Carlton acquired a contracted forward in a trade, while Melbourne and Collingwood completed a deal for a veteran. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Pies are reportedly exploring a move for a rival skipper, while a Saint\u2019s mooted move is now \u201ccategorically not happening\u201d. <\/p>\n
Plus, the Lions and Crows remain \u201cmiles apart\u201d on a trade for a two-time premiership forward. <\/p>\n
Watch every match of the 2025 NAB AFL Women\u2019s Season LIVE ad-break free during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\n WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n 3.25PM – ROWBOTTOM\u2019S MANAGER POURS COLD WATER ON TRADE<\/p>\n James Rowbottom\u2019s manager has played down the possibility of the Swans gun midfielder being part of a Charlie Curnow trade.<\/p>\n Rowbottom has been linked to Curnow trade talk as the Swans and Cats ramp up their pursuit of the star forward.<\/p>\n But Rowbottom\u2019s agent, Matt Bain from TGI Sport, suggested the 25-year old was \u201chappy at Sydney and wants to play there in 2026,\u201d per Nine\u2019s Tom Morris.\u201cHe says if there any suggestions he be could be part of a trade, it\u2019s not being driven by the player,\u201d Morris added on X.<\/p>\n In a statement to AFL Media\u2019s Callum Twomey, Bain said he expects Rowbottom to remain with the Swans.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s that time of year, clubs have asked the question and no doubt been ringing Sydney about him. He loves the club and the players, I can\u2019t see it happening,\u201d Bain said.<\/p>\n 3.20PM – BLUES LAND SUN IN THREE-TEAM TRADE, FORMER NO. 14 PICK<\/p>\n Carlton has landed Gold Coast\u2019s Ben Ainsworth and sent Corey Durdin to Port Adelaide in a three-team trade. <\/p>\n Separately, the Blues secured former Pick 14 Campbell Chesser from West Coast in exchange for Pick 41 in a busy day at Ikon Park.<\/p>\n The three-way deal saw Carlton bring in Ainsworth and Pick 67. The Suns got Pick 29 from Port Adelaide, who added Durdin and a 2026 second-round pick (tied to Carlton).<\/p>\n Ainsworth, 27, was said to be assessing his options despite being under contract at the Suns for a further three years. <\/p>\n Blues football boss Chris Davies confirmed the club\u2019s talks with Gold Coast regarding the forward.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have had some chats with the Suns. We think Ben Ainsworth is a player that can help us, and we will continue discussions on him going forward,\u201d he said on AFL Trade Radio on Friday.<\/p>\n It comes after Essendon had \u201crenewed an interest\u201d in the forward after pursuing him last year. <\/p>\n Ainsworth played 24 senior games this year for 23 goals. It was his best return since booting 25 majors across 22 games in 2022. <\/p>\n AFL Media\u2019s Riley Beveridge earlier reported Durdin had \u201cexpressed a desire to return home to South Australia\u201d despite being contracted at the Blues next year.<\/p>\n 3PM – ROOS CONSIDERING ALEER PLAY, NO SIMPKIN MOVEMENT<\/p>\n North Melbourne is considering a play for Leek Aleer, while the club is yet to receive any offers for Jy Simpkin despite rival interest in the skipper. <\/p>\n It follows St Kilda\u2019s spectacular backflip for Aleer leaving the high-flying defender in limbo, with a return to the Giants on the cards unless another club pounces.<\/p>\n That could yet be the Kangaroos, with club footy manager Brady Rawlings confirming he\u2019s spoken with Aleer\u2019s manager in the wake of the Saints pulling out of their pursuit.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one that\u2019s obviously caught a fair few clubs by surprise,\u201d Rawlings told AFL Trade Radio on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve always admired him as a player. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a few clubs considering him. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in touch with his manager about a few things. He is pretty disappointed and clearly trying to find Leek a new home or whether he stays at the Giants. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve discussed it as a club and if it\u2019s something we\u2019d consider, we\u2019re still doing the work on that.\u201d<\/p>\n Rawlings said North was in the market for a \u201chybrid defender\u201d as opposed to a traditional key back, with the likes of Steven May and Mitch McGovern not on the club\u2019s radar.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s been no movement on a potential Simpkin trade despite the midfielder emerging as a target for Collingwood.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been some interest shown, he\u2019s obviously a very good player. But there\u2019s been no trade request and no formal offer or anything yet in terms of a trade,\u201d Rawlings added.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the way we see it, while it\u2019s still in that position, he\u2019s a North Melbourne player and will continue to be.\u201d<\/p>\n 1.20PM – SWANS \u2018ALL IN\u2019 ON CURNOW, PREPARING TRADE PACKAGE<\/p>\n The Swans are \u201cpreparing an offer\u201d to the Blues for Charlie Curnow. <\/p>\n According to Nine\u2019s Tom Morris, the package being worked up will \u201cinvolve players and picks in a bid to satisfy Carlton\u201d. <\/p>\n Morris added that while the spearhead goalkicker hasn\u2019t yet visited the club, the Swans \u201care all in and putting the pieces together to have a proper crack\u201d. <\/p>\n It comes after AFL Media\u2019s Cal Twomey reported Curnow had undergone medicals with both Geelong and Sydney, adding: \u201cThe bidding war is on\u201d. <\/p>\n On Friday morning, Blues football boss Chris Davies rejected the Cats\u2019 offer of three first-rounders; all of which are likely to come late in their respective drafts due to Geelong\u2019s perpetual state of flag contention. <\/p>\n SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund reported on Friday that negotiations between Carlton and Sydney have centred around James Rowbottom, Sydney\u2019s Pick 11 and a future first-rounder.<\/p>\n 12.30PM – DOGS\u2019 UPDATE ON KHAMIS DEAL, ALEER INTEREST<\/p>\n Western Bulldogs player acquisition and strategy boss Michael Regan gave an update on where talks with Carlton sit over off-contract utility Buku Khamis. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have had initial talks with Carlton. For Buku (Khamis) to leave, it has to be a pick that reflects his value,\u201d he said on AFL Trade Radio<\/a>. <\/p>\n As for emerging midfielder Ryley Sanders, who\u2019d been linked to the Crows, Regan promptly shut the idea down. <\/p>\n \u201cRyley (Sanders) is a super exciting 19-year-old \u2014 we rate him really highly. He is a much-loved member of the club, and there aren\u2019t many situations where you wouldn\u2019t see him at the club into the very long future.\u201d<\/p>\n The Leek Aleer situation was also broached, with the backline a clear improvement area for the Bulldogs, but Regan said the impressive young interceptor wouldn\u2019t be a consideration for the club. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a tremendous amount of empathy for us to Leek, but for us it\u2019s not something we\u2019d be pursuing at this time,\u201d Regan said<\/a>. <\/p>\n 11.15AM – ROWBOTTOM LINKED TO CURNOW TRADE <\/p>\n James Rowbottom is the latest Swan to be linked to Charlie Curnow trade talks. <\/p>\n SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund has revealed Rowbottom\u2019s name \u201chas been raised\u201d in discussions between the Swans and the Blues.<\/p>\n Edmund said current negotiations have centered around Rowbottom, Sydney\u2019s Pick 11 and a future first-rounder.<\/p>\n Forward Will Hayward has previously been linked to talks. <\/p>\n It comes after Blues footy boss Chris Davies said earlier on Friday the club had rejected Geelong\u2019s offer of three first-round picks for the dual Coleman medallist.<\/p>\n 10.05AM – DONS \u2018RENEW INTEREST\u2019 IN FORWARD<\/p>\n Essendon has \u201crenewed an interest\u201d in contracted Gold Coast forward Ben Ainsworth, according to AFL Media\u2019s Riley Beveridge<\/a>. <\/p>\n It comes after the Bombers showed interest in the Victorian last year, and as the Blues also zero in on the livewire goalkicker, who\u2019s assessing his options. <\/p>\n The Gippsland Power product is contracted at the Suns for another three seasons. <\/p>\n 9.50AM – LIONS, CROWS \u2018MILES APART\u2019 ON AH CHEE DEAL<\/p>\n Brisbane and Adelaide are reportedly \u201cmiles apart\u201d on coming to terms on a deal for out-of-contract premiership forward Cal Ah Chee. <\/p>\n The 28-year-old requested a move to the Crows after winning two flags with the Lions, but the clubs can\u2019t agree on fair value, per SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund<\/a>. <\/p>\n According to Edmund, Brisbane is chasing Adelaide\u2019s no.16 pick or a future first-round selection, which is set to shift down the order multiple spots after matched bids, while the Crows are said to be offering no more than their future second-rounder. <\/p>\n 9.00AM – PIES, DEES FINALISE MIHOCEK TRADE<\/p>\n Collingwood has officially traded Brody Mihocek to Melbourne. <\/p>\n The Demons have forked over Pick 61 and their third-round pick next year for Mihocek and the no.71 selection, confirmed at AFL House at just past 10am. <\/p>\n While Mihocek could\u2019ve walked as a free agent, Melbourne has opted to trade for him in order to preserve its compensation pick for Charlie Spargo\u2019s departure to North Melbourne. <\/p>\n 8.40AM – \u2018NO ONE WOULD THINK THAT\u2019S REASONABLE\u2019: BLUES BOSS ON CATS\u2019 OFFER<\/p>\n Carlton football boss Chris Davies has rejected Geelong\u2019s reported offer of three first-round picks for Charlie Curnow. <\/p>\n It was revealed on Thursday night that the Cats had put an offer forward to the Blues which comprised Pick 19, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 first-rounder. <\/p>\n Davies, speaking on AFL Trade Radio on Friday morning, maintained the club\u2019s public stance that it wants to retain the contracted Curnow \u2014 but he also said that the Cats\u2019 likely late picks in the first round in coming years meant the offer wasn\u2019t \u201creasonable\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cThe club\u2019s position has been that we don\u2019t want Charlie Curnow leaving Carlton,\u201d Davies began on Friday morning. <\/p>\n \u201cFor Geelong, those three picks are effectively going to be picks in the 20s. I\u2019m not sure anyone would think that was a reasonable deal for who Charlie Curnow is.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat has been clear from day one is that we are not in a position where we are suggesting to other clubs what Charlie is worth.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom here on in, our position will remain that we want Charlie to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n Davies was also asked about the Blues\u2019 interest in contracted Gold Coast forward Ben Ainsworth, who\u2019s been said to be exploring his options despite having three more years to run on his deal. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have had some chats with the Suns. We think Ben Ainsworth is a player that can help us, and we will continue discussions on him going forward,\u201d he said<\/a>. <\/p>\n Davies also confirmed Carlton would have discussions over the possibility of paying out the final year of Elijah Hollands\u2019 deal to get him off its books if he wasn\u2019t able to find a new home this trade period. <\/p>\n 7.15AM – SAINT\u2019S MOVE \u2018CATEGORICALLY\u2019 SCRAPPED<\/p>\n The mooted trade to send St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall to Geelong reportedly \u201cis categorically not happening\u201d. <\/p>\n That\u2019s according to SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund, and it comes after the Cats \u2014 who were said to be offering Pick 19 to the Saints for Marshall \u2014 reportedly offered three first-rounders to Carlton<\/a> for Charlie Curnow on Thursday night, including the no.19 selection. <\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you Marshall (being traded to Geelong) is categorically not happening. Rowan Marshall will be playing for St Kilda next year,\u201d Edmund reported on AFL Trade Radio<\/a> on Friday morning. <\/p>\n