AFL Trade Period Opens: Team-by-Team Guide to Player Movement

The AFL trade period officially opens on Monday, October 7, but the real negotiations have been happening in quiet conversations for months. When the list managers gather at Marvel Stadium this week, they will be formalizing deals that have already taken shape—and wrestling with the ones that remain unsettled. The trade window closes October 14, giving clubs just over a week to reshape their rosters for 2027.

Three names dominate the landscape. Zach Merrett, Essendon's seven-time best-and-fairest and former captain, is pushing for a second consecutive move to Hawthorn. The Hawks have offered picks 15 and 25 this year plus a future selection—either a second- or third-round pick—but Essendon has rejected the package. What will satisfy the Bombers remains unclear; Merrett is contracted through 2027, giving them leverage, but his determination to leave is absolute. Meanwhile, Ben King is heading to Hawthorn on a seven-year deal worth $9 million, but Gold Coast holds a card: as a restricted free agent, the Suns can match the Hawks' offer and force a trade instead, potentially dragging Hawthorn's Aidan Schubert into the equation. Melbourne's Jack Viney, once a heart-and-soul player, played just once this past season due to injury and has been encouraged to explore his options. West Coast and Essendon are both pursuing him, though neither is expected to offer much in return—he is effectively a salary dump, a veteran midfielder the Demons are moving on from.

Free agency has already reshaped several clubs. Lachie Neale, a three-time Brisbane premiership star, has joined Collingwood as a free agent, though Brisbane received only pick 39 as compensation—a modest return that will complicate their ability to match a bid on potential top-10 academy selection Caylen Murray. Toby Greene, the Giants great, officially signed with Geelong on Friday. Zak Butters is heading to the Western Bulldogs on a nine-year deal worth up to $18 million; Port Adelaide will receive pick five if they choose not to match, a likely outcome. Joel Amartey has moved from Sydney to Carlton. These signings have already begun the work of reshaping the competition's balance.

Beyond the marquee names, the trade period will sort through dozens of secondary movements. Adelaide faces a decision on Nick Murray, their key defender, who has a five-year offer from North Melbourne; Murray has managed 78 games in six seasons with the Crows, including 11 this year, and is contracted for another two seasons. Luke Pedlar is set to leave Adelaide for Port Adelaide. Brisbane's Sam Marshall has requested a trade to St Kilda, while forward Will McLachlan has been linked with both Essendon and Melbourne. Carlton's Hudson O'Keeffe wants out to the Western Bulldogs, and Flynn Riley is keen to join Collingwood on a three-year deal. Collingwood's Jordan De Goey, with a year remaining on his contract, is available if the right offer comes; his management wants a long-term deal, complicating any move. Scott Pendlebury will cross to Gold Coast.

Geelong and St Kilda are locked in haggling over ruckman Rowan Marshall. The Cats have offered pick 32, but the Saints want Geelong's top pick—a gap that may not close. Geelong is also chasing Essendon's Jordan Ridley, while North Melbourne is also interested in Ridley, though his preference is believed to be Geelong. Fremantle's Sean Darcy, despite the club's insistence he will stay, remains a point of debate; he fell out of favour this season with Luke Jackson dominant and Mason Cox preferred as the second ruck in finals. Darcy is contracted until the end of 2030. Nathan O'Driscoll, Fremantle's wingman, has rejected a three-year contract offer and is exploring options with the Western Bulldogs.

The trade period will also test the AFL's integrity rules. Port Adelaide's proposed side deal—sending Todd Marshall to the Western Bulldogs while paying a chunk of his salary in exchange for two first-round picks—was blocked by the league. The rule prohibits a club losing a free agent from paying the salary of another player heading to the same club. Marshall may still end up at the Bulldogs, but not in that configuration. Richmond has already bolstered its ruck division with ex-Giant Kieren Briggs on a four-year deal, positioning him as the long-term successor to captain Toby Nankervis. Jayden Short is exploring trade options, including with Collingwood, while fellow veteran Nick Vlastuin has no interest in leaving.

West Coast is actively hunting talent to accelerate its rebuild, with Jack Viney, Gryan Miers, and Sam Butler on the wish list. Miers has completed a medical at West Coast but remains keen to stay at Geelong. Melbourne's Trent Rivers, a Western Australian, is rumoured to be considering his options. The Eagles are in a two-way battle with Essendon for Viney. By October 14, when the window closes at 7:30 p.m., the shape of 2027 will be set—some deals done, some still contested, and some surprises yet to emerge.