The free agency deadline has arrived, with Essendon and St Kilda’s negotiations holding up other deals as well.
The Jade Gresham question has been answered today.
Follow today’s AFL trade news below and join our live chat at the bottom of the article from 9am-5pm AEDT!
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4PM – CROWS CHASING A PLAYER IN MCADAM TALKS
Adelaide is “determined” to land a player from Melbourne as part of the Shane McAdam trade and won’t accept the Demons’ future second-rounder, according to 7News Adelaide’s Theo Doropoulos.
Doropoulos also revealed the Demons knocked back an offer of Pick 14 and McAdam for Harrison Petty, whose future has been speculated in recent days amid reports the 23-year old could seek a return back to South Australia.
The Demons have two second-rounders in next year’s draft, one tied to Sydney from the Brodie Grundy trade.
3.30PM – HAYNES TO STAY AT GIANTS
Nick Haynes will remain at the Giants in 2024 despite some talk he could be moved to another club, according to his manager.
Haynes’ name was floated in trade reports to allow GWS to off-load his lucrative salary, with the defender reportedly set to be paid around $1 million next season.
North Melbourne was touted as a potential destination for the 31-year old including Roos list manager Brady Rawlings leaving the door ajar for the club to try and bring him to Arden Street.
However speaking on AFL Trade Radio, Haynes’ manager Robbie D’Orazio from Connor Sports declared Haynes would stay at the Giants.
“He’ll be at the Giants next year. To his credit, he fought through some things this year around positional movement plus some injury and personal health issues,” D’Orazio said.
“He had a great conversation with Adam Kingsley up there at the end of the season (surrounding): ‘You’re going to have to fight for your spot to get into this 23. The backline is pretty settled, you might have to look at that wing option, or get super fit and get your spot back’.
“He’s going to fight that challenge and he’ll get super fit. He could’ve easily gone to a bottom team and just taken a longer deal, there was some options there for him.
“But I put the options in front of him and he decides his own fate, he’s big enough and old enough to make those decisions.
“To his credit, he’s going to back himself in and they’re a bloody good team the Giants. Fingers crossed he can get fit and get in there.”
2PM – GRESHAM OFFICIALLY A BOMBER AS COMPO REVEALED
Jade Gresham has officially joined Essendon on a three-year deal after the Saints opted not to match the Bombers’ restricted free agency bid on him.
St Kilda receives an end-of-first-round compensation pick, currently No. 21, adding to their selections 13, 34 and 55.
The 26-year old and former Pick 18 departs the Saints after 136 games — and kicking as many goals — across eight seasons since making his debut in 2016.
“Jade has been an important part of this football club for eight years, including a significant contribution throughout the 2023 season,” Saints list boss Stephen Silvagni said.
“However, whilst Jade was keen to explore a path forward that allowed for new opportunities for his career, the club in turn determined that this also allowed it to continue its commitment to bringing in talented young players through the draft.
“Jade has been a popular teammate, with close relationships across our club which we’re sure will continue.
“We wish Jade all the best for this new chapter.”
The forward/midfielder was thrilled to begin a new chapter at the Bombers.
“Super excited to be joining a massive club like Essendon. I’m really excited to see what this group can achieve in the future,” Gresham said.
“I believe we can do something special and I’m happy to be apart of the journey ahead. Can’t wait to meet everyone at the club, get stuck into pre season and get to work for a massive 2024.”
Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro added: “We’re excited to bring Jade to Essendon. He’s a quality player who’s a proven goalkicker and will be a great addition to our football club.
“He will complement our developing small forwards and provide great leadership and experience as our forward mix continues to evolve.
“We’re confident his best footy is ahead of him and can’t wait to see him run around in the red and black next year.”
1.30PM – GRESHAM OFFER REVEALED
It’s believed Essendon’s offer to Jade Gresham could be worth as much as $700,000 per season.
That’s according to SEN’s Tom Morris, who noted he wasn’t sure on the length of the deal.
It’s expected to net the Saints an end-of-first-round compensation pick, currently No. 21 — a selection Morris is “certain” Fremantle will ask for in exchange for Liam Henry.
“We are (getting closer to learning player wages),” Morris said on SEN.
“Because the club the player leaves from has to know what the offer is from the club he’s going to … it’s no wonder when these sort of things leak out.
“We know roughly what the bands are. The reality is that $700,000 next year and the year after that is nowhere near what it’s been in the last few years. There would be hundreds of players in a couple of years on $700,000 a year.
“The Essendon footy club have a lot of money to spend, so it makes sense they’ve spent it on a player who they feel is gong to make them better and has big upside.”
Essendon has already landed Ben McKay and Todd Goldstein in free agency.
1.30PM – DEES OFFER FOR MCADAM
Melbourne has offered Adelaide a future second-round pick for Shane McAdam, according to AFL Media’s Callum Twomey.
The Demons have another second-rounder tied to the Swans from the Brodie Grundy trade, though Twomey suggested the club would back itself in to finish higher than Sydney — and thus their own pick being lower.
McAdam first requested a trade to Melbourne early last month. The Dees have been one of the busiest clubs this trade period including Brodie Grundy, James Harmes and James Jordon making exits from the club.
11:30AM – GUNSTON REQUESTS MOVE
The Brisbane Lions have confirmed Jack Gunston has requested a move to Hawthorn, but insist it will work through its options.
AFL Media’s Damian Barrett first reported the 31-year-old wants to return to Hawthorn, with the Lions “aware and respectful of his desire to seek a return to Victoria.”
Gunston played 211 games and kicked 410 goals for the Hawks before moving to the Lions as an unrestricted free agent at the end of last season.
He played 17 senior games for the Lions but fell out of favour in the back half of the year.
“The Brisbane Lions confirm Jack Gunston has informed the Club of his desire to return to Hawthorn,” the club wrote.
“While understanding Jack’s situation, as a contracted player the Club is assessing its position and will work through its options. The club won’t be providing further comment at this time.”
11AM – GRESHAM TO PLAY FOR ESSENDON
Jade Gresham will play for Essendon next year, with multiple outlets reporting the club’s officially lodged offer triggered adequate compensation for St Kilda, which will be at the end of the first round.
Essendon took its time in submitting an offer, taking until the final day of contract lodgements, but the deal has seen the Saints accept the compensation handed out via the AFL’s free agency formula.
Gresham, 26, played 136 senior games for the Saints after being drafted with pick No.18 in 2015.
The Saints were open to him exploring his options throughout the year and were ultimately happy to part with him given the free agency compensation and the salary cap space that will be freed up as a result.
9AM – FREO PUSHING FOR PIES’ FUTURE FIRST AS ‘WILDCARD’ IN SCHULTZ TALKS
Fremantle is reportedly seeking Collinwood’s future first-round pick in return for Lachie Schultz instead of this year’s first-rounder — currently No. 19 — as a “wildcard” in negotiations, reports The Herald Sun.
It comes in hope that the Magpies have a Geelong-like drop off next year after winning the premiership, which would naturally see the pick fall higher.
The report noted that Collingwood would likely knock back such a proposal, though it is willing to part ways with its No. 19 selection.
The Magpies also have picks 33 and 38, having received the former from Sydney in exchange for Taylor Adams.
Given Schultz’s trade request came so late, it’s unlikely Collingwood would include a player in the deal, with Jack Ginnivan keen to remain a Magpie.
8.15AM – ARE CATS BECOMING TOUGH TO DEAL WITH?
Dual All-Australian Kane Cornes reckons Geelong is becoming increasingly to deal with at the trade table in the wake of the club’s stand-off with Port Adelaide over an Esava Ratugolea deal.
The Cats are playing hardball on Ratugolea, rejecting an early offer of Pick 24 – which the Power acquired from Fremantle on day one of the trade period – for the off-contract 25-year-old.
It’s the second straight year the Power have tried to lure Ratugolea, offering Pick 33 to the Cats for the then-contracted player during last year’s trade period, only for the deal to fall through.
Speaking on AFL Trade Radio on Friday morning, Cornes claimed the Cats were also staunch in negotiations with Collingwood over Ollie Henry 12 months ago.
“I don’t think he (Ratugolea) ever has been (in Geelong’s best 22) – and that’s highlighted by history,” Cornes told AFL Trade Radio. “When he’s had a full complement to pick from, Chris Scott, he hasn’t picked him. He played four games in their premiership year. When everyone’s flying and up and running and fit, he doesn’t play.
“He’s not young anymore – he’s 25. He’s not a 19-year-old who Chris Scott is willing to give opportunities for. He’s been on the list for seven years and hasn’t been a first-choice player for them.
“It is funny for me … I don’t know if Geelong are becoming the new Essendon in terms of the trade period where they’re really difficult to deal with, but how much they weren’t willing to give fair value to Collingwood for Ollie Henry last year sticks with me. They wouldn’t trade a first-round pick for him and they haggled over Henry – and now the shoe is on the other foot and they’re doing the same thing for a player that wants to leave them.
“I don’t think you want to be that club that haggles over five spots with a draft pick. I don’t think it’s worth doing that and the reputation you get from doing that, I don’t think it helps anyone. But we’ll wait and see, they’re well within their rights.”
6AM – FREE AGENCY DEADLINE ARRIVES WITH CRITICAL CALL YET TO BE MADE
Essendon will finally make a call on how much to offer St Kilda’s Jade Gresham on Friday, needing to lodge their bid for the restricted free agent by 5pm AEDT tonight.
The Bombers had said they would officially lodge the contract on Thursday but did not do so, leaving questions over the salary for Gresham – and what compensation it would hand the Saints.
St Kilda has said it would match the deal for Gresham if he does not earn them an end-of-first-round compensation pick or better, which would take a salary of roughly $700,000.
The Bombers could try and use the pre-season draft if they’re unable to work out a deal for Gresham, like how Carlton landed Jack Martin, though they would need to front-load his salary to ensure someone else doesn’t take him first.
If the Saints did match the offer the clubs could work out a trade but the Bombers appear unwilling to part with a pick.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Trading Day, foxfooty.com.au’s David Zita said Gresham staying at Moorabbin was still a “live option” according to St Kilda.
“If it’s not end-of-first-round compensation, St Kilda say they are prepared to match,” he said on Fox Footy.
“The pre-season draft gets floated as a nuclear option for clubs if they don’t get the (trade) they want.
“Essendon could easily offer him a couple of years at enough money to trigger end-of-first-round compensation at the very least. The issue is do they want to do that at the expense of giving up draft picks?
“Not having to trade any draft picks is probably their No. 1 goal.”
The Saints have three days from the time Essendon’s contract is lodged to decide whether to match it.
Once St Kilda knows what pick it should receive for Gresham it can move onto its other matters including sending Nick Coffield to the Western Bulldogs and adding both Fremantle’s Liam Henry and Carlton’s Paddy Dow.
Other deals still in the works include Lachie Schultz (Fremantle to Collingwood), Elijah Hollands (Gold Coast to Carlton), Tom Fullarton (Brisbane to Melbourne), Shane McAdam (Adelaide to Melbourne), Esava Ratugolea (Geelong to Port Adelaide), Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon to Port Adelaide), Xavier Duursma (Port Adelaide to Essendon), Jordon Sweet (Western Bulldogs to Port Adelaide), Mabior Chol (Gold Coast to Hawthorn), Tyler Brockman (Hawthorn to West Coast), Jacob Koschitzke (Hawthorn to Richmond) and Massimo D’Ambrosio (Essendon to Hawthorn).
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