Bomber ‘weighed up exit’ before Merrett criticism; Hawk ‘probably going to Carlton’: Trade Whispers

Bombers star Mason Redman has sparked a fresh trade twist, amid claims his manager contacted at least three rival clubs mid-season before the decision was made to stay put at Essendon.

Plus, confirmation a Suns star wants out only days after Gold Coast’s inaugural finals campaign came to an end.

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STAR BOMBER ‘WEIGHED UP’ OPTIONS MID-SEASON

Essendon’s Mason Redman reportedly eyed his own potential exit from the club during the year before he made the call to commit to the club, it’s been revealed on Tuesday.

Multiple media outlets believe Redman’s manager Ben Williams spoke to at least three rival clubs during the year – but it remains unclear if that was under Redman’s instruction to do so.

“Mason Redman is contracted until the end of 2028, but at least three clubs – including both from his native SA – were made aware that he was frustrated and weighing up a trade request earlier this year,” AFL journalist Tom Morris posted.

“They were asked whether they’d be interested in bringing him in. As far as I can ascertain there was no genuine market for him given his contract status.

“It’s believed Ben Williams, who manages Redman, stopped short of telling clubs outright that his client wants to join them.”

Regardless of who sparked the unofficial chats, it’s believed Redman will see out his deal which expires at the end of 2028.

But the timing of the trade news comes only days after Redman criticised his skipper Zach Merrett for exploring a trade away from Essendon.

Redman, who is on leave after the club’s 2025 season ended, spoke out as news of Merrett’s meeting with Hawthorn hit headlines.

“From my point of view, the initial thought is disappointment. Irrespective of the injury issues we’ve had this year, which derailed our on-field progress, I feel like off-field we were really making some inroads into making the club a great place to be around,” Redman told AFL Media last week.

“It’s disappointment that our captain, who is supposed to be leading us through this, is exploring other options.”

Redman, a South Australian native, had knocked back a deal at Adelaide to return home in 2023 before he went on to recommit to the Bombers.

He even admitted that had he been out of contract in 2022 and not 2023, that he would have walked out of Essendon.

“I’ve been pretty honest with people, and I know people would find this a surprise, but if I was going through the process last year, I probably wouldn’t have hung around,” he said to SEN back in 2023.

“I feel as though there were too many people pulling in too many different directions. Definitely towards the back-end of last year I felt that.”

Though Essendon has been adamant publicly it won’t trade Merrett, Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph suggested the Bombers had now privately conceded otherwise.

His potential exit adds to what will be a massive off-season for the club with free agent Sam Draper nominating Brisbane as his club of choice, defender Jayden Laverde completing a medical at GWS where he would link up with ex-teammate Jake Stringer, while Alwyn Davey Jnr, Jye Menzie and Dylan Shiel have all already been delisted.

Defender Jordan Ridley is reportedly eyeing a new club – but he’s still got four years to run on his deal and would need to secure a trade.

HAWK ‘EYES BLUES SHIFT’

Hawthorn’s Changkuoth Jiath is reportedly considering his options for 2026, with a rival club already showing plenty of interest.

Jiath has been on the fringe of Hawthorn’s best side in recent weeks – dropped ahead of their Round 19 trip to Tasmania before making his way back for the final two rounds of the season.

The defender has then played as the sub in both Hawthorn’s finals wins.

Journalist Sam McClure believes Jiath will move on for next season.

“CJ – probably going to the Blues,” he said on the Tradies podcast.

“CJ, I reckon he’d be perfect at Essendon,” co-host Mitch Cleary added.

“But you think he’s going to Carlton?”

“There’s definitely strong interest from Carlton,” McClure responded.

Cleary said the fact Jiath couldn’t break into the best 22 was telling.

“When we put him up on the whiteboard it was – if he plays in Hawthorn’s best team for the rest of the year, he will stay. But he’s been in and out of the team… sub. I reckon there’s a bit to play out in that one,” he said.

Jiath is contracted at the Hawks until the end of 2027, where he would then become an unrestricted free agent.

SUNS STAR WANTS OUT AS CLUB SET TO STAND FIRM ON FLANDERS

Gold Coast’s Malcolm Rosas Jnr has told the club he wants out, after struggling to cement his spot in the side in 2025.

And in a statement, the club confirmed they’d work to facilitate a move for the 24-year-old who has managed just 11 games under coach Damien Hardwick, as he battled both injury and form across those two seasons.

But while the Suns are pledging to “help facilitate a trade” for Rosas Jnr in the coming weeks, Gold Coast will stand firm on any potential move from Sam Flanders – who is contracted until the end of 2027.

“Sam expressed an interest in exploring other opportunities for next year at today’s exit meeting, however we have reiterated to Sam that he is a contracted player with our football club and part of our best 23 players,” Suns player talent and strategy general manager Craig Cameron, said.

It’s a sentiment that Hardwick echoed when speaking after the Suns’ season came to an end.

“As far as I’m concerned, Sam’s one of our best players and I don’t love trading our best players,” he said.

Flanders has played 89 games for the club since he was snapped up with Pick 11 in the 2019 Draft.

There’s been reports Flanders has a strong interest in returning home to Victoria, with Carlton, Melbourne and St Kilda all interested in securing the midfielder’s services.

Rosas meantime was the first player signed for the Suns under their Darwin Academy pathway back in 2019, before making his AFL debut in 2021.

He kicked 33 goals in the following two seasons and earnt himself a new two-year deal at the end of 2023, where the club labelled him “a role model for young players in the Northern Territory to follow in his footsteps”.

But since Hardwick’s arrival, Rosas Jnr has struggled for consistent game time.

A hamstring injury derailed his 2024 campaign before he managed just four games in 2025 – twice starting as the sub – in a side that made AFL history with their first finals appearance and first finals win.

Rosas Jnr, who is now out of contract as a restricted free agent, reportedly has both the Tigers and Swans interested in his services for next season.

The young forward is yet to nominate a club of choice.