is in the same category at Geelong this year, as is Sydney superstar Lance Franklin. 

Port's list also includes veterans Travis Boak, Tom Jonas, Charlie Dixon and Scott Lycett, with Riley Bonner also eligible. 

Tom Liberatore and Bailey Williams headline the Bulldogs' list of free agents, which expanded to eight with the signing of recently delisted Demon Oskar Baker. Players who have been delisted at any stage of their career and are at the end of their contract automatically qualify as free agents, with Hawthorn's emerging star Dylan Moore and Melbourne premiership player James Jordon both in that category this year as unrestricted free agents. 

Tom Liberatore celebrates a goal in the round 22 match between Western Bulldogs and GWS on August 13, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Similarly, Geelong small forward sensation Tyson Stengle will hit free agency after previously being cut by Adelaide and coming into the second of his two-year deal with the Cats after last year's flag. 

Parish, McKay, Gresham and Doedee will be among the group of restricted free agents who qualify as players entering their eighth or ninth seasons and who are in the top 25 per cent of their club's earners. 

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Bids for restricted free agents can be matched by a player's club, which can then force a trade deal to be made for a player to switch clubs. Any players outside the top 25 per cent of earners or who have served 10 or more years at their current club will be eligible as unrestricted free agents. 

Current or former club captains Sam Docherty (Carlton), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Dyson Heppell (Essendon), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Phil Davis (Greater Western Sydney), Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne), Dayne Zorko (Brisbane), Dane Rampe (Sydney), Rory Sloane (Adelaide), Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn (West Coast) are also among the free agents this year. 

2023 FULL FREE AGENCY LIST

*Previously delisted
^Previously a free agent

Tyler Brown*
Matt Crouch
Tom Doedee
Andrew McPherson*
Paul Seedsman*
Rory Sloane
Taylor Walker

Nakia Cockatoo*
Darragh Joyce*
Ryan Lester
Rhys Mathieson
Daniel Rich
Dayne Zorko

David Cuningham
Ed Curnow
Sam Docherty
Sam Durdin*
Lachie Plowman
Jack Silvagni

Mason Cox
Jeremy Howe
Cooper Murley*
Scott Pendlebury

Dyson Heppell
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Darcy Parish
Mason Redman
Will Snelling*

Nat Fyfe
Joel Hamling^
Michael Walters
Lachie Schultz*

Mark Blicavs
Jonathon Ceglar*
Tom Hawkins
Sam Menegola*
Isaac Smith^
Rhys Stanley
Tyson Stengle*^

Jed Anderson*
Connor Blakely*
Levi Casboult*^
Charlie Constable*
Sam Day
Jake Stein*

Phil Davis*
Matt Flynn
Harrison Himmelberg
Lachie Keeffe*
Daniel Lloyd*
Callan Ward
Jacob Wehr*

Fergus Greene*
Seamus Mitchell*
Dylan Moore*

Luke Dunstan*
James Jordon*
Alex Neal-Bullen

Todd Goldstein
Dan Howe*
Ben McKay
Liam Shiels^*
Kayne Turner*
Jack Ziebell

Travis Boak
Riley Bonner
Charlie Dixon
Trent Dumont*
Tom Jonas
Scott Lycett^
Trent McKenzie*
Dylan Williams*

Nathan Broad
Jason Castagna
Trent Cotchin
Dylan Grimes
Kamdyn McIntosh
Bigoa Nyuon*
Jack Riewoldt
Robbie Tarrant^

Tom Campbell*
Jade Gresham
Daniel McKenzie
Jimmy Webster
Mason Wood*

Lance Franklin^
Lewis Melican
Dane Rampe
Sam Reid

Jamie Cripps
Shannon Hurn
Jeremy McGovern
Luke Shuey
Zane Trew*
Isiah Winder*

Oskar Baker*
Taylor Duryea^
Ryan Gardner*
Tom Liberatore
Toby McLean
Tim O'Brien^
Roarke Smith*
Bailey Williams