Free agent’s $10m offer to rival Dons; Pies’ four-man hit list revealed after major Grundy move — Trade Whispers

Adelaide has reportedly put a figure on their well-documented interest in Brisbane superstar Zac Bailey just days out from Round 1.

Elsewhere, Collingwood has made a “massive” salary cap move to assist its pursuit of big names. Plus contract updates on three stars in the final year of their deals.

Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!

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CROWS’ $10M INVITE TO TWO-TIME PREMIERSHIP STAR

Restricted free agent Zac Bailey has been offered a monster offer by Adelaide in an attempt to lure the 26-year-old out of Springfield at season’s end.

AFL Media reported on Wednesday that the midfielder-forward has a deal spanning at least seven years on the table from the Crows, worth up to $10 million.

Bailey was born in the Northern Territory, before moving to South Australia and finishing school at Adelaide’s Prince Alfred College.

The 167-gamer, who has accepted a one-game ban for striking in Opening Round, also has interest from Essendon that dates back to 2025.

Bailey last signed a four-year extension at the Lions in January of 2023, and is a two-time All-Australian.

Given the Lions’ star-studded list, an offer such as the Crows’ makes it notably harder for the Lions to match, should he opt a preference to play at a rival club come season’s end.

PIES’ BIG $700K MOVE TO TARGET BIG NAMES

Collingwood made a “massive” $700,000 move at the end of 2025 to free up salary cap space to go big fish hunting.

Journalist Callum Twomey reports the Magpies prematurely paid off the remainder of Brodie Grundy’s salary they were still contributing towards — a salary the club was originally set to have on its books until the end of 2027.

The call to pay out the remaining funds owed to Grundy coincided with the final year Collingwood was still chipping in around $300,000 of Adam Treloar’s contract at the Western Bulldogs, freeing up around $1 million in total on the Pies’ books.

And they now have their eyes on four big names — Zak Butters, Ben King, Zac Bailey and Bailey Humphrey.

“That’s put them into a position where they can go and attack the best in the competition,” Twomey said on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“They’ve opened up this window of money and they are being super aggressive.

“It’s tactical, it’s smart and they’ve got ahead of it … essentially they’re $1 million better off after these two moves.”

Butters, King and Bailey are eligible to become free agents in 2026, while Humphrey, who considered a move back to Victoria last year, is contracted at Gold Coast through 2028.

“You’re going to need upwards of $2 million to attract Zak Butters out of Port Adelaide and get him to your club. Nick Daicos is already putting in the work,” he added.

“Last year, (Collingwood) were chock-full and couldn’t bring anyone in. This year, get ready for the pursuit.”

CONTRACT LATEST ON AMARTEY, SANDERS, STRINGER

Rival clubs are “queuing up” for Sydney forward Joel Amartey after he couldn’t strike an extension with the club ahead of his free agency year.

Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph revealed Amartey is “absolutely desperate” to stay at the Swans but he’s set to draw interest from clubs as one of few key position free agents on the market.

It’s led to a waiting game between the two parties in a season the Swans have already boosted their attacking stocks with the addition of Charlie Curnow alongside Amartey and Logan McDonald.

“The Swans put in a modest offer last year, that was rebuffed,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“He didn’t have a great last year due to injury but kicked 43 goals the year before.

“Both parties happy to wait and see … it’ll be interesting to see if clubs come really hard and if the offer is much more significant than Sydney’s.”

Elsewhere, Ralph revealed Ryley Sanders is keen to stay at the Western Bulldogs despite the potential lure to return to his home state Tasmania ahead of the Devils’ entry into the competition in 2028.

Though Sanders, who was targeted by Adelaide last trade period and is out of contract at season’s end, wants to establish himself as an inside midfielder in Luke Beveridge’s side.

“Wants to stay at the Dogs, not particularly interested in a return to Tasmania. But he’s got a view that he wants to be a pure inside midfielder — he doesn’t really want to be a half-forward,” Ralph said.

“Adelaide asked (about him) last year, they were knocked back. He was dropped for Round 24 and disappointed by that. Amazing in the pre-season then got concussed. Does he get back into that side as a pure midfielder?”

Meanwhile, Jake Stringer is expected to extend his career into 2027, though he has no contract triggers built into the final year of his deal at the Giants.

Stringer has historically performed well in such instances including the 31-year old booting 42 goals in his final year at Essendon in 2024, which technically hit a trigger for 2025, before he was traded to GWS.

The forward started 2026 with a bang with five goals against Hawthorn in Opening Round.

“Contract year Jake is real — he’s twice kicked 40-plus goals in the last decade and they were both contract years. His contract this year is worth around $500,000 … he hasn’t got a trigger for 2027,” Ralph said.

“The Giants love him, they keep saying he was incredible last year (despite) a couple of soft tissue injuries, he’s so selfless and bought into the culture.

“It would take a long-term injury for him to not consider going on next year. I think he’ll play well into his 30s there.”