Giants retain Riccardi as Pies pursue Short; Tasmania targets Saints' Hall

The AFL trade period is reshaping rosters across the league, and the Giants have secured one of their first major victories: Jake Riccardi is staying put. The 26-year-old forward, who could have returned to his native Victoria to play for either Essendon or Richmond, has instead committed to a four-year contract that will keep him at GWS through 2030. It's a significant relief for Adam Kingsley's side, which has already watched Toby Greene and Kieran Briggs depart as free agents while Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer have also moved on. With Riccardi locked in, only Stephen Coniglio and Conor Stone remain unsigned at the club—Coniglio, an inaugural Giant, has been offered a one-year extension to play a 16th season.

Elsewhere, the race for Jayden Short is intensifying. The Richmond half-back, a dual premiership defender with 211 games across 12 seasons at Punt Road, has drawn interest from multiple suitors. Collingwood has been the most visible pursuer, with coach Craig McRae already in conversation with Short about a potential move. But Melbourne has now entered the bidding as well, according to AFL Media's Josh Gabelich. The Demons have made enquiries and are actively hunting for half-back depth—they've already met with Lachie Whitfield and showed interest in Hawthorn's Bailey Macdonald earlier in the year before he re-signed. Short remains contracted to Richmond for two more seasons, which means any deal will require a trade negotiation with the Tigers. Collingwood holds picks 9 and 27, while Melbourne controls two top-10 selections but no second-round picks. According to the Herald Sun's Jon Ralph, the Magpies are prepared to be creative: they could trade pick 9 back to pick 11 with Carlton to gather extra collateral, potentially landing Short while still retaining their first two draft selections.

The Magpies are also poised to land a marquee midfielder. Lachie Neale, a triple premiership Lion, is expected to sign a three-year deal with Collingwood as early as Friday when free agency opens. The move would pair him with Nick Daicos in the midfield and represent a significant coup for McRae's rebuilding effort. Collingwood is also set to acquire Giants forward Jesse Hogan, adding depth to their forward line.

Tasmania's expansion into the AFL is already reshaping the landscape. The Devils have signaled interest in St Kilda's Max Hall, the 24-year-old midfielder who has played 46 senior games since being picked up in the 2024 mid-season draft. Hall is currently out of contract at the end of 2027, which would make him eligible for Tasmania's special free-agency provisions—the new team can sign up to 18 existing AFL-listed players who will be out of contract at the end of 2027 or 2028 without meeting the usual free-agency tests. Hall's preference remains to stay at St Kilda and negotiate an extension, but the Saints are aware of Tasmania's interest. In fact, St Kilda opened extension talks with Hall earlier this year with the specific aim of keeping him off the Devils' radar.

Retired Richmond stalwart Nathan Broad may not be retired for long. The 33-year-old hung up his boots after Richmond's Round 23 match against St Kilda but has already returned to training and left the door open to continuing his career. In an early September podcast, Broad said he was back doing his program and would pick up the phone if the right opportunity arose. Now, according to SEN's Sam Edmund, Fremantle has expressed real interest in bringing him back. The Dockers are in a premiership window but facing defensive concerns: captain Alex Pearce is set to miss significant time with a partially torn Achilles, and Brennan Cox didn't recover in time for last Saturday's grand final. Broad, who averaged 14.1 disposals, 5.4 marks and 3.1 rebound-50s across 21 games this year, played 20 or more games in four of his last five seasons and remains a capable one-on-one defender. His return to Western Australia with his wife Tayla can wait if football calls.

The utility market is also heating up. Jack Bowes, out of contract at Geelong after appearing just nine times this season, has drawn interest from Essendon and North Melbourne. Now Adelaide has joined the race. The 28-year-old, a 152-game veteran who was drafted by Gold Coast in 2016 before joining the Cats via trade at the end of 2022, has struggled to hold a spot in Chris Scott's side. He averaged 17.6 disposals and kicked 7.6 goals across his nine Geelong games this year, suggesting he could offer value in attack for a new club.

Finally, Lachie Whitfield's future at GWS remains uncertain. The 32-year-old half-back, a Victorian who has built a 14-year career with the Giants, is being pursued by both Carlton and Melbourne. The Giants are willing to move him and are demanding an early-round pick in return—either from this year's draft or next year's, given that next year's draft will be dominated by Tasmania's expansion needs. Whitfield averaged 28.1 disposals across 21 games this season and was an All-Australian in 2024, offering the kind of dash and precise ball-use that both the Blues and Demons are seeking to upgrade their half-back lines.