Geelong are being tipped to be the front-runners for Carlton superstar Sam Walsh if he becomes a free agent next season. Walsh will be in the final season of a four-year deal in 2026, and the general consensus is he’ll head to free agency.
Leading reporter Cal Twomey said on trade radio this week that Geelong, Hawthorn and St Kilda are expected to make the biggest play for Walsh. The midfielder played for Geelong Falcons before he was drafted by the Blues with the No.1 overall pick in 2018.
Chris Scott and Geelong are being tipped to try and snare a superstar from Michael Voss’s Carlton team. Image: Getty
And Twomey reckons he might be tempted to return to where it all began. “Sam Walsh is another one (who is a free agent next year), and I reported earlier that Geelong, St Kilda and Hawthorn were making early running for him ahead of his free agency year,” Twomey said.
“The last contract he signed was in his fourth year in 2022 here Round 1. So, I don’t see any need for him to do that this time around.
“The free agency market isn’t going to disappear on him, and we saw how good a player he is when he was up and running at the end of the year. The offers for him are going to be high-end for him as a free agent and Geelong will be leading the chase there, I’ve got absolutely no doubt about that.”
Sam Walsh could become a free agent next year. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Walsh has played 133 games for Carlton since debuting in 2019, kicking 47 goals. Earlier this year, Twomey warned the Blues not to take Walsh being at the club longer-term for granted.
“I believe it’d be hard to drag him out of Carlton – he’s the next captain of the footy club,” Twomey said. “(But) no one thought Joe Daniher would leave Essendon, and no one thought Jeremy Cameron would leave the Giants. He’s a big watch, and you can’t take players for granted across the competition.”
Twomey suggested Walsh might be tempted to leave if Carlton parted ways with coach Michael Voss, as it’d be four coaches in eight years. But Voss is staying put, which might help the Blues’ cause.
Sam Walsh the missing piece of Geelong puzzle?
As for Hawthorn, they’re very publicly chasing Essendon midfielder Zach Merrett. They’re also said to be keen on Zak Butters from Port Adelaide, but could turn their attention to Walsh if nothing else eventuates.
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For Geelong, Walsh might be the piece of the puzzle that turns them from grand finalists to premiers. Despite their 47-point loss to Brisbane in the decider, captain Patrick Dangerfield reckons there’s plenty of success to come.
“The hard part is there’s no guarantees in any given season,” Dangerfield said. “It’s everyone that starts again from the blocks, and just because you’ve had a reasonable season one year, there are no guarantees the next.
“So I think it’s important that you sit in it for a little bit, that as difficult as it may be, together this piece is really important. It’s something that we’ve always done really well as an organisation, regardless of the results, but particularly when we’ve lost big games of footy. The club’s always given us a great opportunity to threaten to compete, and I’m sure they’ll give us an opportunity again.”